SL/R230: How do you know if you have Bi Xenon
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
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2003 and 1998 E320
How do you know if you have Bi Xenon
I have a 2005 SL500 and the window sticker says the bi Xenon was added for $745. Looking at the lights i dont think so, the low beam is a large projector that emits a blue light. The high beam looks like a regular yellow beam of light.
Am i missing something here. If it has it doesnt that mean both should be blue light in nature
Am i missing something here. If it has it doesnt that mean both should be blue light in nature
Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 443
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From: N.Y.C.
05' sl 500
bi-xenon just means you have a movable reflecting shield the moves to reflect the low beams to a higher and wider beam. basically it just uses the same bulb so yes you should see the xenon color whether you have it on hi or lo beam.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 443
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From: N.Y.C.
05' sl 500
no thats not what i said. when you pull the stick for the high beams the shield moves producing a seemingly brighter light. it does look different when you change it from back and forth but the color is still the same. that's what the OP was asking whether the high beams should have the same color(xenon) as the low beams on a sl with the bi-xenon option.
i was suspicious when some other member told me this as well until i actually tested it. have someone else switch back and forth the lo and hi beams and watch what happens
i was suspicious when some other member told me this as well until i actually tested it. have someone else switch back and forth the lo and hi beams and watch what happens
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Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 443
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From: N.Y.C.
05' sl 500
i went out to re-check my hi and low beams since your trying to make me look foolish rather than help the op out. did you check yours?
this it what actually happens. when you turn your hi beams on, on sl's equipped with bi-xenons, the same lo beam lights are shifted to a higher beam pattern via the shield i mentioned in the above posts and a halogen light comes on next to your xenon bulb (in the same area as your parking lamps) but your same low beam xenons are still on but at a higher pattern. you can test this by covering all of your lights except for 1 headlight and you will see your low beam xenon move higher up on an object such as a wall in front of you.
try testing this out before you post back and tell me what you find
this it what actually happens. when you turn your hi beams on, on sl's equipped with bi-xenons, the same lo beam lights are shifted to a higher beam pattern via the shield i mentioned in the above posts and a halogen light comes on next to your xenon bulb (in the same area as your parking lamps) but your same low beam xenons are still on but at a higher pattern. you can test this by covering all of your lights except for 1 headlight and you will see your low beam xenon move higher up on an object such as a wall in front of you.
try testing this out before you post back and tell me what you find
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From: Tallahassee, Florida
2006 SL600, 2001 S500, 1996 SL320
MBWorld Fanatic!
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Mercedes-Benz
for me its hard to tell what is going on in that video but since I know what happens its hard for me to pretend. I'll sum it up here.
Bi-xenon equipped:
Low beam - bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon projector has a shutter that moves and illuminates further down the road, also the halgoen inner high beams also illuminate for extra light.
Non-bixenon equipped:
Low beam- bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon low beam and halgoen high beam. No shutter in low beam to expose more high intensity xenon light.
Bi-xenon equipped:
Low beam - bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon projector has a shutter that moves and illuminates further down the road, also the halgoen inner high beams also illuminate for extra light.
Non-bixenon equipped:
Low beam- bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon low beam and halgoen high beam. No shutter in low beam to expose more high intensity xenon light.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 443
Likes: 0
From: N.Y.C.
05' sl 500
for me its hard to tell what is going on in that video but since I know what happens its hard for me to pretend. I'll sum it up here.
Bi-xenon equipped:
Low beam - bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon projector has a shutter that moves and illuminates further down the road, also the halgoen inner high beams also illuminate for extra light.
Non-bixenon equipped:
Low beam- bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon low beam and halgoen high beam. No shutter in low beam to expose more high intensity xenon light.
Bi-xenon equipped:
Low beam - bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon projector has a shutter that moves and illuminates further down the road, also the halgoen inner high beams also illuminate for extra light.
Non-bixenon equipped:
Low beam- bluish white xenon light
High beam - Xenon low beam and halgoen high beam. No shutter in low beam to expose more high intensity xenon light.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Arizona
SL55AMG, Ferrari 348, Ferrari Testarossa, Ferrari F40, Ferrari Mondial t, Ducati 916, Indycar
If you call your dealer and give them your VIN and they can tell you for sure.
You can also try putting your VIN at this site. http://old.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/view.html
You can also try putting your VIN at this site. http://old.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/view.html
Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 229
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From: San Francisco, CA
SL500
Better link for the VIN Lookup:
http://old.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/?lng=eng
http://old.mbclub.ru/mb/vin/?lng=eng
