Help - Low Beam Xenon Bulb Issues
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2
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From: Melbourne, Australia
2002 CLK 320 W209
Help - Low Beam Xenon Bulb Issues
Hi guys,
Apologies for this post in advance, i am sure this has been covered at some point and to many me be a silly question. I am having an issue with my Low Beam Xenons and would really appreciate any help at all.
I currently own a 2002 CLK320 W209. The car unfortunately was recently hit by a drunk driver and required the entire drivers side lamp to be replace. As standard procedure (or so I'm told) both bulbs had to be replaced also. (All covered by the insurance).
The issue - When night came around and my lights fired up i noticed they were extremely dipped/low (i couldn't see anything). After adjusting each lamp with the exact same amount of clicks i noticed that the drivers side still wouldn't match up on the same level vertically or horizontally. It also made a huge beam along the ground all the way out to the focal point at. (Kind of similar to if you pointed a spotlight along the ground). The left lamp seamed to be working fine and when you view it on a flat wall disperses the light evenly and as expected. The right however has shadows and can't really be adjusted in.
My question - Can a Xenon Bulb be placed in the housing 90 degrees off? Meaning it directs a more straight beam type of light than an evenly horizontal light. If this is possible it seems this could be my issue, the light is being directed along the ground in a straight line all the way out to the end of its focal point, instead of being evenly spread across the front of the car.
If anyone could help me that would be great, i had a bit of a search but couldn't find anything and as this is my first car i am still learning more and more everyday.
Apologies for this post in advance, i am sure this has been covered at some point and to many me be a silly question. I am having an issue with my Low Beam Xenons and would really appreciate any help at all.
I currently own a 2002 CLK320 W209. The car unfortunately was recently hit by a drunk driver and required the entire drivers side lamp to be replace. As standard procedure (or so I'm told) both bulbs had to be replaced also. (All covered by the insurance).
The issue - When night came around and my lights fired up i noticed they were extremely dipped/low (i couldn't see anything). After adjusting each lamp with the exact same amount of clicks i noticed that the drivers side still wouldn't match up on the same level vertically or horizontally. It also made a huge beam along the ground all the way out to the focal point at. (Kind of similar to if you pointed a spotlight along the ground). The left lamp seamed to be working fine and when you view it on a flat wall disperses the light evenly and as expected. The right however has shadows and can't really be adjusted in.
My question - Can a Xenon Bulb be placed in the housing 90 degrees off? Meaning it directs a more straight beam type of light than an evenly horizontal light. If this is possible it seems this could be my issue, the light is being directed along the ground in a straight line all the way out to the end of its focal point, instead of being evenly spread across the front of the car.
If anyone could help me that would be great, i had a bit of a search but couldn't find anything and as this is my first car i am still learning more and more everyday.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: NOVA/DC
20' RCF, 18' NX, 09' E350, 07' Solara, 05' STi, 01' Ranger
Make sure the bulb is seated correctly in the housing. I assume it's a D2S bulb? If so it will only go in one way. Make sure the GROUND wire is toward the ground. It sounds like something isn't seated correctly. If you can reseat the bulb do that, if you can't I'd recommend taking the headlight out and inspecting it to make sure that it's fully attached.
I got headlights off ebay and one of them was completely detached from the "plastic lock holders" I would have never found out why the headlight would have been off had I not baked them and opened up the housing.... Not saying you have to do that but see if you can giggle or move anything in the headlight...everything should be firmly in place and not move.
-Nigel
I got headlights off ebay and one of them was completely detached from the "plastic lock holders" I would have never found out why the headlight would have been off had I not baked them and opened up the housing.... Not saying you have to do that but see if you can giggle or move anything in the headlight...everything should be firmly in place and not move.
-Nigel
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 61
From: Atlanta Metro
2008 clk550 - Navigator - Frontier
I don't "know" the answer to your question, but I think it highly unlikely that you could install the bulb 90 degrees from it's intended position. Most bulbs will insert into a socket (tabbed hole) in the housing and locks/seals with either a clip or a 1/4 turn twist.
There could be a fairly high voltage on xenon bulbs, so you should tinker with it unless you're pretty sure about what you are doing.
The bulb could be "irregular" (a reject that wasn't caught in the manufacturing process).
Since the repairs were done by someone else, why not just take it back to them and let them correct the problem. It's odd that they would not have aligned the headlights after the repair anyway.
There could be a fairly high voltage on xenon bulbs, so you should tinker with it unless you're pretty sure about what you are doing.
The bulb could be "irregular" (a reject that wasn't caught in the manufacturing process).
Since the repairs were done by someone else, why not just take it back to them and let them correct the problem. It's odd that they would not have aligned the headlights after the repair anyway.
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Joined: Dec 2009
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NO LONGER ACTIVE
I actually did install a halogen bulb "upside-down" once int he C240. I couldn't see what I was doing and I though I felt it int he slot, but it was 180-degrees off. Of course I knew immediately when I turned on the lights. On a projector lens like the W209's HID lights, even if the bulb were in installed in the correct orientation, it shouldn't aim down like that. I suspect the problem is the levelers and not he bulb.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2
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From: Melbourne, Australia
2002 CLK 320 W209
Thanks everyone for your replies. I have had a look at the bulb and it seems to be seated correctly. I am having my local dealer have a play this week. (I have a friend in their, costing me 1/5 of the price Thank God!).
The reason i haven't taken it back to the repairer is because they are plain and simple useless. Unfortunately my policy didn't allow me to select my repairer and they have had the car for over 2 months with multiple stuff ups and mistakes. So they have blown their opportunity for getting the car back. (For example: They told me a wheel is a cosmetic item and isn't needed for driving. Last time i checked i needed them!
)
The reason i haven't taken it back to the repairer is because they are plain and simple useless. Unfortunately my policy didn't allow me to select my repairer and they have had the car for over 2 months with multiple stuff ups and mistakes. So they have blown their opportunity for getting the car back. (For example: They told me a wheel is a cosmetic item and isn't needed for driving. Last time i checked i needed them!
)
