135i coupe headlight questions

[gdobson]

Loving my new 135 with xenon adaptives but have questions. On low beam they seem to be pointed quite low such that they dont illuminate very far ahead. Highs are great but too high for continuous use. Can the dealer adjust the setting of the low beam to project higher?
Also on a rougher road surface there is a lot of "whiggle" I assume the adaptive trying to compensate. Any comments?

[Lester]

They can easily be adjusted - there are two white adjusters, if you open the hood they are quite visible.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by Lester

They can easily be adjusted - there are two white adjusters, if you open the hood they are quite visible.

Yep. I had to adjust mine upwards as well. The best way I've found to do it is to pull up about 30' from a wall, so you can see how much you're moving them, and do it in small increments then test drive. You don't want to get carried away with it.

I also noticed the "wiggling" you're talking about early on, but not now that the car has some miles on it. I'm not really sure if it went away, or if moving them up made it less noticeable, or if I've just gotten used to it, but either way, it's not a problem after you've had the car for a while.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

Yep. I had to adjust mine upwards as well. The best way I've found to do it is to pull up about 30' from a wall, so you can see how much you're moving them, and do it in small increments then test drive. You don't want to get carried away with it.

I also noticed the "wiggling" you're talking about early on, but not now that the car has some miles on it. I'm not really sure if it went away, or if moving them up made it less noticeable, or if I've just gotten used to it, but either way, it's not a problem after you've had the car for a while.

Great advice.

OP:
I will add that you should find a place that is flat too. I use my driveway as it's pretty long, and my white garage door. If you want to know how far you have moved the lights, then, when you light the wall or door, take some making tape or something similar and put and "X" right in the middle of the light shine on the wall/door before you adjust. You'll have a reference point if you need it.

That wiggle is there on my car too. How much it shakes will depend on the road surface/bumps. My A4 had adaptive lights too, but they were steadier, they did an occasional shake, but only on bad bumps.
My 135i is not damped as well and shakes more, still not bad though.'

Also, my A4 lights had a noticeable up and down movement to adjust for accel and braking. I don't notice this on my 135i, but I'm not sure if our car has that function?
When I would start the A4 it would do a light "dance" to adjsut itself. The lights would go up, down, left, right, and then settle in the middle. My 1 doesn't do that.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by RPM90

When I would start the A4 it would do a light "dance" to adjsut itself. The lights would go up, down, left, right, and then settle in the middle. My 1 doesn't do that.

It's supposed to, or at least mine does. Do you have the switch in the Auto position (to the far left)?

If you nail the brakes, you should see the lights compensate. It's actually more noticable when you let off of them, but there's obvious movement.

[CrazyIvan]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

It's supposed to, or at least mine does. Do you have the switch in the Auto position (to the far left)?

If you nail the brakes, you should see the lights compensate. It's actually more noticable when you let off of them, but there's obvious movement.

Agree. You can also see the lights doing self adjustment when you start the car. I'm not so convinced about readjusting the headlights though.

[Simon_135i]

White adjusters? Do you turn these white adjusters or what? Anyone have pictures?
So its not like adjusting the screws like the E90?

[Mnst3r]

So I was curious if you looked at the owners manual to see if you can adjust them?



Just to add to my comment... I looked through the owners manual and couldn't find anything about an adjustment, Sorry I couldn't help.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by Simon_135i

White adjusters? Do you turn these white adjusters or what? Anyone have pictures?
So its not like adjusting the screws like the E90?

Yes - you turn them. A screwdriver will do it, as the posts above say - find a level spot - park 30 feet away from a wall- mark the existing spot with masking tape "x" and turn them 1/2 turn - then go for a drive and see how they are, repeat if necessary. The adjusters are right above the headlights when you open the hood - you can't miss them.

