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Can you tell your active bi xenons work?

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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 05:59 AM
  #1  
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Can you tell your active bi xenons work?

Both of our cars have the active bi xenon headlamp option noted on the stickers. Our GL450 easily showes the headlights moving when the steering angle changes from 0. I can't detect that in the C63.

Can you actually see the motion of the light on the road ahead in a C63?
If so any ideas for a fix?

Thank you
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:11 AM
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Does the C class come with Active Bi-Xenons?

If it does, make sure the switch is on Auto (at least that is where my BMW has to have it).
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:18 AM
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My C63 doesn'nt do it either and they are supposely "active". On my LS as soon as you turn the wheel you can see the light moving also.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:19 AM
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The C63 has cornering lights but not active bi-xenon.

George
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:23 AM
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But they do auto level. I see that when the headlights start up.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:24 AM
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I'm not sure about US-spec C63s, but Canadian cars do not have "active" xenon headlights that motion left and right as you turn the steering wheel. It's our left or right foglamps that activate as we turn the wheel to better illuminate that side of the road that we're turning towards.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by SebringSilver
but Canadian cars do not have "active" xenon
You would think that for $80K, they would throw them in.

So lame, I think even the Mazda 3 with Xenons comes with active Lights.

From the Mazda Canada website:
Bi-Xenon (HID) headlamps and fog lights (GT models) provide optimal visibility during low-light and inclement weather conditions; available first-in-class Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) automatically detects speed and steering angle inputs, swivelling to illuminate the road in the direction the driver wants to travel.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by benyl
You would think that for $80K, they would throw them in.

So lame, I think even the Mazda 3 with Xenons comes with active Lights.

From the Mazda Canada website:
Haha, yeah, it does seem odd. But what I've found so far is that the system in the C63 lights up the corner that you're turning towards far more effectively than the active bi-xenon headlights in, say, my Audi S4. The area that's illuminated by this seemingly low-tech approach is wider than that of the active systems.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 10:57 AM
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Haha, yeah, I guess.

The 335 has both. The cornering light goes on and the Xenon moves. Little things like that make me wonder if I should have ordered a new M3 over a 2010 C63.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 11:13 AM
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I believe the C/P2 has cornering lights not active lighting
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 11:31 AM
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So, on the 2010 C300 on mbusa, it says the following:

Bi-Xenon headlamps with Active Curve Illumination
Is that the fogs?

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/#/vehi...c=C&vmf=C300WZ
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 02:19 PM
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^+1 thats the fogs
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 03:36 PM
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Originally Posted by norb
But they do auto level. I see that when the headlights start up.
Auto level is required by law in all OEM HIDs. Headlamp washers are required, too.

Active Bi-Xenon is readily apparent when you ignite the HIDs up. They do a little dance up and down and side to side.

They are also very apparent when taking corners at high speed. The lights all shift to the right or left.

The "active" fog lights only turn on when making a slow speed right angled turn or using the turn signal stalk. They are nice when turning into a blind driveway at night, but they also make it look like you've got a burned out lamp to other drivers when turning from a traffic intersection.

I'm really surprised the C63 doesn't have true active HIDs with the P2 package
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 03:41 PM
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I DON'T COME HERE ANYMORE
Originally Posted by 220S
Auto level is required by law in all OEM HIDs. Headlamp washers are required, too.

Active Bi-Xenon is readily apparent when you ignite the HIDs up. They do a little dance up and down and side to side.

They are also very apparent when taking corners at high speed. The lights all shift to the right or left.

The "active" fog lights only turn on when making a slow speed right angled turn or using the turn signal stalk. They are nice when turning into a blind driveway at night, but they also make it look like you've got a burned out lamp to other drivers when turning from a traffic intersection.

I'm really surprised the C63 doesn't have true active HIDs with the P2 package
I dont belong here-but I beg to differ on the bold part-my last 2 cars have not had either function you state (Evo X and Mazdaspeed 3 GT-come to think of it, my Milan didnt either)-can you state what "law" a state passed that the headlights must autolevel and be clean?
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 03:48 PM
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Originally Posted by 220S
Auto level is required by law in all OEM HIDs. Headlamp washers are required, too.
I guess Subaru is breaking the law. The STI car have manual leveling headlights. (there is a dial inside).

BMW is also breaking the other law. 335i with HID do not come with Headlamp washers. Only the 335Xi.
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Old Jul 27, 2009 | 05:12 PM
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It was under FMVSS No. 108, iirc. It was revised in 2009. I'll see if I can find the link where I saw it.


edit: it's law under ECE. Which leaves out the US. So far not law under FMVSS, it appears. MB complies under the ECE ruling with North American export models even though it's not required in the US.

Vehicles equipped with HID headlamps are required by ECE regulation 48 also to be equipped with headlamp lens cleaning systems and automatic beam levelling control.

Last edited by 220S; Jul 28, 2009 at 04:00 AM.
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 01:20 AM
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Originally Posted by jarjoug
The C63 has cornering lights but not active bi-xenon.
My window sticker specifically states both corner illuminating fog lights and active curve illumination headlamps:

https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...1&d=1248758200

And that is for my 09 US spec C63.
Sorry about the fuzzy picture
Attached Thumbnails Can you tell your active bi xenons work?-photo.jpg  
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 09:28 AM
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Full bi-xenon "active" headlamps with cornering lamp function is as follows.

The cornering lights are the fog lamps which come on depending which way the steering is heading or which side the indicators are on. This happens only upto a predetermines speed.

The xenons have self leveling. This is nothing new as it is a legal requirement in most markets (as is headlamp washers)

The "active" component is above 90kph/55mph (in Australia this is the speed, other markets may be programed for a differnt speed) and when the high beam is on the drivers side head lamp moves slightly up and outward and the headlamps adjust from 35w to 38w. This counteracts the normal kerbside skew (as also required by law) on the headlamp beam and gives a much wider and longer light beam.
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 02:36 PM
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i have active bix on my 211 but can hardly tell the difference...
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by MJ50
i have active bix on my 211 but can hardly tell the difference...
Go out on some back road at night maybe up in La Canada-Flintridge or Altadena, (or better yet, at the Rose Bowl parking lot) and make some hard right and left turns in succession. You'll see it. It's really obvious.

City driving you won't notice, but up in the twisties at night and at a good clip, it's a different story.
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 06:06 PM
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Originally Posted by benyl
Haha, yeah, I guess.

The 335 has both. The cornering light goes on and the Xenon moves. Little things like that make me wonder if I should have ordered a new M3 over a 2010 C63.
Well... M3s do not even have the cornering lights! They only have the xenon headlamps! But hey, that seat belt arm (moves the seat belt so you don't need to reach for it) delivers!
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 06:20 PM
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Originally Posted by cyberorth
My window sticker specifically states both corner illuminating fog lights and active curve illumination headlamps:

https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...1&d=1248758200

And that is for my 09 US spec C63.
Sorry about the fuzzy picture
So does mine...thats kind of BS as it specifically states BOTH active HIDS and cornering fogs. I wonder if I can contact my dealer and call BS and hopefully get some free stuff out of them.
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Old Jul 28, 2009 | 06:39 PM
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Originally Posted by mzporto
Well... M3s do not even have the cornering lights! They only have the xenon headlamps! But hey, that seat belt arm (moves the seat belt so you don't need to reach for it) delivers!
Yeah they do:
Xenon Adaptive low- and high-beam headlights with auto-leveling and Cornering Lights function
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Conte...DzCy2IWFiCY1xc

My 335 has cornering lights. It also turns on both cornering lights when the car is put in reverse.

No matter. The C63 is ordered.
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