[iain34]

Hi all,

This is my first post, shame it has to be a problem!!!

I have xenon lights on my '05 cooper, I remember when I first switched on the lights that the beam started off low, then rose as it levelled, my question is, should it do this every time I switch the lights on?, as for a while now this hasn't been happening, but the beam seems to illuminate the road ok.

Can someone knowledgeable answer my question!

Cheers,

Iain

[ALD0]

Yeah it will do this everytime you switch the lights on-Kinda cool

[DarkSilverBullet]

Should do, my 02 model does

[gominigo1]

my 05 does it everytime

[DEVO]

I don't think it does it each time, If it detects it's level it's not going to relevel. You can see this by simply shutting off your lights and then turning them back on, it doesn't go throught the whole self level procedure again. I only see this if I'm away from the car for a while. Then the procedure seems to get executed.

[Wesmonster]

I have the daytime running light option enabled on my '06 and I can see everytime I start it that the headlights do indeed level themselves. The back of my garage is approx. 10 ft from my front end and I see the lights move from 6 to 10 inches...

[jampies-cooperS]

My 2002 does it also everytime !

[bimini]

its wierd, i notice it sometimes, and not others.

As someone pointed out, they dont seem to do it if you switch them on or off...perhaps there is a point where they detect they're already level.

Another thing is that i could just be noticing them level when they shine on something far away, where the rise movement is more than if they were at a wall 6" away.

Aug '05 build.

[camminich]

I too have suffered from the same maddening disorder; "Did my light levelitis." I swore I would catch them doing it when moving when pulling up behind a car, and then not at startup.

So after talking to a tech one day about it, this is what I found out...

The lights are always leveling themselves a little. When you come down a hill to a stop, you will see them adjust a little in the car ahead. But if you pull into your garage a night, allow them to adjust, turn the car off, and then back on, you won't seem them adjust. Best check is to park your MINI on a small hill facing a wall or some kind of object, then hit the lights. As long as they move then, you are ok. The way it was explained to me, the system either works, or it doesn't. There isn't really any grey are. Just times when you don't see it working.

Hope that helps
Cameron

[iain34]

Hi all again,

Thanks for all your replies, still a bit confused over this, as when I get my car out of my garage, I always noticed the beams rise up when I switched them on (watched reflection in door), used to do it every time, now only occasionally.

The other day, it didn't do it when I got the car out as normal, but I then drove to my local superstore, and when I switched them on when I got back to my car, the lights levelled themselves (this was in a flat carpark).

Anyhow, I have booked my car in with the dealership to be checked Thurs (don't hold out much hope, as when I explained the prob to the service guy, he didn't seem to understand the prob!!!)

I'll let you all know if they find anything.

Regards,

Iain

[DEVO]

I doubt there is a problem, the system is just checking to see if it's already level... if so, don't do anything.

As I said before, turn off the lights after witnessing the self leveling procedure, then turn them back on, you will note that the self leveling procedure is NOT executed. Why should it? It is leveled, why relevel when it's level?

[iain34]

Hi all again.

The garage made a few adjustments to the lights, but couldn't confirm if they should rise each time they are switched on. So I emailed Mini and this is the response I received:


Dear Iain

Thank you for providing us with the information on your registration and the
Dealership relating to your MINI Cooper.

We can advise that when the ignition on your MINI Cooper is turned on and
the Xenon headlights are activated, the headlamps will go through the
complete sweep of height adjustments for the car in order to check that all
the adjustments are functioning. The car will then 'know' that this height
adjustment has been checked and will not repeat it each time you turn the
lights off. The height adjustment sweep would however, be carried out again
if the lights and ignition have been switched off for some time.

We can confirm that on Xenon headlights the beam throw is regulated
automatically, e.g. when you accelerate or brake, as well as for different
loads. These adjustments are more precisely described on Page 62 of your
MINI Owner's Handbook.

We hope this information does clarify the headlight function of your MINI
Cooper.

Yours sincerely

Elfriede McNeal
Product Information Advisor

MINI UK

Tel No. 0800 0836 464
Fax No. 0870 5050 206
Email: customer.information@mini.co.uk

So reading this reply, they don't rise everytime you switch them on!!

Iain

[ALD0]

Quote: Originally Posted by iain34

Hi all again.


So reading this reply, they don't rise everytime you switch them on!!

Iain

Unless your turning them off then immediately on again in which case it will lower the life of the Xenon bulb!

[DarkSilverBullet]

Quote: Originally Posted by iain34

So reading this reply, they don't rise everytime you switch them on!!

Iain

My 52 plate, late 2002, definatly does it every time, dont know about later models.

It's been dark when I go out in the mornings for a month or so now, and I can say without question, when I turn the lights on, they come on, then about a second later the beam rises, about 6 inches, on a wall about 10 feet away (dont ask me angles, I didnt know them at school, I sure as anything dont know em now! )

[MrT-Man]

Quote:

We can confirm that on Xenon headlights the beam throw is regulated
automatically, e.g. when you accelerate or brake, as well as for different
loads. These adjustments are more precisely described on Page 62 of your
MINI Owner's Handbook.

Wow -- VERY cool!!