OEMassive Headlight Questions/Issues - Abort?

[StudioWizard]

Hey all

I recently bought a 2005 2.5i and the previous owner replaced both headlight assemblies with a brand called OEMassive... I suspect a Chinese knockoff. They look fantastic and appear to fit well, HOWEVER, the low beams are fairly dim and appear to point a hair low... or maybe it's just because they're dim.

Also, the high beams work only in momentary mode (pulling back on the brights lever). They do not work in the push-forward constant position, although the brights indicator in the instrument cluster lights up.

Lastly, they appear to have the halo around the lights I see in more recent BMWs, but those don't light up either (should they?).

I'm trying to figure out if I should just scrap these altogether or try to get a qualified technician to look them over and wire them correctly. I reached out to OEMassive and spoke to a very nice person who had ZERO clue how these lights work, couldn't provide any resources for figuring it out, didn't have instructions to send... it was a bit frustrating.

Does anyone have any experience with OEMassive lights?
Any recommendations for how to proceed?
I'm in the US, btw....

Thanks!!

 

[skmattwell]

Hi mate, 'OEmassive' seems to just be a name slapped onto what are almost definitely 2xcite headlights. Many of us on the forum including myself have these fitted. The general consensus is that they aren't quite as good quality as OEM but many including myself prefer how they look. They are still quite decent in their own right.

They sound like they've been wired up wrong somehow, although aside from the angel eyes they come pre-wired, so not sure why you're having the high beam issue. The angel eyes on the other hand need to be tapped into another wire from the car or headlight to illuminate.

I've done what most people have and tapped them into the sidelight wires so that they illuminate with them. My guess is the previous owner has either not wired them correctly or at all. Search up 2xcite headlight wiring on the forum or google and you'll find much more info

 

[StudioWizard]

OK, thank you! That's excellent info!

 

[StudioWizard]

Can I put Xenons in these units?

 

[skmattwell]

Can I put Xenons in these units?

Xenons will only work with Z4's that came with the Xenon option as there is more electronics outside of the headlights required to make them work

 

[smorris_12]

They sell stand alone bi-xenon units that can be, with a bit of dremelling, made to fit any headlight. Quite common in the States. Can't remember the details but it's a kit so would come with ballast etc.

The OPs car came with xenon's but someone's replaced them with halogen units so there's an active control line to work the shutter already in place.

 

[StudioWizard]

It's all starting to make sense now.... The OEMassive headlights the seller installed are NOT factory-Xenon compatible. They are Halogen/LED compatible. They're inexpensive, too... about $320 for the pair. Here's the link:

https://oemassive.com/fits-03-08-bmw-z4-e85-sport-coupe-roadster-dual-halo-projector-led-headlights/

Should I scrap these headlights and put in Xenon compatible ones? Do you think this will solve the constant high-beam not working issue?

Any recommendations for a good replacement headlight assembly?

 

[skmattwell]

It's all starting to make sense now.... The OEMassive headlights the seller installed are NOT factory-Xenon compatible. They are Halogen/LED compatible. They're inexpensive, too... about $320 for the pair. Here's the link:

https://oemassive.com/fits-03-08-bmw-z4-e85-sport-coupe-roadster-dual-halo-projector-led-headlights/

Should I scrap these headlights and put in Xenon compatible ones? Do you think this will solve the constant high-beam not working issue?

Any recommendations for a good replacement headlight assembly?

Think oem xenons would solve your high beam issue, and if it doesn't it must be the lever itself which is easy to replace.

Wouldn't throw your current ones away, definitely worth trying to sell, I spent £400 on a pair myself a few months ago and I like them (albeit they are working fine)

 

[StudioWizard]

Yeah, the ones I have now are super clean... nearly brand new.

Is there any way to determine if it is the lever that's causing the problem?

 

[smorris_12]

I've already explained what the problem is and how to solve it in the other thread. It's not the switch.

 

[StudioWizard]

I've already explained what the problem is and how to solve it in the other thread. It's not the switch.

Sorry to ask, but which thread please? Or, can you direct me to your answer there by chance? (Major apologies! I don't always know who's saying what and I've gotten lots of different answers.)

 

[smorris_12]

In the Momentary vs Constant thread.

Your car has been fitted with the wrong headlight units. It is expecting the Xenon/HID version. As such, instead of powering the high beam bulb when you latch the lever forward, the LKM is instead trying to operate an electro-mechanical shutter inside the HID burner unit that changes the beam pattern of the single HID bulb.

Solutions:

1) Replace the headlights with the proper HID units. If you still have the old ones, the fogged lenses can be simple sanded and sprayed with 2K lacquer to restore clarity.

2) Reprogram the LKM so it knows it's got a halogen unit rather than a xenon unit. Then it won't try to operate the shutter but instead power the high beam bulb directly.

3) Get hold of the drop in bi-xenon burners which may be more work to fit but cheaper than a full headlight. For examples see:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/projector-kits/hid-led-projectors/custitem_cat_facet_fitment/Xenon-SLASH-HID?order=commercecategory:asc

4) Add a relay controlled by the shutter line to power the high beam from a new permanent feed. It would want to be a changeover/double-throw one to switch the high beam bulb between the LKM feed and the new permanent feed to avoid backfeeding the LKM and possibly damaging it.