E85 Xenon dipped headlights inadequate
- Thread starter Zikim
- Start date
pistol pete
Member
Osram night breakers are a brilliant upgrade...
Factory fitted xenons are just fine, especially when compared to halogens, they just suffer from being mounted low.
As posted above you can adjust them up slightly at the lights. They may well be set too low. In case you are not aware the self levelling just maintains them at the static setting position regardless of load, passengers, fuel, etc. so you have to adjust the lights themselves.
As posted above you can adjust them up slightly at the lights. They may well be set too low. In case you are not aware the self levelling just maintains them at the static setting position regardless of load, passengers, fuel, etc. so you have to adjust the lights themselves.
When one of my xenon bulbs went, I upgraded mine to Osram Night breaker DS2 bulbs, seem a lot brighter. I also adjusted the beam up a couple of rotations and cleaned the lenses to remove the pitting. I find mine are great now...
When you say they are not as good as they should be,is it brightness, beam pattern, throw, or all?
When you say they are not as good as they should be,is it brightness, beam pattern, throw, or all?
My Z4's Xenons are fantastic... Your auto adjusters may be broken if they are focused very low and wont raise up. This can happen when changing suspension components.
You can disable them using INPA/BMWScanner, and manually adjust them higher. Just dont tell your MOT'er...
Also give your lights a good polish.
You can disable them using INPA/BMWScanner, and manually adjust them higher. Just dont tell your MOT'er...
Also give your lights a good polish.
EdButler said:My Z4's Xenons are fantastic... Your auto adjusters may be broken if they are focused very low and wont raise up. This can happen when changing suspension components.
You can disable them using INPA/BMWScanner, and manually adjust them higher. Just dont tell your MOT'er...
Also give your lights a good polish.
Mine is a 04 3.01 SE and does not have the auto-adjusters, it has a manual 0-1-2 rotary dial which I have set to 0 which puts them as high as they can go.
If you have an adjuster rotary dial on the dash, you dont have xenons. I believe xenons are auto self leveling only due to dazzle. Halogens have the manual adjuster. The other way to confirm it is under the bonnet. Should be a ballast each side and High Voltage stickers if they are still there.
Zikim said:EdButler said:My Z4's Xenons are fantastic... Your auto adjusters may be broken if they are focused very low and wont raise up. This can happen when changing suspension components.
You can disable them using INPA/BMWScanner, and manually adjust them higher. Just dont tell your MOT'er...
Also give your lights a good polish.
Mine is a 04 3.01 SE and does not have the auto-adjusters, it has a manual 0-1-2 rotary dial which I have set to 0 which puts them as high as they can go.
Then you do not have xenon as per the title of your thread... You should clarify exactly what you have as a setup in order to get appropriate advice.
You'll get a improvement either by fitting brighter halogen bulbs or aftermarket HID's (unless you've already done this??). You'd probably need washers or fail MOT's, but that's down to interpretation and the tester.
Even though you have halogen you can still adjust the static settings at the headlights with the white hex adjusters.
scotty597 said:
I have just looked under the bonnet and can't see any ballast either side or high voltage stickers. The lights when turned on adjust upwards electrically and also have headlight washers. They also look like Xenons and not like a halogen bulbs. Are they Xenon or Halogen?
You have standard halogen headlights.
Posts above give you the options
Posts above give you the options
Ignore the stamps on the lens lens.
No auto level and no stickers equates to halogen.
Last check is to see of the lights take 1sec to get bright and flicker before you check bulbs..
However since with the age many things can be changed over the life, so ultimate check...
Simply Turn a wheel.open the inspection hatch in the arch and then unclip the rear light cover. If you see a bulb it's halogen, if a 2"square ignitior then xenon. Anything else may be aftermarket bulbs.
No auto level and no stickers equates to halogen.
Last check is to see of the lights take 1sec to get bright and flicker before you check bulbs..
However since with the age many things can be changed over the life, so ultimate check...
Simply Turn a wheel.open the inspection hatch in the arch and then unclip the rear light cover. If you see a bulb it's halogen, if a 2"square ignitior then xenon. Anything else may be aftermarket bulbs.
JayEmm said:
Basic physics. If you take the same bulb design keep the same 12v and 55w then the only way to get more light is to make the filament thinner, so it gets hotter shines brighter and whiter. Therefore it lasts less time as it's more susceptible to vibration damage and evaporates away quicker.
Aftermarket xenon kit, a good polish of the headlights and maybe one turn of the white adjuster screw and it will be so much better. Best £100 you'll ever spend on the car.
Mot is fine... Been to 4 different testers and never even had a question. Advantage of projector lamps is that they do indeed look like xenons hence ops confusion.
I wouldn't waste money on marginally brighter bulbs... Projector lamps with halogens is just inherently rubbish. Even the F10 is criminally bad without xenons.
Mot is fine... Been to 4 different testers and never even had a question. Advantage of projector lamps is that they do indeed look like xenons hence ops confusion.
I wouldn't waste money on marginally brighter bulbs... Projector lamps with halogens is just inherently rubbish. Even the F10 is criminally bad without xenons.
omar said:
I totally with this quote! I spent money on better bulbs but I couldn't tell much difference the lights are still shite the levelling motors are now shafted so I am going to change them and fit a HID Kit! I think that this will be the best option other than fitting some rally stile driving lamps. :driving: