Headlights...Very Bright or Very dull.

R

richardhei

Member
I just want a bit of a sanity check here please.

I often get "flashed" by other motorists (they think I have the Full Beam Lights on), when I use the Main Beam Headlights on my z4. They are relatively bright, I assumed this was normal they are either Xenon? or Just Bright..???

I have the option to put on the Side lights... If I do this at night, visibility is virtually zero, so can't do that (or is it normal to use sidelights when in a lit area, I am worried other motorists wouldn't see me if I did this...). It gets frustrating when about 30% of other motorists end up flashing me/ or trying to indicate that I have left the Full Beam's on...I know that the Full Beams are off as I can put them on and completely blind other motorists if I wanted to...

Does anyone else find this...

Is it something I will just have to put up with with this type of headlight? My Z4 is 2004 2.5i Roadster (High Spec I assume? because of the bright lights).

I need some educating here, please inform me :)
 
It could be that your headlights need to be alligned if you are getting flashed by on coming vehicles, they could be too high or have no beam pattern so will blind other drivers. . I definitely would not drive around with just side lights on and definitely not side lights and fog lights apart from being highly annoying it's illegal.

If possible pull up to a garage door or wall at night and check the light pattern.

Had mine recently done by Kwik Fit as mine were wrong and they didn't charge for correcting so win win.

One quick way to check if you've got Zenons is, if you have headlight washers, if you don't you'll have halogen projectors
 
Autovisiondetailing said:
It could be that your headlights need to be alligned if you are getting flashed by on coming vehicles, they could be too high or have no beam pattern so will blind other drivers. . I definitely would not drive around with just side lights on and definitely not side lights and fog lights apart from being highly annoying it's illegal.

If possible pull up to a garage door or wall at night and check the light pattern.

Had mine recently done by Kwik Fit as mine were wrong and they didn't charge for correcting so win win.

One quick way to check if you've got Zenons is, if you have headlight washers, if you don't you'll have halogen projectors
Click to expand...

I agree that the lights are most likely out of adjustment.

The link of washers to xenon is not correct as some halogen equipped Z4's have washers.

Simple checks for xenons are:
Yellow hazard stickers under the bonnet near the lights
no beam adjustment wheel on the light switch
flicker when they start up

Of course you may also just have bad retrofit HID kit put in that's causing glare.

I'd get down to any garage with a beam checker and get their opinion
 
i had this EXACT thing the 1st few days i had my Z and i replaced main beams with some Philips extra bright bulbs......

simple fix...... use the height wheel on the right of the steering wheel to lower lights a little bit (it was set on highest, not sure if by previous owner or i adjusted it when i cleaned it)
once aimed down a little (when driving down a long dark road the light beam was going upwards over the hedges on the side of the road so blatantly in oncoming traffics eyes lol) i havnt been flashed a single time since :thumbsup:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom