E-Class (W211) 2003-2009

HELP!! how do i know if my car has BIXENONS.. you see, one moves but not the other

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Old Aug 27, 2007 | 08:48 PM
  #1  
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Can some one tell me what bixenon is? and if my car has it?

not sure....My car does have xenons, not sure if they are BI.. dont evern know what bixenon is..

thanx!
c.
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Old Aug 27, 2007 | 09:24 PM
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It means that both the low and high beams are xeon.
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Old Aug 27, 2007 | 09:40 PM
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I'm pretty sure on the W211 you can only have bi-xenons or halogen. Not just xenons.

Is your car stock? If it is, you should be able to tell if it has bi-xenons if it has the headlight washer button next to the headlight switch and the triangular headlight washer covers in the front bumper between the headlights.


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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 11:27 AM
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thank you for your answer! yea, my car does have these 2 things...

so your telling me that the high beam lights are xenons too?

hmmm...
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 01:09 PM
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On W211 with the Bixenon option, the outer light units use an HID bulb. An HID bulb is an arc light and does not have a filament.

The "Bi" comes because there is a mechanical shield over this bulb that moves when switching between high and low beam, directing the energy to different portions of the reflector.

The inner lights remain halogen.

There must be a halogen (incandescent) light because HID bulbs do not come to full brightness fast enough to be used as daytime flashers.

Last edited by lkchris; Aug 28, 2007 at 01:20 PM.
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Old Aug 28, 2007 | 02:27 PM
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Smile

wow, now im even more confused...

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Old Aug 29, 2007 | 12:58 PM
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Originally Posted by christiaan
wow, now im even more confused...

Good explanation. What he's saying is that the Bi Xenon lighting is ALL in the outer 2 lights. The inner 2 lights have conventional bulbs so that when you "flash to pass" your headlights, the lights that do the flashing work are the inner 2 conventional bulbed lights, because conventional bulbs flash instantly, while bi Xenons would flicker to life like a flourescent bulb and would be useless in a flash to pass situation.

Your car does have the Bi Xenon Headlight system based on the other items pictured which are only installed when the option package including BiXenons is selected.
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 02:55 PM
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HELP!! how do i know if my car has BIXENONS.. you see, one moves but not the other

I checked today, if my car had bixenons, appartenly the left side does, but the right side does NOT?????!!!!!!! The left side moves the little mirror to make the low beam xenon be high beam, but the right does NOT!!!

The left side does the AUTO leveling, but the right side does not!

Could it be that the right side es brocken? is this possible?

OR could the dealership SCREW ME, crashed my car, and changed the right side unit, with only XENON, and not BI XENON??

help!!!
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 03:42 PM
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HELP!! how do i know if my car has BIXENONS.. you see, one moves but not the other

I checked today, if my car had bixenons, appartenly the left side does, but the right side does NOT?????!!!!!!! The left side moves the little mirror to make the low beam xenon be high beam, but the right does NOT!!!

The left side does the AUTO leveling, but the right side does not!

Could it be that the right side es brocken? is this possible?

OR could the person who sold me the car SCREW ME, crashed the car, and changed the right side unit, with only XENON, and not BI XENON??

help!!!

Last edited by christiaan; Sep 15, 2007 at 06:33 PM.
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 04:47 PM
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pictures would be needed at night. Best bet is to go to your dealer.
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 05:24 PM
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Originally Posted by christiaan
I checked today, if my car had bixenons, appartenly the left side does, but the right side does NOT?????!!!!!!! The left side moves the little mirror to make the low beam xenon be high beam, but the right does NOT!!!

The left side does the AUTO leveling, but the right side does not!

Could it be that the right side es brocken? is this possible?

OR could the dealership SCREW ME, crashed my car, and changed the right side unit, with only XENON, and not BI XENON??

help!!!
Do you Active-BiXenon????
As far as i know we all of our cars have BiXenons...and some cars came with Active bixenon .Thats the one it moves when you turn the steering wheel.
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by georgedaman
Do you Active-BiXenon????
As far as i know we all of our cars have BiXenons...and some cars came with Active bixenon .Thats the one it moves when you turn the steering wheel.
No its not active...
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by christiaan
OR could the person who sold me the car SCREW ME, crashed the car, and changed the right side unit, with only XENON, and not BI XENON??
If it's not Bi Xenon, then it's halogen. There is no "plain" xenon on these cars as far as I know.
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Old Sep 15, 2007 | 08:36 PM
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Originally Posted by starbrite
If it's not Bi Xenon, then it's halogen. There is no "plain" xenon on these cars as far as I know.

