Xenon Headlight Upgrade

[emu_p]

Is it possible to replace the standard Halogen Headlights with Xenon units?
Any modifications required to the wiring?
Any special set-up?
According to the dealer it is not possible to retro fit
But they told me that about a CD changer!!
So not sure I believe them!

[S33BBY]

The xenon upgrade is a tricky one. On the one hand, they are plug and play, so you can simply swap them over. However, for legal reasons, they must be connected to the washer system, and they must be connected to some sort of suspension sensor so that they can auto level as the car moves. They are illegal if these are not met. And it's apparently a lot of work to connect them to suspension sensors!

[jonnyc]

Yeah as above really, i fitted them to my mini one, worked perfect, and a HUGE improvement in the lighting, but no washer and no ajustment, which isnt a problem atall (apart from the illegal part )

I have a set for sale btw

Cheers

JonnyC

[robfenn]

So what will you do come MOT time Jonny?

The Xenons look really cool..my mates are very impressed with them I made sure i got them as i heard the standard lights were poor and i do a lot of driving at night.

-Rob

[S33BBY]

I know we're going ever so slightly off topic now, but I'll definitely be speccing xenons on my next MINI!

[jonnyc]

Hi

I would spend 10mins changing them over to the halogens, once a year isnt really a stress

JonnyC

[S33BBY]

Quote: Originally Posted by jonnyc

I would spend 10mins changing them over to the halogens, once a year isnt really a stress

What do you mean?

[ALD0]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sebby*

What do you mean?

For the MOT

[emu_p]

Quote: Originally Posted by jonnyc

Yeah as above really, i fitted them to my mini one, worked perfect, and a HUGE improvement in the lighting, but no washer and no ajustment, which isnt a problem atall (apart from the illegal part )

I have a set for sale btw

Cheers

JonnyC

Hi jonny

how much you want for the set for sale?
PM me please Pat

[hoodypo]

I hope I am not off topic but I ordered Xenon headlights with my MINI and I'm not sure I like them. I got the car in April and I live in deer country, serious deer country. Rural roads in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. They are brighter than my mothers new Chevy Silverado, who is 88 years old and runs a hardware business and the gas gusslin' truck is for our business, to deliver articles of purchase. (I do sometime drive it for pleasure so I'm guilty). The factory set lights are set to where the left-side is absolutely too low and the right-side at a satisfactory level. The dealer in Cinci told me they were that way to protect the oncoming driver. I agree about the brightness yet find the height all most totally unacceptable. They are difficult because there is an almost extreme line-of-margin between light and almost darkness in the low beam. I can't see past the road on the left side hardly at all within it maybe 4/5 car lengths, actually less more like 3.5/4 car lenghts. I simply can not see well on the left-side of the light beams to feel comfortable with almost no reflection into the depths. I am almost scared but I even struggle with looking from all-side to see for any critters on the highway.
I feel as if the angle of both headlights were at level and the left side angled to the right might befit both the oncoming driver and the driver who has to see what is in front them. I have no sense of depth in the left headlight at the setting or whatever is put on the left-side headlamp. It is just too low. The right-side is fine, I can see when i come over small knolls on very very country roads and when I am on the larger highway and need to look for animals and objects on the highway. If this is the best they can do with the headlights I'm not for them. I DO NOT LIKE THEM at this point.
Are there legal points of focus for those in the USA, or do we have to deal with this? Can I adjust them myself and have an other driver help me with gettting them right? Can I make my dealer adjust them to suite me and the legal limits of their angle? What could a person do to adjust them when in after-market installation to make them legal and purposeful? There are a series of questions in my mind about why others should be putting them in their car. What can I do with mine, they are unsatsfactory? What can a MINI consumer do to have them to be suitible for theirselfs and others/along with legal and ethical isssues of leveling, angleling, asthetics and mostly safety? Im going to post a post about these issues and hope for some help. I DO NOT THINK THEY ARE THE BEST YET! Meaning the Xenons as what came on my April 2005 MINI in the USA.
I also had the auto sensored rear-view mirror which I think I hate. I have to turn the mirror up to be able to see at night. I'll have my car checked at the dealer. In the city I have no problem with the lights or mirrors but I'd would ask more folks and be extra careful on country roads for any with like experiences and think twice about the features.
They look extra spiffy but I'm not sure they are the best headlights. Just me.

