My vehicle is supposedly fitted with Active Headlights. In fact I am assured it has active headlights. The only codes my vehicle has in the 300 range is: 354, 380.

When the ignition is turned on, the Bi-Xeon lights actually stabilize and 'level-out', but that is it. No other movement whatsoever.

In previous posts it has been suggested that switching on the lights and rotating the steering wheel will actually make the headlights move left or right. Mine do not. We have put the vehicle in gear and my son walk alongside the car whilst my wife turns the steering wheel, still nothing.

I have contacted my dealer and he states that the activation is speed related???? and does not cut in until approximately 30mph (50kph) Has anyone here got this option, and can they confirm what I have been told by my dealership?

HELP,

John

 

Im not 100% sure about this, but I was always under the impression that you had to be driving for the lights to turn

 

To test it, John, do the following: Park your car in front of a wall or something reflective. Before you start the engine, turn on the headlights. Start your engine, and observe your headlights movement. First it will move to the left, then right, then neutrall, then down, and up, and down to neutral.

For the headlights to move after this, the car must come up to at least 5 km/h. And yes, it is speed dependent.

ps. If the movement is only up and down, there is no cornering system installed.

 

Thanks for the reply and perhaps I did not quite make myself clear. My wife drove the car slowly forward (at night, with the headlights switched on) and whilst she was driving forward (at walking pace) she turned the steering wheel. My son was walking alongside the vehicle and the headlights were absolutely static.

At 30mph going round bends, I'm not sure how you can detect the light movement. (perhaps I should strap my son onto the bonnet)

This should not detract from the excellent bi-xeon headlights that are fitted to the car

Regards,
John

 

From what I'm told you should easily be able to see the difference with the active headlight feature.... Simply drive the car on a dark twisty road.... With a 90% increase in visability around corners this should be very easily noticed...Here is some info on how the system works.....

Quote:
The active cornering headlamp system features headlamps which follow the driver’s steering movements and swivel in the corresponding direction almost instantaneously as the vehicle enters the curve. Illumination of the traffic lane is improved by up to 90 percent as a result: whereas conventional dipped head-lamps are able to provide illumination for a distance of some 30 meters when entering a curve with a radius of 190 meters, the new headlamp extends this range by another 25 meters. As the light distribution is matched to the steering angle, the driver is able to see the course of the curve at an early stage and can adapt his or her driving style accordingly.

In developing this innovative technology, Mercedes-Benz deliberately chose an active system rather than a static light which could be operated when cornering because the former also enhances safety significantly on country roads and in extended curves.

The active cornering headlamp system constantly matches itself to the speed of the car: whereas the headlamps follow the steering-wheel angle almost instantaneously during high-speed driving, the swiveling mechanism operates at a correspondingly slower speed when the car is proceeding at a more modest rate in order to ensure that the driver can relate to the way the beam pattern changes.

The active cornering headlamp system is based on the bi-xenon headlamps used in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and operates in both dipped and main-beam mode. The microcomputer which controls the system is integrated in the saloon’s electronic data network and is continuously supplied with real-time information from the steering-angle and speed sensors. Each bi-xenon module is equipped with its own electronics unit and an electric motor which swivels the lamp horizontally.
Dynamic headlamp range adjustment - a standard feature of Mercedes-Benz models equipped with bi-xenon headlamps - also works with the new cornering headlamp system in order to prevent oncoming drivers from being dazzled. Controlled by sensors, this system detects all the movements of the vehicle body and adjusts the headlamp settings accordingly.

 

Hi Oslo
Trust you to come up with a useful answer. Yes, mine does all the above. All I have to do now is get my son to move at 5km/h (3mph hopefully)

Thanks very much,
John

 

Hi Mr Harley,
I have read all the information, but the snag is these headlights are very impressive, and a 90% improvement is unfortunately not measureable.

As Oslo has previously stated the headlights are excellent and allegedly the active headlights are not a great improvement. I have bought the option and I would like to make sure I have it.

It could be the headlights are so impressive because the active light function is actually working???

Thanks for the response,
John

 

European Code for Active Headlights is: 616 and must also have option 600

616 Bi-Xeon Active Headlight System
600 Headlamp Washers

At least I have those options stamped in the Service Booklet

John

 

I will be ( retrofitted ) with Active Headlights next week. The dealer has received all the parts for the installation. 2004 E500 Wagon, sport package. The car was built in Sep. 2003.
Maybe this will be the policy for all non active cars witch should have had the Active Headlights installed! This is in the US.

 

Hi glojo

Oslo is right when he talks about the headlights moving to the left and then the right when you first turn them on. This is especially noticeable in the dark as you will see the white area the headlights illuminate on the road in front of you move considerably.

I often see people staring at the pattern cast on the surface of my car park at work when I leave in the evening, seems to take some people by surprise !

Best regards

James

 

Hi James,
Oslo is certainly a very good source of information. It appears that I am having problems with the Active Headlights. Yesterday they done exactly what you have described, today they only go up and down.

My car is now booked into the dealers to have a number of little teething problems sorted out.

Thanks for the input,
John

 

Hi James,
I have sent you a Personal Message.

Regards,
John

 

OK!
The active retrofit has been done. The lights look slightly deferent, the internal lens in the light itself is more recessed in its housing. They told me that the hardest part was programing a number of instructions into the computer. I will see in the next couple of days what deference they make.
Well its retrofit time for all of you who ordered these lights and didn’t get them!!
Good luck to all.

 

hello.

so is there a kit or p/n for this? also since my E500 has halogen only, would it be possible for the dealer to perform the upgrade?