Thankx starbrite
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Old Sep 16, 2007 | 06:18 PM
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Originally Posted by starbrite
If it's not Bi Xenon, then it's halogen. There is no "plain" xenon on these cars as far as I know.
My 2004 Was ordered with Bi Xenons, but when delivered, they were NOT Active (turning) bi xenons. Everybody said I should plainly see them turn when I was driving, but I could not see them ever turn.

My 2007's lights most definitely turn, and it is obvious to see while driving.

My 2004 was built Nov 03 & Delivered late Dec '03. I am of the opinion that cars built at that time were built and shipped with NON ACTIVE Bi Xenon lights, either intentionally or by accident. When I would start up the 04 there was no "little dance up down right & left". They would flicker to life, the shutter would move & that was that. My '07 lights ARE different. I do get the "little dance", and they MOST DEFINITELY turn, with the steering wheel.

The '04s non active Bi Xenons were still the best headlights I had ever driven with untill I got this car... now these are.

Last edited by Barry45RPM; Sep 16, 2007 at 06:20 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 09:46 AM
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Interesting Barry...because I have the same situation. Mine are suppossedly active but I too have never seen that little "dance".
Plus If they're moving when turning, I sure can't see them.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by starbrite
Interesting Barry...because I have the same situation. Mine are suppossedly active but I too have never seen that little "dance".
Plus If they're moving when turning, I sure can't see them.
Check from your car's data card. 614 should be Bi-Xenons and 615 Active Bi-Xenons.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by Diesel Benz
Check from your car's data card. 614 should be Bi-Xenons and 615 Active Bi-Xenons.
Yes, checked that when I bought the car...definitely 615

Edit: Barry, my build date was Feb of '04

Last edited by starbrite; Sep 17, 2007 at 12:16 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 11:18 AM
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Originally Posted by starbrite
Yes, checked that when I bought the car...definitely 615
I would double check from the factory data card. Either they have delivered the car with 614 even if your window sticker says 615 or the lights are faulty. As said before, it is easy to see how they turn, or from the "dance" against the garage wall.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Diesel Benz
I would double check from the factory data card. Either they have delivered the car with 614 even if your window sticker says 615 or the lights are faulty. As said before, it is easy to see how they turn, or from the "dance" against the garage wall.
The data card is what I'm looking at. Quote "615 Bi-Xenon headlight w.active curvelight right-drive."

I do wonder if the "dance" was performed on '04 models or is that a somewhat newer "check".

Last edited by starbrite; Sep 17, 2007 at 12:16 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 12:40 PM
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Originally Posted by starbrite
The data card is what I'm looking at. Quote "615 Bi-Xenon headlight w.active curvelight right-drive."

I do wonder if the "dance" was performed on '04 models or is that a somewhat newer "check".
A long time ago, someone posted an mpeg on this site to show me what the little dance looks like at startup. He parked his car facing a wall. The dance was obvious. Mine never did that. I believe that early '04s, got non active lights installed at the factory for some reason... I don't care what the window sticker or other documentation says.

One drive in my '07 at night and you will know FOR SURE that the lights are different. The movement in curves due to steering wheel motion in visible to anyone with eyes. You can see them turn and then return to look straight ahead. Having had both, I can tell you that my '04 did NOT have active cornering lights even though they were supposed to be in the car as it was ordered. Maybe the wrong lights went into the car at assembly, or there was an intentional substitution, I know they weren't active lights... and as all the brochures say, "Manufacturer has the right to make changes during production..."

Last edited by Barry45RPM; Sep 17, 2007 at 12:42 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by Barry45RPM
... and as all the brochures say, "Manufacturer has the right to make changes during production..."
You know, I never noticed that fine print. However, still being under warranty, I wonder if I'd have a case for having them changed.

Edit: Ok I just read that on the back of the '04 brochure and I interpret it to mean that they can make changes from what's printed/shown but to a data card at the time of production ? I don't know about that Barry. Heres the blurb : " All illustrations and specifications contained in this brochure are based on the latest product information available at the time of publication. MB reserves the right to make changes at any time , without notice, in colors, materials, equipment, specifications and models...." snipped.

Last edited by starbrite; Sep 17, 2007 at 02:59 PM.
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 01:06 PM
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Originally Posted by starbrite
The data card is what I'm looking at. Quote "615 Bi-Xenon headlight w.active curvelight right-drive."
Check your email
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by konigstiger
Check your email
Thanks -D
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Old Sep 17, 2007 | 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by AsianML
I'm pretty sure on the W211 you can only have bi-xenons or halogen. Not just xenons.

Is your car stock? If it is, you should be able to tell if it has bi-xenons if it has the headlight washer button next to the headlight switch and the triangular headlight washer covers in the front bumper between the headlights.
This is not true. Cars with the sport package also come with headlight washers, but not necissarily bi-xenons.
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