Adjusting Xenons

[steeve]

Does any one know how to adjust the xenon lights? I know its not too difficult but the right screw is not too obvious.

[msh441]

Look for the white nylon screw behind and inboard (towards the center of the car). It's in there down low... but once youve found it, it's easy to adjust.

Some have phillips heads and others allen... be careful so you don't strip the head (it should take too much effort to turn).

Also be aware... with xenons: a little bit of ajustment goes a LONG way.

[KenL]

Please don't just steam in.

Xenons are VERY bright, if they are not adjusted correctly, you may well be a menace to other road users.

Why not take the car to the dealer, they will know the correct procedure.

[msh441]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

Please don't just steam in.

Xenons are VERY bright, if they are not adjusted correctly, you may well be a menace to other road users.

Why not take the car to the dealer, they will know the correct procedure.

I took mine to the dealer... they adjusted them too high. They were blinding other drivers and I was getting flashed constantly. I needed to figure it out in order NOT to be blinding other drivers and I didn't want to driver the three hour round trip for this simple proceedure. How do you know the OP isn't experiencing the same? It's a 50-50 possibility, right? Better to learn how to PROPERLY adjust them yourself IMO.

[steeve]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

Please don't just steam in.

Xenons are VERY bright, if they are not adjusted correctly, you may well be a menace to other road users.

Why not take the car to the dealer, they will know the correct procedure.

The car has now been to the Dealer four times, it is my wifes car and she is a midwife and travels home on unlit roads late at night, after the Dealer adjusted the lights one time she was subjected to a frightening attack of road rage. It quite upset her. We go from being able to pick out the moon to having to drive at 30 (or less) in the dark on dipped due to the lights shinning about 3 metres in front. The Dealer seems incapable of adjusting them a small amount. Sadly this seems typical of Mini Dealers (certainly in our area). I'm glad I sold my S after a few weeks ownership.......

[jamesbeaumont]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

Please don't just steam in.

Xenons are VERY bright, if they are not adjusted correctly, you may well be a menace to other road users.

Why not take the car to the dealer, they will know the correct procedure.

I took mine in to a dealer and they told me xenons cannot be adjusted! So I did it myself

[steeve]

There are two white nylon screws, one toward the centre of the car and another near the wing, I presume one adjusts left and right and another up and down, any one know which is which?

[KenL]

My goodness!

It is a joke that dealers cannot carry out such a simple procedure!

Hope you get it sorted.

[Wooly]

Whoah whoah whoah!!!

I had a fiddle about with mine ready for a euro trip next week. i fear i have just buggered it up.

in another thread i was told that the levers are inside the headlight unit (two white levers), my dealer also pointed this out to me. what are you guys talking about with the screws???

My question however is regarding the 'clicks' for uk roads is it
right headlight = click up
left headlight= click down

and for foreign roads is it both down?!?!

im confused

[Randall Raines]

Quote: Originally Posted by jamesbeaumont (original)

I took mine in to a dealer and they told me xenons cannot be adjusted! So I did it myself

Xenons shouldn't really need adjusting if they were set properly and working properly as the self levelling sensors on the suspension should adjust the lamps automatically according to the load (to avoid dazzle), Halogens you move the switch in the passenger compartment (manually), however as most of you will know the screws on the lamps alter the beam, this is to fine tune them.

Quote: Originally Posted by Wooly (original)

Whoah whoah whoah!!!

I had a fiddle about with mine ready for a euro trip next week. i fear i have just buggered it up.

in another thread i was told that the levers are inside the headlight unit (two white levers), my dealer also pointed this out to me. what are you guys talking about with the screws???

My question however is regarding the 'clicks' for uk roads is it
right headlight = click up
left headlight= click down

and for foreign roads is it both down?!?!

im confused

This seems to come up often on MINI2 and there is always a little confusion, here is a post that I did a while back in-fact the whole thread maybe worth a read , just click on the (original) of my quote , although the advice was for the 1st Gen BMW MINI it also applies to the 2nd Gen.

Quote: Originally Posted by Randall Raines (original)

Some people are a little confused / unsure of what the adjusters actually do on the back of the headlamps .

These adjust the beam up / down, left / right, but RHD & LHD lamps throw the beams in a totally different direction, hence the need for the stickers to bend the light beam.
eg.

• RHD: as well as forward, up in the air to the Left (so you can read signs, see the path / ditch side of the road, but not dazzle oncoming motorist in the Right hand lane ).
• LHD: as well as forward, up in the air to the Right (so you can read signs, see the path / ditch side of the road, but not dazzle oncoming motorist in the Left hand lane ).

Both sets of lamps will have adjusters for up / down, left / right, but still throw the beam in a different direction as above.

The switch that people keep talking about on the xenons actually changes the direction of the beam LHD - RHD not just up / down, left / right (only on 05 spec xenons, the beam on earlier xenons is controled by a lense), I'm not 100% sure on that comment (so correct me if I'm wrong , I'm sure someone will ) as I have never done it on a MINI but I know some other xenons are like that .