How do I change the headlamp direction>

ronk · Post by **ronk** » Mon Aug 09, 2010 12:48 pm

I've just taken the cover off the healight access aperture, removed the diagonal spring and the plastic cover - but can I find a lever?

The short answer is NO

Can anybody give me a clue please?

(Xenons)

RTDGlobetrotter · Post by **RTDGlobetrotter** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:25 pm

bras0782 wrote:Found out how to do it with standard lights - it's on pg86 of the maunal. Thanks to GAZA62 for the tip.

There is a lever in the engine bay which you push in or pull out for the different settings. This must be what GP20 was referring to.

I was looking at copy of the manual I had on my computer - turns out that's the American version and so no reference to the lights

On my manual version for a 2007 car its on page 72 under "Rules of the Road".

daviddi · Post by **daviddi** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:42 pm

For what its worth, i left mine as they are , had beam set on lowest setting , never had any issues

cj10jeeper · Post by **cj10jeeper** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 3:56 pm

daviddi wrote:For what its worth, i left mine as they are , had beam set on lowest setting , never had any issues

That may be OK for halogens, but there is no manual adjustment available from the switch on xenons. They will simply auto adjust to level and then dazzle.

OP - down the side of the dipped/main projector is a lever that puts a metal shut off cover in the way of the dipped beam.

Taz · Post by **Taz** » Mon Aug 01, 2011 5:39 pm

er confused

i have xeonns, so does this mean i do not have the switch? i have looked and certainly can't see 1

GNH · Post by **GNH** » Sun Aug 14, 2011 12:29 pm

I had a read through this and some other threads before setting off to France and Spain and I just could not see a picture of the adjustment lever for the xenons on my 2006 car. I had the chance of a BMW technician to show me where they are and took the opportunity to take some pics. Basically it's unlikely that you will be able to get your head far enough into the wheelarch to see the lever even if you take the wheels off. Plus the hard plastic cover on the rear of the offside unit is a struggle to remove completely because it fouls someother components.

The lever is located to the right hand side of both lamp units ie to the outside of the car on the offside and to the centre of the car on the nearside (RHD only of course).

Here's a pic of the nearside unit if it helps anyone. The lever is highlighted with the white circle. I switched mine over at home the day before I left and back again once I got back home. I didn't really want to get filthy in the Eurotunnel car park and because the switch simply levels the beams rather then create a non-UK compliant assymetric beam it just means you have less than optimal headlights for UK use,but not dangerous or illegal.

By the way I don't think the text or illustration on Page 72 of the maunal is clear; it shows the lever to the left of the high voltage unit and then says for RHD cars move the lever up. In fact you need to move the lever down for a RHD car driving in Europe (upfor UK) Probably a case of Lost inTranslation.

Hope this helps anyone who is as stuck with this as I was.

adey · Post by **adey** » Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:15 pm

cheers thanks for the photo very useful i will need this in 2 weeks time

Jembo · Post by **Jembo** » Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:07 pm

Needed this in 5 days time for my Xenons, been searching for something as clear as this for yonks & from yr pickie found the invisible lever today. U r right, it's impossible to see the levers as are totally hidden from view, though a little finger probing (oh errr misses) caressed them into place

Cheers fella

cj10jeeper · Post by **cj10jeeper** » Sun Aug 14, 2011 8:38 pm

Useful to have the photo

Whatever you do don't have the xenons on when you adjust them. 25k lights you up more than the road.

jan_tekin · Post by **jan_tekin** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 8:16 pm

By the way I don't think the text or illustration on Page 72 of the maunal is clear; it shows the lever to the left of the high voltage unit and then says for RHD cars move the lever up. In fact you need to move the lever down for a RHD car driving in Europe (upfor UK) Probably a case of Lost inTranslation.

Hope this helps anyone who is as stuck with this as I was.

Fitted some new bulbs today as one of mine been a little tempremental for its MOT on monday only to find out I've been driving around for the last 5 years with my lights setup for driving abroad.

Always wondered why my lights were not as bright as my last car.
Manuals a little confusing as it say to push the lever up for driving aborad but Im sure your right and its up for the UK

monaco_blue · Post by **monaco_blue** » Sat Sep 10, 2016 3:22 pm

GNH wrote:I had a read through this and some other threads before setting off to France and Spain and I just could not see a picture of the adjustment lever for the xenons on my 2006 car. I had the chance of a BMW technician to show me where they are and took the opportunity to take some pics. Basically it's unlikely that you will be able to get your head far enough into the wheelarch to see the lever even if you take the wheels off. Plus the hard plastic cover on the rear of the offside unit is a struggle to remove completely because it fouls someother components.

The lever is located to the right hand side of both lamp units ie to the outside of the car on the offside and to the centre of the car on the nearside (RHD only of course).

Here's a pic of the nearside unit if it helps anyone. The lever is highlighted with the white circle. I switched mine over at home the day before I left and back again once I got back home. I didn't really want to get filthy in the Eurotunnel car park and because the switch simply levels the beams rather then create a non-UK compliant assymetric beam it just means you have less than optimal headlights for UK use,but not dangerous or illegal.

By the way I don't think the text or illustration on Page 72 of the maunal is clear; it shows the lever to the left of the high voltage unit and then says for RHD cars move the lever up. In fact you need to move the lever down for a RHD car driving in Europe (upfor UK) Probably a case of Lost inTranslation.

Hope this helps anyone who is as stuck with this as I was.

Very useful post and photo - thank you!

s.m.456 · Post by **s.m.456** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:28 pm

Sorry for the thread resurrection, bit of a silly question.

Do you have to adjust both the nearside and drivers side headlights for driving on the continent?

cj10jeeper · Post by **cj10jeeper** » Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:33 pm

Yes - both sides need adjusting

derin100 · Post by **derin100** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 5:39 pm

bras0782 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:25 pm I still couldn't find the lever so I took to the nearest BMW service centre.

When I showed him the diagram in the manual he told me it's a pic of the back of the xenons, not the halogens! Wish the manual had clarified that!!

After a bit of trial and error he found the lever. We couldn't see it because of the limited view with the wheel in the way, but it's next to the big bulb and just above what felt like the back of a screw. It's just a small lever which you can puch up and down with a finger - very easily misable unless you know what you're looking for.

Hope this helps anyone else in the future.

So...eventually I think I've found said lever!

So, if I'm taking a UK (RHD car) to the Continent which position should the levers each side be in when I'm there....up or down?
The handbook doesn't make this clear either.

Many thanks in advance

derin100 · Post by **derin100** » Sat Jul 15, 2017 6:13 pm

the way I read it, I think the lever is meant to be in the "Up" position if I'm taking my RHD car across to the Continent.

I hope that's correct because that's what I've just done...and it was a bloody faff!

Z4-forum.com

Z4-forum.com