[ben__allen]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sebby*

I know we're going ever so slightly off topic now, but I'll definitely be speccing xenons on my next MINI!

Snap! (oh, and JCW wheels, and auto air con, and S-power, and.....oh, the list goes on..... )

[aphix]

You can simply swap the hologen headlights for Xenon lights, however these wont be legal. I have done it on mine and sooner or later im going to have to swap them back to hologens or do the retrofit kit. They also seem to have mixed results, the wiring lomb installed in halogen cars does not support the Xenon units, and i am convinced that the Xenon wiring lomb supplys additional voltage to the ballast in some way, (as well as the signal for the auto levelling) I only say that becuase the light from a car with Factory fitted Xenons seems to be allot brighter and bluier than a car factory fitted with Halogens and just fitted with xenon headlamps. A mini fitted with Halogen lights appears to put out slightly less than 12v for the bulbs. I dont think this is enough for Xenons which step 12v to 35,000v to get the burner to fire. And therefore doesnt supply enough to make the Xenons work to their full potential. (maybe this is stepped up to 12v or more when you have the programmed, or comes via an additional 5v or 12v supply from the xenon wiring lomb) I've looked at the BMW ballast and its a hell of allot more complicated than a standard off the shelf ballast.

If you are serious about having Xenons on a car that has halogens fitted, just buying the headlights is a waste of money. unless you get them mega cheap. YOU CAN NOT SELL THE CAR WITH RETROFITTED XENONS THAT DO NOT HAVE AUTO LEVELLING OR WASHERS. It will also fail its first MOT, and might be picked up on my BMW at any service.

RE: headlight washers, i have always been under the impression that in the UK, you have to have them to make Xenons legal. but you go look at a UK spec Mitsubishi Evo, you try to the find the headlight washers!

Buy the retrofit kit from BMW + headlight washer retrofit kit. The kit is designed to be as easy to fit as possible and shouldnt require a huge strip down (BMW wants to spend as little time as possible in fitting this, so they are not going to make it ridiculosly complicated) - Its not as expesnive as you think it is, it actually works out to be cheaper to buy a retrofit kit, than a set of Xenon headlamps if i remeber correctly.

If i remeber from the retrofit instructions, it involves fitting the sensors over the front and rear axels, running the wire under the car, through the dash board, plugging some wires into the BCM, also running wires from the headlights back to the BCM (although getting the wires back though the bulkhead behind the brake thingy or whatever looks itneresting) plugging some fuses in, and then getting the car programmed. (more or less the same story with the headlight washers)

My intention is to buy the retrofit kit, fit it myself and get BMW to program it. As the labour will make the kit not worth doing.

On a newer spec car, BMW will advise you to trade the car for one with Xenons.

Rob

[emu_p]

Quote: Originally Posted by aphix

You can simply swap the hologen headlights for Xenon lights, however these wont be legal. I have done it on mine and sooner or later im going to have to swap them back to hologens or do the retrofit kit. They also seem to have mixed results, the wiring lomb installed in halogen cars does not support the Xenon units, and i am convinced that the Xenon wiring lomb supplys additional voltage to the ballast in some way, (as well as the signal for the auto levelling) I only say that becuase the light from a car with Factory fitted Xenons seems to be allot brighter and bluier than a car factory fitted with Halogens and just fitted with xenon headlamps. A mini fitted with Halogen lights appears to put out slightly less than 12v for the bulbs. I dont think this is enough for Xenons which step 12v to 35,000v to get the burner to fire. And therefore doesnt supply enough to make the Xenons work to their full potential. (maybe this is stepped up to 12v or more when you have the programmed, or comes via an additional 5v or 12v supply from the xenon wiring lomb) I've looked at the BMW ballast and its a hell of allot more complicated than a standard off the shelf ballast.

