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New to the Benz world. I have a 2008 CLS550 with bi-xenon. Recently in a front end crash and have to replace both headlights (tabs are too mangled to fix or are missing completely). My question is this. Can I buy a brand new set of Hella halogens for 550 and transfer my bi-xenons to the new assembly? My lights are 100% functional, I just cant mount them. Sourcing a set of bi-xenon appears to be in the $1500 neighborhood for a used set. It appears that the assembly is identical to the xenon except for the holes in the bottom for the ballast plugs. All mounting points are there as are the location for the holes. They are just not punched out. Has anyone done this? Maybe point me to a link. I'm no stranger to tools and have rebuilt a few cars. Just hoping someone has either tried and succeeded or failed so at least I know it's possible.....or not. Thanks! Yes I'm aware that the bulbs will not work. If need be I would remove lens covers to replace guts.
New to the Benz world. I have a 2008 CLS550 with bi-xenon. Recently in a front end crash and have to replace both headlights (tabs are too mangled to fix or are missing completely). My question is this. Can I buy a brand new set of Hella halogens for 550 and transfer my bi-xenons to the new assembly? My lights are 100% functional, I just cant mount them. Sourcing a set of bi-xenon appears to be in the $1500 neighborhood for a used set. It appears that the assembly is identical to the xenon except for the holes in the bottom for the ballast plugs. All mounting points are there as are the location for the holes. They are just not punched out. Has anyone done this? Maybe point me to a link. I'm no stranger to tools and have rebuilt a few cars. Just hoping someone has either tried and succeeded or failed so at least I know it's possible.....or not. Thanks! Yes I'm aware that the bulbs will not work. If need be I would remove lens covers to replace guts.
I seriously doubt you could get away using the halogen fixture - electrical connections will be different. Check with MB as they provide a headlight repair kits for the broken tabs for some models. Also, RockAuto carries the Hella fixtures at a lower cost than you posted. Good luck.
I was thinking that I could just de-pin the electrical and swap in my guts for all of the halogen stuff. A lot of work but possible? Can't find repair kits for the w219.
I was thinking that I could just de-pin the electrical and swap in my guts for all of the halogen stuff. A lot of work but possible? Can't find repair kits for the w219.
I'd just spend the money. If your insurance don't cover collision, I'd just hold out, or sometimes ebay might have some used units. But Mercedes, you can run into all kinds of electrical issues with trail and error. Unless you know for sure with the wiring, I'd save up and by a new set and be done with it. No need to revisit afterwards... IMO
Well what do you know - the exact problem I have. Right hand headlight has the mounting tabs mangled. All of the xenon curve headlights start at like 400-500 euros. I sourced an intact halogen headlight (for like a 1/4 of the price) and will try the swap - as it looks like it will require some plastic cutting and seeing if the plugs and wiring can be transferred.
Sadly, the W219 model headlights dont have tab fix kits (w211, w218 and others all have them, so **** out of luck), and fixing the tabs is a truly last resort - as it seems the tabs have metal rods/tough wires in them from the factory, and managing to fix them to the factory position would be an utter frankstein of a job, if even possible - as the weight of the huge headlight rests solely on those 3 tabs.
Will probably try the swap next week. OP, if you have tried the swap, how did it go? If not, ill let you guys know how it will end up.
It will be a piece of cake. I haven't done it yet but I tore apart the broken left light. The hardest part is going to be cutting the opening the right size for the wire harness. No need to de pin anything as the whole harness snaps into the housing. The module and the ballast have the seal for moisture so it really doesn't have to be a super tight fit on the harness.Really not all that difficult with a dremel. I have done it many times on other automotive fixtures. Just use the busted headlight bottom for a template and go slow. You can always take more off but you can't put it back on once it's gone. Good luck. I would love it if you shared a finished product here. I haven't had time to get to mine yet with all the hours I'm putting in. Morimoto makes a great butyl glue call RetroRubber. It's made specifically for headlight resealing.
Thought of a dremel at first, but I think because the holes needed to cut are quite recessed, a drill bit and some files to carefully size to hole to... size, will be safer (I might make a stencil out of the xenon holes, so to get closest to the ideal hole). Watched a video of disassemblying the headlight - the connectors have some clips/Tabs that can be pushed in and will retract to the housing quite easily, so that should pose no problems.
We have these rubber like windshield/headlight seal fixings all over the place here (referred to as moose drool), I did the projector swaps a year ago with a friend, so hopefully with a decent heatgun the headlights wont be a nightmare to open up.
Only thing I am wondering right now, is the self levelling motor - because the halogen unit seems to have a manual bit installed there. The housing looks to be the same from pictures I sourced, but cant be sure as of now - hopefully the new unit arrives next week and I can disassemble everything and the mounting points fit.
I will photo and document the comparisons of the light interal bits and mounting points when I gut them both, and ofcourse the end product, if it is possible to finish.
Thanks for the inputs!
So down below you can see the differences - first unit is the xenon one, second the halogen. I stripped the looms and most of the stuff that got in the way (didnt need to take out the high beam on the second unit).
marked with red circles are where to cut the holes. bottom holes actually have an outline, so thats easy. middle one requires more handywork.
Will try to finish tomorrow, as I have no file at hand right now.
Thanks for the updated pics! Let me know how it turns out. I am actually tearing mine down today and opening the lenses to remove the chrome. Three gallons of ZEP purple de-greaser and let it soak. No scrubbing necessary. Just disolves the chrome coating in a matter of minutes. I managed to find a couple of used xenons that were stripped down for cheap with all tabs intact. Just gonna swap over some parts and restore the lights.
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