xenon question
- Thread starter cosmo63
- Start date
You cant tell when they're off. Xenon or Halogens use the same projector headlights.
To be able to differenciate, turn on the headlights. Xenons will be a bright whitish-blue color and Halogens will be a dull whitish-yellow color (like regular headlights).
Also, when Xenons are switched on, they have a distinguishable "flicker" to them. Its hard to explain, but if you've ever seen it you'll know exactly what im talking about.
fyi. there are "blue tinted halogen bulbs" that imitate xenon. Though its pretty unlikely someone would swap to those. You can tell if it doesnt "flicker" as stated earlier.
If you end up getting a z4 with halogens, there are alot of hid/xenon kits out there. Even ebay has pretty good kits for $70-100 shipped. I got ebay hids about a year ago and they're great. Also there are alot of people on bimmerforums and others that have been satisfied. But hey, if you get a Z with stock xenons, you dont have to deal with the install.
To be able to differenciate, turn on the headlights. Xenons will be a bright whitish-blue color and Halogens will be a dull whitish-yellow color (like regular headlights).
Also, when Xenons are switched on, they have a distinguishable "flicker" to them. Its hard to explain, but if you've ever seen it you'll know exactly what im talking about.
fyi. there are "blue tinted halogen bulbs" that imitate xenon. Though its pretty unlikely someone would swap to those. You can tell if it doesnt "flicker" as stated earlier.
If you end up getting a z4 with halogens, there are alot of hid/xenon kits out there. Even ebay has pretty good kits for $70-100 shipped. I got ebay hids about a year ago and they're great. Also there are alot of people on bimmerforums and others that have been satisfied. But hey, if you get a Z with stock xenons, you dont have to deal with the install.
Actually that has nothing to do with xenons, the inner lens is for the high beam/drl's. Also, high beams/drl's for all years/models are halogen. Correct me if im wrong, but im pretty sure that projectors were added for 06+ z4's...or was it 07?veryhuman said:I think Xenon would look like this
and non-Xenon looks like
Where you can see the actual bulb.
Either way, the driving lights for all years/models are on the outside lens and are all projectors. They only sure way is to turn them on. Or you could just take they're word for it.
If you "really" wanna be sure if the car has OEM xenon's (and not the aftermarket HID bulbs), park the car so the front is facing a wall about 6 feet away, turn the headlights on and off a few times, and see if the headlight beams would lower and raise back up as the headlights auto-level themselves.
Mine aren't Xenon's and they do that when you turn them on...... '06 facelift model.
Is there not some small writing on the lense saying its a Xenon lense?
Is there not some small writing on the lense saying its a Xenon lense?
Isn't there a yellow and white high voltage warning sticker under the bonnet affixed above each headlight? That would tell you if the car had xenons.
GP20 said:
Beware of doing this - the quickest way to destroy a xenon bulb is to switch it on and off several times in short bursts. They shoudl not under any circumstances be cycled this way
Having taken apart and rebuilt several I think there is no definitive way of telling if they are xenon from a quick glance due to changes of lens internals around facelift time, variations in the way different countries use the central lights for daytime and similarity of the focussing lens structure for halogen, lack of any external 'xenon' markings
A combination of the following will likely tell you:
Slight flicker of lights when switching on
blue tint at certain side angles
white light and brilliance thereof
Yellow slickers close to each light uner the hood
Possibly auto on lights switch - some markets
possibly of self aligning beams - some markets
headlight wash - mandatory in UK on xenon but also available as an option
manufacturers build sheet available from BMW
Confusion can be created by people fitting aftermarket bulbs or xenon units that display many of the visible light features of 'real' oem xenon
To be 100% certain lights OFF, open the inspection flap under the fender/wing and unclip the rear light cover. Xenon has an approx 3cm cube attached the the rear of the bulb and thick power cable, halogen a 2 pin lead.
Hope this helps
cj10jeeper said:
Not like anyone would do this everyday, day in and day out. Turning on an off the headlights a couple of times out of 4~6 years of ownership is hardly gonna make any difference. Yeah smoking kills. But if you only smoke 2 cigarettes your entire life, chances are it's not gonna make much difference.
I'm sure in the majority of instances you can switch them on and off and get away with it, however the way that a xenon light has to cool down before being switched on again and then re-strikes it's arc, makes them extremely vulnerable to failure from switching on and off repeatedly.
The owners manual specifically states that 'xenon lights have a very long life and the chances of failure are very low unless the lights are switched on and off a great number of times'. I'll trust BMW advise
At £100+ per OEM bulb in the UK, we can let readers decide if they wish to cycle them repeatedly.
The owners manual specifically states that 'xenon lights have a very long life and the chances of failure are very low unless the lights are switched on and off a great number of times'. I'll trust BMW advise
At £100+ per OEM bulb in the UK, we can let readers decide if they wish to cycle them repeatedly.
Check this thread if you have any more questions:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2539
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2539
BimmerZealot
Member
One more thing you can check, on the headlight lense (plastic part) you will see the etching D2S if it has factory HID if not it should say H7
Curtis said:
I believe that a UK car with Xenons has to have a headlight wash system fitted, related to keeping the lens clear and thus not blinding drivers with diffused beams. I've never read the specific law related to it, but for instance you will notice that with BMW if you have Xenons you have to have headlight wash stated in literature as 'available only in conjunction with headlight wash system'
BimmerZealot
Member
Oh sorry I forgot to mention the D2S should be etched on the OUTER projector (low beam), if its on the inner one's you're fine that's just your highbeam / flash2pass. Sorry for the scare
cj10jeeper said:
Oh well, the car was supplied like that so it's not my fault! I hate headlight washers anyway, my 330 has them and you can guarantee that just after I've washed and polished the car I'll head out somwhere that evening, spray a bit of washer fluid on my windscreen to get rid of a dead bug and the frickin bonnet get's covered in washer solvent coz the headlight washers kick in!!!!!!!!!
