Xenon Startup
#1
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Xenon Startup
For those of you with active curve Xenon lights-
Do they move up and down and side to side when turned on, or only up and down? I have read posts where some move side to side when turned on, but my 2005 does not do this.
They do move side to side when driving so they are working right - just wondering about startup.
Do they move up and down and side to side when turned on, or only up and down? I have read posts where some move side to side when turned on, but my 2005 does not do this.
They do move side to side when driving so they are working right - just wondering about startup.
#3
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I believe the active xenon lights have had two different implementations. I do not remember the time when this was changed but some (early) xenons did the start-up calibration in two dimensions while the current ones only do this for the vertical dimension. My W221 does it only vertically and still has those active turning xenons.
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2008 Mercedes Benz E63 AMG, 2017 Porsche Macan S
For those of you with active curve Xenon lights-
Do they move up and down and side to side when turned on, or only up and down? I have read posts where some move side to side when turned on, but my 2005 does not do this.
They do move side to side when driving so they are working right - just wondering about startup.
Do they move up and down and side to side when turned on, or only up and down? I have read posts where some move side to side when turned on, but my 2005 does not do this.
They do move side to side when driving so they are working right - just wondering about startup.
When I fire mine on, the xenons flip up, and then do a side-to-side dance for a couple of seconds.
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209/W210 Estate /W211 modded by MBENZNL
Early W211s will go l/r up / down on start up
Late W211s go u/d only on start up
Correction
Late W211s go u/d only on start up
Correction
Last edited by MARK CUMMINS; 10-30-2008 at 12:26 PM.
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2011 BMW X5 SAV
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Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
I'm 100% sure that I have active curving HID's and I've never seen them move left/right on start up, only up/down.
Model Year 2004
Model Year 2004
#13
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So does the up/down ALWAYS happen everytime the lights are turned on (for Xenons obviously)? Mine does not and the dealer said it does so only if a calibration is needed. Sounded like BS but I just would like a confirmation. Thanks.
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Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
They should move up and down every time the car is turned on. But, if you start your car with your headlights off and turn them on later, they won't go up and down a second time. Only on start up.
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Porsche 991S, Cayenne S, 1972 BMW 3.0CS E9 Coupe
My 2009 with active bi-xenon:
Up and down only and only on start-up. No side to side movement except when car is turning and moving.
Right or left fog lamp goes on when right or left turn signal on or steering wheel is turned right or left. Fog lamps are "corner illuminating." They actually direct their light towards the inside corner of the turn. But they don't seem to swivel themselves. I think they just project their light differently when you turn(?) But they definitely aim light towards the corner. Very effective when turning into unknown dark driveways.....
Up and down only and only on start-up. No side to side movement except when car is turning and moving.
Right or left fog lamp goes on when right or left turn signal on or steering wheel is turned right or left. Fog lamps are "corner illuminating." They actually direct their light towards the inside corner of the turn. But they don't seem to swivel themselves. I think they just project their light differently when you turn(?) But they definitely aim light towards the corner. Very effective when turning into unknown dark driveways.....
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Thanks for clarifying this, my post was supposed to be more of a generic note but I picked up your post because you "only" mentioned Bi-xenons, not active curve lights (actually I'm still always confused how the horizontally turning lights should officially be called against the fog light feature).
Anyway, the latests posts already clarified when the implementation was actually changed (and that there are lights with different behaviour even if both have the active curve light feature).
Anyway, the latests posts already clarified when the implementation was actually changed (and that there are lights with different behaviour even if both have the active curve light feature).
#21
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On my 2008 with Xenons and curve sensing, the lights go up and down on startup, but I never noticed them going side to side on startup. I should note that they're always on when I start the car because it's in the garage and the lights are set to "automatic." When the lights turn on while driving into the garage, I don't think they go up and down. They definitely swivel noticeably when driving around bends in the road, which is one of the coolest features of this car.
#22
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Wow - Looks like there are several inconsistencies here... In wonder what controls the startup sequence?
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![Confused](https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/confused.gif)
The early implementations were controlled by the front SAM via the LWR-BUS, later implementations have a direct CAN bus connection to the xenon control unit but the LWR control wire still comes from the front SAM.
#24
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JRAMGV8 and IndiumGreyE63 both say theirs go from side to side as well as up an down on startup, but others with 2008 models as far back as 2005 (mine) only go up and down.
#25
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I think they do it when the ignition switch is turned on. If the lights are set to come on when the car is started (either DRL enabled or on AUTO when the car considers it dark) you will see the beam dip and return. If the lights were not on when you started the car, they will not repeat this procedure when you turn on the headlamps.