how do you adjust the highlight level?

[nightyard]

I've looked in the manual and I can't find anything about twisting any screw to change the angle of the headlights... I've searched and all i see is "its in the manual".... well I cant find it in the manual!

so how do you do it ? where is this screw!

 

[Bing]

Open the bonnet, look on top of the light housing then back - there is a white plastic cross-head screw. There are actually two, but the one tucked right down behind the light does left and right I believe. Apparently one full turn of a screw driver moves them up sufficiently to get a better throw on the lights. Can't remember which way though, so mark the screwdriver, and do it at night shining the lights on a wall or similar in case you turn the wrong way.

 

[nightyard]

Open the bonnet, look on top of the light housing then back - there is a white plastic cross-head screw. There are actually two, but the one tucked right down behind the light does left and right I believe. Apparently one full turn of a screw driver moves them up sufficiently to get a better throw on the lights. Can't remember which way though, so mark the screwdriver, and do it at night shining the lights on a wall or similar in case you turn the wrong way.

thanks, i'll do it tonight

 

[cj_eds]

But if you have the Xenon's, they should be self-levelling

 

[mmm-five]

But if you have the Xenon's, they should be self-levelling

Self-levelling from a manually set baseline height though. If that original level is too low, then the self-levelling will always try to keep them at that, incorrect, level.

 

[srhutch]

Open the bonnet, look on top of the light housing then back - there is a white plastic cross-head screw. There are actually two, but the one tucked right down behind the light does left and right I believe. Apparently one full turn of a screw driver moves them up sufficiently to get a better throw on the lights. Can't remember which way though, so mark the screwdriver, and do it at night shining the lights on a wall or similar in case you turn the wrong way.

I always did mine two complete turns from a known dead centre as BMW had set them to that when I complained about not being able to see at night.

 

[cj_eds]

But if you have the Xenon's, they should be self-levelling

Self-levelling from a manually set baseline height though. If that original level is too low, then the self-levelling will always try to keep them at that, incorrect, level.

Everyday's a school day!

 

[Bing]

Open the bonnet, look on top of the light housing then back - there is a white plastic cross-head screw. There are actually two, but the one tucked right down behind the light does left and right I believe. Apparently one full turn of a screw driver moves them up sufficiently to get a better throw on the lights. Can't remember which way though, so mark the screwdriver, and do it at night shining the lights on a wall or similar in case you turn the wrong way.

I always did mine two complete turns from a known dead centre as BMW had set them to that when I complained about not being able to see at night.

My bad... But then I did bugger mine up

 

[ZedFourM]

I always did mine two complete turns from a known dead centre as BMW had set them to that when I complained about not being able to see at night.

Wow. On my M5, half a turn was enough to make a big difference (and get the balance right between actually lighting up the road ahead, but not blinding oncoming drivers). The mechanism on the Z4 sounds like it's less sensitive.

This job's on my to-do list.

 

[Bing]

I always did mine two complete turns from a known dead centre as BMW had set them to that when I complained about not being able to see at night.

Wow. On my M5, half a turn was enough to make a big difference (and get the balance right between actually lighting up the road ahead, but not blinding oncoming drivers). The mechanism on the Z4 sounds like it's less sensitive.

This job's on my to-do list.

Possibly because the lights are higher up on the M5 ? And if you had xenons then they are brighter anyway... I suspect we are talking about halogens, at least that's what mine are now I replaced the original candles with real bulbs

You may find you need to adjust them less on the ///M

 

[ZedFourM]

I'm actually talking about xenons in both cases.

The first time that I drove the Z4 in the dark I was shocked at how poor the dipped beam was. Certainly didn't have enough forward visibility to go much over 90. Full beam was much better, but obviously could only be used when there were no oncoming cars. Hence adjusting them is on my to-do list.

I'll probably adjust either a quarter or half turn at a time, and then road test. As I mentioned, I had the same issue with my M5 when I first got it, and a half turn was sufficient to improve the lighting hugely (and it has passed 6 MoTs since then, with no adverse comments, nor do I tend to get flashed by oncoming cars).

I wonder why BMW seem to set the lights so low from the factory?

 

[LukeMace]

Phew, finally found a thread that shows how this is done!! Top job after lowering the Z i noticed last night that the light beams are very low so need a little adjustment to sort out! Will sort this evening