E89 headlights too low

W

warmasice

Active member
Hi,

Had a few Mini courtesy cars while my car has been at the dealership. Always thought the headlights on the Minis were far better than the Zed. So much so, that I was thinking of replacing the oem xenon bulbs for some Osram Xenarcs.

I did a bit more digging and forum reading and I found that the auto headlight sensors could be faulty or have 'flipped'. This wasn't the case with mine so into the dealer it went.

They allowed me into their workshop and showed me how the headlights can be manually adjusted (I was already aware of this). Anyhow, they adjusted the headlights to the upper limit (but not beyond) of what is permitted. All I can say is WOW! The best headlights of any car I've driven by far!

Driving at night, I can see how the headlights auto adjust to the inclination of the road. All is working fine and the illumination of the road ahead is great.

I just wanted to put this here in case anyone else does some googling or forum searching.
 
Yep, Sytners did mine - drive in, drive out - for 'nowt.

Most importantly for me, they're not only good lights, but the colour's right. I had 'green' ones on a 911 and the world at night was a cold place - like watching black & white TV.
 
Just be ready to be flashed by on coming cars on bumpy country roads.
I have had a few put their main beams on, they soon dip them when i go full beam.
As if their dipped lights don't dazzle me.
That's progress, or should i say car companies self certifying to EU standards.
 
I need to get around to getting this done, is it something you can get done yourself or better for the stealers to do?
 
Mine are set right on the limit of height, I have been flashed a few times, but hey they are legal and they light up the road brilliantly, I recently went in my mates range rover, which obviously have a higher kelvin, they just made everything look cartoon , and I thought mine really reflected off road signs, his virtually made them unreadable
 
mcbutler said:
Can you share the process for manual adjustment?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't manually adjust them yourself. There is a legal upper (and lower) limit for which you need a machine like this to check the height:

33171_5.jpg

Take it to a garage and have it done properly. They shouldn't really charge much (if at all) as it literally take seconds to do. My Sytner dealership didn't charge anything.
 
Had them adjusted around a month ago (hadn't got round to posting). However, I've not been flashed yet, even though I thought I might!.. Road signs are clearly visible from some distance now and the road ahead is illuminated bright and clear. :driving:
 
I know this thread is a little old, but I haven't been on in a while (out driving my Bimmer)...

I have constantly had problems with my lights shining onto the ground right in front of my Z4, and after much research I learned that there is an "auto-leveling" device that keeps the headlights aimed. The device has a tendency to flip upside-down when going over a bump/hump and it causes the headlights to look down. It is so frustrating because it happens so often.

So in December, the headlights were again pointed at the ground and there was a very dark line just a few feet in front of the car with no lights so I took it into the dealer. Not only did they get them adjusted, but I believe they adjusted them higher than they had been before and now I see so much better at night. I've only been flashed by a few cars, but the headlights are so bright and white I could understand that it may be too bright to an oncoming car.

Mine has the feature where the headlights swivel to the left and right as one steers around curves, etc., so not sure if that has been a factor in their aiming issue.

Having said all that...I find it interesting what was posted above about manually adjusting the lights? Is that only on certain models?
 
dhplachy said:
I know this thread is a little old, but I haven't been on in a while (out driving my Bimmer)...

I have constantly had problems with my lights shining onto the ground right in front of my Z4, and after much research I learned that there is an "auto-leveling" device that keeps the headlights aimed. The device has a tendency to flip upside-down when going over a bump/hump and it causes the headlights to look down. It is so frustrating because it happens so often.

So in December, the headlights were again pointed at the ground and there was a very dark line just a few feet in front of the car with no lights so I took it into the dealer. Not only did they get them adjusted, but I believe they adjusted them higher than they had been before and now I see so much better at night. I've only been flashed by a few cars, but the headlights are so bright and white I could understand that it may be too bright to an oncoming car.

Mine has the feature where the headlights swivel to the left and right as one steers around curves, etc., so not sure if that has been a factor in their aiming issue.

Having said all that...I find it interesting what was posted above about manually adjusting the lights? Is that only on certain models?
Click to expand...
Yes, the sensors can flip. However, I think BMW don't have the headlights set to the upper legal limit from factory. The auto light level sensor moves the beam of light higher or lower, depending on the road. The easiest way to imagine it is if you're going down hill, the headlights tilt up, to illuminate more of the road ahead, and the opposite going up a hill (so not to blind oncoming traffic).

I always thought the new Minis had amazing headlights. However, after mine were manually adjusted (same for all models), I'd say they're easily the best headlights I've experienced. The difference is literally night and day. Gone from the worst to the best!
 
When i accelerate i see my main beams dip down slightly and back up when i cruise.
I think they adjust to take in account the shift in weight with the roof down.
 
Slightly off topic...

Can the actual light units (not just the beam, but the whole light assembly) be adjusted, more specifically, moved backwards (closer to engine) by about 10mm ?
 
ihadablackdog said:
Slightly off topic...

Can the actual light units (not just the beam, but the whole light assembly) be adjusted, more specifically, moved backwards (closer to engine) by about 10mm ?
Click to expand...

Why do you want to do that? (Only curious. :) )
 
Busterboo said:
ihadablackdog said:
Slightly off topic...

Can the actual light units (not just the beam, but the whole light assembly) be adjusted, more specifically, moved backwards (closer to engine) by about 10mm ?
Click to expand...

Why do you want to do that? (Only curious. :) )
Click to expand...
Im sure you could add spacers to move them backwards and I think I know why you are asking.
Is it because the lights overhang the bumper slightly?
If it is this I think you would end up with larger gaps at the side of the light, off the top of my head I think its only the parts closest to the grills that overhang a bit so moving it would create a gap elsewhere.
 
There is a gap between the front of the bonnet and the lights. I had trouble with the bumper fitment and the bodyshop said the bumper had been poorly repaired after an impact (they thought perhaps a kerb) and although they got a better fitment, the lights seem to far out. The top of the bumper though is now correct, so I'm not sure what to do (they said a new bumper would fix it and they could move the lights back....but is that true?)







(sorry to the op...this is a real hijack!)
 
No, they said a new bumper would fit better, and when I asked about the gap between the lights and the bonnet, they said they could move the actual headlight units. I am asking if moving the headlight units is even possible? If you look at the first picture, where the top of the bumper meets the middle of the bonnet, and is in line with the angle of the bonnet, the light unit is lower, so its as if the light needs to be raised at the rear and pushed back slightly.

Could you take some pictures of yours from similar angles so I can compare?

(I've tried to look at another in the flesh but I haven't found any).
 
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