2.7Tallroader

Bi-Xenon does mean both high beam and low beam. Mercedes added the Halogen bulb in the inner light for flashing the high beams when the headlights are off as the HIDs take a while to reach full brightness. These halogen bulbs also go on when the headlights are on and the high beam is turned on.

SorryAboutThat

Follow the wires from the bulb. You should see something that looks like this at the other end...
http://www.hidmasters.com/Replacemen...1_5994806.aspx

ZW211

Here's a crappy pic of my light low beam on the left and high/driving light on right. That's how I was able to have led high beams. and I added another pic of the igniter that I replaced. I thought the igniter and ballast might be the same thing with theses cars but ill do some more checking and post what I find.

AMGAffalterbach

Thanks for that Rich, I was confused too because I understood Bi-Xenon as one bulb with an electronic shutter or cutoff system, I guess that's the way it is on the older pre-facelift W211s.

I second that either you have an issue with the lights you added and overall load on the system, or there is something faulty with the factory HID ballast.

2.7Tallroader

Bi Xenon does mean that but there is a second High Beam HALOGEN bulb in the inner light for flashing high beams(when the low beams are off), as the HID take awhile to get to operating light output. But when you put your high beams on with the low beams on, the electronic shutter moves to create the high beam and the halogen bulb in the inner light also turns on.

AMGAffalterbach

Ohhhh I had no idea they did it that way, that's smart but the logical way to do it for situations where HIDs aren't warmed up but high beams need to be used.

RichM

You learn something new every day. I have Bi Xenons on my 05, and did not realize the Halogen bulb in the city lamp came on when I hit my brights. The high beam in the BiXenons are so bright that they overpower the halogen lamp. Granted, I don't do lots of night driving anymore due to eyes that don't see as well as they did when I was younger, but you would think this is something that would be noticeable to the driver. My bad OP for leading you astray. Have you figured out your low beam issue?

JDM_SXE-10

This thread has me confused now. I don't play with my lights that often and hardly ever use my high beams since I live in the city. I do have factory HIDs. Just to clarify:

1. If low beams are off and I pull back on the stalk, my inner lights (halogen) will come on.
2. If low beams are on and I pull back on the stalk, my inner lights (halogen) will come on AND my low beams (HID) will increase in power, thus making all 4 lights high beams.
3. If low beams are on and I push on the stalk, only the outer (HID) low beams turn to high beams but the inner lights stay on their normal low power.

Am I getting this right? Or will the lights react the same in numbers 2 and 3, but it will just stay locked in place if I push forward versus flashing for the duration when I pull back? Also, does this mean that I have bi-xenon?

AMGAffalterbach

I believe it reacts the same in situations 2 and 3, the flash halogen high beams are just when the low beams are off.

JDM_SXE-10

Thank you for shedding some light on this for me. I don't have my car today, but I will try playing with the lights so I know how they react under different settings. Also, are all W211s from 2003 on considered bi-Xenon if they come from the factory with HIDs?

AMGAffalterbach

I believe so or at least the data cards say so it's either halogen or bi-xenon as an optional upgrade. I know for the facelift models that's the case. This thread has confused me a bit as far as what the options are, but I guess it makes sense to have Halogens as well for quick-flash, not sure if it's an industry standard or not. And also not sure if some W211s came with HID low beams only and halogen only high beams, my guess is this is not the case.

zeksgun

right side is intermittent on and off . Put the light switch to OFF when I get a dash code and light goes back on for 2 minutes and out again.
I SWAPPED THE BALLAST AND BULB with the leftside good ones .
Put the MB computer on it to see if any codes and YES . It reads "defective right side headlight "
I bought another RS headlight assembly from a donated E550 with a busted housing . I stripped it down and removed all the internals .
Now I want to remove the headlight on the car , strip it down and replace all the internals ( as best I can ) with the parts from the scrapyard donated car .
My question is : Am I wasting my time ? This scrapyard headlight already cost me $200 and hours to disassemble the bumper ,wheels, wheelwells, etc .
IF ANYONE HAS OR HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE AND COULD ASSIST ME i WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL !!!!!!! ( sorry for caps )
I am very frustrated with this because the new headlight assembly here in Canada is over $1000 with AFS , cornering light , etc etc
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!