Head lights from bi Xeon to halogen
- Thread starter Alanforde
- Start date
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?
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?
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.
Also, halogen headlight units with led bulbs aren't legal.
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
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
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
"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!
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'.Davz said:
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.
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.
. 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.
Alanforde said:
I’m not an expert on car electronics, but looking at the diagrams posted by mac27040, you will need run a wire for each headlight between the light switch and the headlight connector and a wire from each headlight to the earthing point. The earth wire from the direction indicator / high beam switch also needs to be moved to a different earthing point. In theory it shouldn’t be too difficult, but practically it depends on how the looms are routed.
I think you've been given a fair bit of decent advice, despite nobody in the topic having tried to do what you're trying to do.
1. Its not easy, which is why nobody else has done it...
2. Even if you manage it, headlight units designed for halogen bulbs, but fitted with LED bulbs, aren't legal in the UK - you may fail your MOT unless you find a friendly MOT. There's been quite a lot about this recently in all the various classic car communities.
I feel your pain with regards to the cost of repairing the xenons, but its a BMW and some parts are expensive (have you tried scrappies?) ... the headlights were probably the most expensive option fitted to your car when new too. Its one of the bits of the car that you just know will be expensive if it needs repaired/replaced.
1. Its not easy, which is why nobody else has done it...
2. Even if you manage it, headlight units designed for halogen bulbs, but fitted with LED bulbs, aren't legal in the UK - you may fail your MOT unless you find a friendly MOT. There's been quite a lot about this recently in all the various classic car communities.
I feel your pain with regards to the cost of repairing the xenons, but its a BMW and some parts are expensive (have you tried scrappies?) ... the headlights were probably the most expensive option fitted to your car when new too. Its one of the bits of the car that you just know will be expensive if it needs repaired/replaced.