If you are serious about having Xenons on a car that has halogens fitted, just buying the headlights is a waste of money. unless you get them mega cheap. YOU CAN NOT SELL THE CAR WITH RETROFITTED XENONS THAT DO NOT HAVE AUTO LEVELLING OR WASHERS. It will also fail its first MOT, and might be picked up on my BMW at any service.

RE: headlight washers, i have always been under the impression that in the UK, you have to have them to make Xenons legal. but you go look at a UK spec Mitsubishi Evo, you try to the find the headlight washers!

Buy the retrofit kit from BMW + headlight washer retrofit kit. The kit is designed to be as easy to fit as possible and shouldnt require a huge strip down (BMW wants to spend as little time as possible in fitting this, so they are not going to make it ridiculosly complicated) - Its not as expesnive as you think it is, it actually works out to be cheaper to buy a retrofit kit, than a set of Xenon headlamps if i remeber correctly.

If i remeber from the retrofit instructions, it involves fitting the sensors over the front and rear axels, running the wire under the car, through the dash board, plugging some wires into the BCM, also running wires from the headlights back to the BCM (although getting the wires back though the bulkhead behind the brake thingy or whatever looks itneresting) plugging some fuses in, and then getting the car programmed. (more or less the same story with the headlight washers)

My intention is to buy the retrofit kit, fit it myself and get BMW to program it. As the labour will make the kit not worth doing.

On a newer spec car, BMW will advise you to trade the car for one with Xenons.

Rob

Sounds too much like hard work! Wife has a late 54 reg car only just 6 Months Old and does not do that much driving at night so she will just have to make do with the spot lights on the grille and use high beam when she can!!

[Mini_Blake]

I noticed in GoMini that bmwmstyle.com were offering a non genuine kit. I emailed about whether they install self levelling and headlight washers and got this reply.

"Hi Blake,

The prices you mentioned are correct and this includes the following:

2 Xenon 8000k bulbs,
2 Xenon power supply ballasts,
Plug and play wiring


To retrofit headlamp wash and self levelling would be very expensive.
Neither of which are necessary in this country to pass an MOT test. The laws
on xenon lights having to be accomapanied by headlamp wash or self levelling
are only applicable in a few countries in central Europe. "

So if anyone is going aftermarket, check what is included in the price !

[aphix]

Reply i found from from the UK DTI

==========================================

Dear Sir,

The situation for Gas Discharge (HID High Intensity Discharge) (commonly known as Xenon) headlamps is complex.

I attach links to the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 which regulate the situation in the UK.
Under these Regulations Xenon headlamps are not mentioned and therefore they are not permitted according to the strict letter of the law.

However you will be well aware that new vehicles have Xenon headlamps. This is because they comply to European type approval Regulations. The UK cannot refuse to register a vehicle with a European type approval. These are to ECE Regulation 98 (for the Xenon headlamps which are tested on a rig in a laboratory) and ECE Regulation 48 (Lighting Installation on the vehicle).

For the aftermarket, a used vehicle cannot obtain type approval because it is only applicable for new vehicles. However we feel that saying "Xenon is banned in the aftermarket" would not be reasonable. Instead we should make analogies with new vehicles. It would be reasonable to require Xenon in the aftermarket to meet the same safety standards as on new vehicles. The same level of safety should apply.

Therefore a Xenon headlamp sold in the aftermarket should:

1. be type approved to ECE Regulation 98 as a component.
2. when fitted to the vehicle should enable ECE Regulation 48 to be complied with (although no government inspection will take place).
3, Comply with RVLR as far as "use" is concerned.

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.
2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.
3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

Hope that helps.

***

We are aware of kit available in the aftermarket where a Xenon "burner" or bulb is fitted inside a headlamp designed for use with conventional Halogen filament bulbs. The burner is fitted with a "bayonet" type fitting so it fits where the Halogen bulb should fit. This is not legal and the vendor, the person who mounts it on the vehicle and the person who drives the vehicle are all committing an offence. (Which also means that he is invalidating the insurance.)
The reason for this is that headlamps and bulbs are made to tight tolerances and the wrong type of bulb will cause an incorrect beam pattern to be emitted, which could cause dazzle and discomfort to other drivers.