[Mnst3r]

I don't believe you have to be 30 ft away? I have seen it done on flat ground and 4 ft from a wall because your using the wall as someones bumper height, roughly 3-4 ft from the ground. If you do the low beams from 30ft away, You will be too high on the road and won't be able to see the road well. How do you think they do it in a garage, not from 30ft. IMHO lol

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by Mnst3r

I don't believe you have to be 30 ft away? I have seen it done on flat ground and 4 ft from a wall because your using the wall as someones bumper height, roughly 3-4 ft from the ground. If you do the low beams from 30ft away, You will be too high on the road and won't be able to see the road well. How do you think they do it in a garage, not from 30ft. IMHO lol

You don't have to be back that far, but it will make it easier to see the movement. All you're looking for is to make sure you're going the right way with the adjustment screw. I did it a half turn at a time, and then a drive around the block to see how much of a change it was.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by Mnst3r

Just to add to my comment... I looked through the owners manual and couldn't find anything about an adjustment, Sorry I couldn't help.

It's not really considered an owner adjustment. If they mentioned it in the owners manual you'd have lots of people who don't have a clue what they're doing out driving around with poorly adjusted lights. You can really screw your lighting up messing with these adjustments. That's why it has to be done in very small increments.

[Lester]

I have an old BMW shop manual and it says to do it from 30 feet away, to mark the centre of the beam with masking tape so you can tell how much you have adjusted them. Of course, if you don't have 30 feet, then you have to use what you have got. The further away you are, the more pronounced the effect.

[Simon_135i]

Okay... so it is a screw that we turn coutner clockwise to move it up....

[acivick]

Man, I would have gone on just driving happily until I read this thread. Now I HAVE to try it out.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

It's supposed to, or at least mine does. Do you have the switch in the Auto position (to the far left)?

If you nail the brakes, you should see the lights compensate. It's actually more noticable when you let off of them, but there's obvious movement.

I'll have to pay closer attention since at least 2 of you say that it's supposed to. Maybe it doesn't move as much as the A4 so I'm noticing it as much.

Do your lights go up and down during start up of the lights?
Ivan says his do, right Ivan? Your's go left, right, up down to adjust?

Yes, I keep it in auto mode. Does that negatively affect anything?

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by RPM90

I'll have to pay closer attention since at least 2 of you say that it's supposed to. Maybe it doesn't move as much as the A4 so I'm noticing it as much.

Do your lights go up and down during start up of the lights?
Ivan says his do, right Ivan? Your's go left, right, up down to adjust?

Yes, I keep it in auto mode. Does that negatively affect anything?

The only time I notice the self test is when I start the car up at night, and it's a pretty drastic motion, so if it's happening you should see it. I'm not sure, but I don't think it performs it every time you turn the lights on. Mine go up and down and left and right, but I don't remember in what order. If you stand at the front of the car, you can actually see the "eyeball" movement of the lens.

I only asked about auto mode because the adaptive system only works when you're in "A". If you turn the lights on manually they just act like normal lights (no motion at all), so I thought that might be why you were seeing the self test.

[acivick]

This really worked quite well. And I hit it right on the money, they now come to the bumper of a car 3 car lengths in front of me.

[jibaholic101]

where the hell are the adjusters?

[CrazyIvan]

Originally Posted by RPM90

I'll have to pay closer attention since at least 2 of you say that it's supposed to. Maybe it doesn't move as much as the A4 so I'm noticing it as much.

Do your lights go up and down during start up of the lights?
Ivan says his do, right Ivan? Your's go left, right, up down to adjust?

Yes, I keep it in auto mode. Does that negatively affect anything?

They do self adjust and I keep the light switch in Auto all the time. However, the lights seem to be too low. I have a service scheduled for friday - I'll bring that up.

[M2]

Originally Posted by jibaholic101

where the hell are the adjusters?

Here is the DIY:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ght+adjustment

[IDBMW]

My last three BMW’s had self adjusting Xenon lights. All three were pointed too far down in my opinion and I adjusted them myself from 30ft like others have done. I do not think the dealer is going to adjust them to where you want them to be so you will have to do it yourself.