Bi-Xenon Headlight beam cut-off
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
2013 Mercedes-Benz C250, Iridium Silver Metallic; 2001 Mercedes-Benz C240, Brilliant Silver Metallic
Bi-Xenon Headlight beam cut-off
For those of you with the bi-xenon lights, when you're on a pitch dark road, with your lights on, does anyone's lights look like the beam doesn't throw out far enough? I'm used to the sharp cut-off of bi-xenon lights, but the beams don't seem like they throw out far enough when you look at the ground. Maybe it's just an alignment issue...
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: So Cal
W204
I've ridden in my friend's face-lifted w204 with the oem bi-xenon lights, and I have to agree with you. There's ample foreground lighting, but the distance lighting is pretty bad. I know the non-xenon lights can be adjusted higher with a hex key (which might help), but I never had any experience with the xenon lights.
I did retrofit a set of projectors into my other car Japanese car, and I've gotta say, the Japanese are better than the Germans in the light optics engineering.
Here's a link for some projector references: http://www.jvxdriver.com/bixenon_comparison.htm
I did retrofit a set of projectors into my other car Japanese car, and I've gotta say, the Japanese are better than the Germans in the light optics engineering.
Here's a link for some projector references: http://www.jvxdriver.com/bixenon_comparison.htm
Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 213
Likes: 39
From: Malden, Massachusetts
2013 Mercedes Benz C350
I thought it was just me that had this bi-xenon headlight issue. I noticed how short the range of the light was. I thought the shop didn't install it right...but it looks like others are having the same issue. Maybe there is a way to fix this
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 282
Likes: 3
From: Bellingham WA
Audi R8
If you read the manual, the lights are designed to be active without inhibiting oncoming traffic. Thus they aren't aimed in a manner to obstruct others.
In the past all the retrofitted xenons I have had were aimed properly with nice cutoff, however below that cutoff and it was blinding to oncoming traffic. Is what it is, I don't believe there is anything you can do aside from possibly a new calibration at the dealer. Which isn't likely to "fix" anything, because I don't believe there's anything wrong.
In the past all the retrofitted xenons I have had were aimed properly with nice cutoff, however below that cutoff and it was blinding to oncoming traffic. Is what it is, I don't believe there is anything you can do aside from possibly a new calibration at the dealer. Which isn't likely to "fix" anything, because I don't believe there's anything wrong.
Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 213
Likes: 39
From: Malden, Massachusetts
2013 Mercedes Benz C350
If you read the manual, the lights are designed to be active without inhibiting oncoming traffic. Thus they aren't aimed in a manner to obstruct others.
In the past all the retrofitted xenons I have had were aimed properly with nice cutoff, however below that cutoff and it was blinding to oncoming traffic. Is what it is, I don't believe there is anything you can do aside from possibly a new calibration at the dealer. Which isn't likely to "fix" anything, because I don't believe there's anything wrong.
In the past all the retrofitted xenons I have had were aimed properly with nice cutoff, however below that cutoff and it was blinding to oncoming traffic. Is what it is, I don't believe there is anything you can do aside from possibly a new calibration at the dealer. Which isn't likely to "fix" anything, because I don't believe there's anything wrong.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
2013 Mercedes-Benz C250, Iridium Silver Metallic; 2001 Mercedes-Benz C240, Brilliant Silver Metallic
That's understandable...I'm glad the manufacturer is putting safety first but the short cut off kind of sucks when it comes to driving in streets filled with potholes. Even driving at a reasonable speed there is no time to react to potholes on the road because by the time you see it its already too late. And putting on my high beams will defeat the whole purpose of not blinding other drivers.
I decided to look around under the hood of my car after I posted this earlier. It looks like there's an Up/Down beam adjustment, but when looking for the Left/Right adjustment, that adjustment hole was blocked off. I don't know what side hex bit you'd need to adjust it, but a couple of turns will probably raise your light beam. The adjustment is at the center of the headlight. I'll post the picture of the adjustment point when I have a chance.
Last edited by W57thNY; Apr 3, 2015 at 11:22 PM.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 213
Likes: 39
From: Malden, Massachusetts
2013 Mercedes Benz C350
I'm glad this isn't an isolated issue - I hate that the flaw exists though. My car does have the adaptive front lighting, but I do try to avoid using high-beams whenever possible. I do wish that the beams threw out a little further so that I could have more time to see potholes, or other road hazards. If there's a way to manually adjust the lights, I'm going to try it.
I decided to look around under the hood of my car after I posted this earlier. It looks like there's an Up/Down beam adjustment, but when looking for the Left/Right adjustment, that adjustment hole was blocked off. I don't know what side hex bit you'd need to adjust it, but a couple of turns will probably raise your light beam. The adjustment is at the center of the headlight. I'll post the picture of the adjustment point when I have a chance.
I decided to look around under the hood of my car after I posted this earlier. It looks like there's an Up/Down beam adjustment, but when looking for the Left/Right adjustment, that adjustment hole was blocked off. I don't know what side hex bit you'd need to adjust it, but a couple of turns will probably raise your light beam. The adjustment is at the center of the headlight. I'll post the picture of the adjustment point when I have a chance.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: Northern Virginia
2013 Mercedes-Benz C250, Iridium Silver Metallic; 2001 Mercedes-Benz C240, Brilliant Silver Metallic
We're looking at the passenger side of the car, with the front of the car at the top of the picture.
Hope it helps.
