Head lights from bi Xeon to halogen

Alanforde · Post by **Alanforde** » Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:21 pm

Hello I’ve got BMW Z4 2 litre petrol which has bi Xeon light units and wiring I’m trying to down grade the units halogen (led) units but there is only one wire and if I fit them I will have no hi beam does any one know how to re wire them as I’m at a lost

Pondrew · Post by **Pondrew** » Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:43 pm

Hello and welcome.
Why, why and why?
This option needs no wiring:

: photo-1594036608069-c96ee2c3310d.jpg (24.87 KiB) Viewed 997 times

May need replacing every so often, though

kis · Post by **kis** » Sun Aug 29, 2021 6:39 pm

You sure it’s xenon? I’d be surprised if someone spec’d a 2.0 with xenons. Post some pics, should be able to help. Include the pins you have on headlight connector.

LittleZ4 · Post by **LittleZ4** » Sun Aug 29, 2021 6:47 pm

If it's xenon from factory take a picture of the light control switch. If there's no height adjustment then it's xenon. If there is then it's halogens.

Also if you don't mind me asking, what's the reason behind going from xenon to aftermarket LED. My understanding is the aftermarket LEDs aren't that good?

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Sun Aug 29, 2021 10:23 pm

Well first off welcome aboard.

I'm not sure why you'd remove Bi-Xenons from any E85/6, although you'd probably get good money selling them on here!

roblightbody · Post by **roblightbody** » Sun Aug 29, 2021 11:16 pm

The xenons on our 57 plate e86 knock the socks off the LED headlights on our 2018 golf GTi.

Also, halogen headlight units with led bulbs aren't legal.

Alanforde · Post by **Alanforde** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 12:47 am

Well thanks for your reply’s ,what it is is that my bi Xeon head light units are shot to bits ( hardly work) and to replace them with brand new bmw ones are £ 2000 for the pair or about £600 second hand on eBay so I have brought cats eyes led lights which only work on a halogen wiring from the computer ( two wires) and as my car has bi Xeon wiring from computer(1 wire) they will only work on normal beam,no high beam I have taken the car to two garages one is z4 garage and they can’t do it I have looked on line and have heard you can do it and contacted car electrical so called experts and no one knows how to do it I really would love to keep the led (halogen) units as they are black unless anyone knows where to get black bi Xeon units I would appreciate the help

mac27040 · Post by **mac27040** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 2:00 pm

what year is your Z4 as the wiring change on 2006.

Low beam/high beam (Z Series_Z4-E85/E86 up to 2006_01)
this might help https://bmwteka.com/wds/en/e85/5014b830

Low beam/high beam (Z Series_Z4-E85/E86 with Xenon lights as of 2006_01)
https://bmwteka.com/wds/en/e85/875ae7c4

Davz · Post by **Davz** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 7:49 pm

"Also, halogen headlight units with led bulbs aren't legal."

Roblightbody....For the majority of cars you're correct but that is not the case for the z4 as it has projector lenses, designed to use halogen and xenon. If you care to look at the EU technical info moulded on the side of the headlights it is marked as being suitable for halogen and xenon. The z4 standard halogen also has self leveling, which is a xenon requirement for the mot but is not a strict rule if you read the gov's advice to mot testers. Lastly, many think that xenon's require headlight washers, this is only a requirement for cars produced from 2009. So converting a z4 halogen to xenon is perfectly legal.
If you have halogens I would advise changing them to xenon, using the cheapest kit you can find as they are all pretty much the same, more money doesn't get any improvement in quality or performance and stick to 4300k 35w. The improvement is quite dramatic!

Zulu4 · Post by **Zulu4** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 8:11 pm

Davz wrote: ↑Wed Sep 01, 2021 7:49 pm "Also, halogen headlight units with led bulbs aren't legal."

Roblightbody....For the majority of cars you're correct but that is not the case for the z4 as it has projector lenses, designed to use halogen and xenon. If you care to look at the EU technical info moulded on the side of the headlights it is marked as being suitable for halogen and xenon. The z4 standard halogen also has self leveling, which is a xenon requirement for the mot but is not a strict rule if you read the gov's advice to mot testers. Lastly, many think that xenon's require headlight washers, this is only a requirement for cars produced from 2009. So converting a z4 halogen to xenon is perfectly legal.
If you have halogens I would advise changing them to xenon, using the cheapest kit you can find as they are all pretty much the same, more money doesn't get any improvement in quality or performance and stick to 4300k 35w. The improvement is quite dramatic!

Interesting info, but Roblightbody's statement didn't refer to 'halogen to xenon' but 'halogen to LED'.
My halogen headlights have the levelling motor incorporated, but I've not seen a level sensor on the suspension so I don't think they self-level.

Having said that, I fitted Osram LEDriving bulbs and find them much better than the halogens and they have the same beam pattern.

Davz · Post by **Davz** » Wed Sep 01, 2021 9:44 pm

Oops my bad! Didn't absorb the led bit

. I just get sick of posters saying xenon conversion of the z4 is illegal when it's not. Led's on the other hand are completely illegal.
Regarding the levelling sensor, you're correct that the halogen version doesn't have that but the guidance for a tester states
”Vehicles with high intensity discharge (HID) or LED dipped beam headlamps may be fitted with a suspension or headlamp self-levelling system. If these systems have been fitted, they must work."

So the guidance allows for suspension or headlamp system or none at all!

Hence it being fully legal to fit aftermarket xenon but only if the beam pattern is correct, which being projector it will be.

kis · Post by **kis** » Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:58 am

doesn't help the OP as he wants to go xenon to halogen! Understandable given the prices of xenon units!

Davz · Post by **Davz** » Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:36 pm

The poster could fit halogen but then upgrade with an aftermarket xenon kit....the halogens are truly pathetic

Alanforde · Post by **Alanforde** » Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:59 pm

Thanks for the reply but no one who has replied understands what I’m going on about I’m down grading from a bi Xeon wiring from the computer to a halogen unit (led) which runs on two wires the bi Xeon run on one wire so I will have no high beam

bg1 · Post by **bg1** » Thu Sep 02, 2021 3:10 pm

Alanforde wrote: ↑Thu Sep 02, 2021 1:59 pm Thanks for the reply but no one who has replied understands what I’m going on about I’m down grading from a bi Xeon wiring from the computer to a halogen unit (led) which runs on two wires the bi Xeon run on one wire so I will have no high beam

I feel your pain re the lack of understanding but have no idea about how to help sorry.

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