Headlight retrofit and self leveling? with LEDs

[CA_130]

Hi All,

I have an e81 with run of the mil halogen bulbs, and I don't feel they provide enough light, especially on the long road. I planned on going the LED route as I don't like the HID/Xenon technology.

But, the amount of hacking needed to make the LED bulbs work, is more than I am willing to risk. Here's my thought, I will swap out the current halogen housing for the 1 series HID/Xenon housing, and install the LED bulb in there as they would fit without hacking. Straight swap, and no extra modules or coding needed.

My concern is the auto-leveling feature, I don't care about it. As long as I can still electronically adjust the lights from inside the car I'm happy. Can it be done? or by changing to the HID/Xenon headlight housing do I automatically lose the ability to adjust height manually?

I'd appreciate input from anyone who has done the retrofit to HID'Xenons

What I have

What I want, but with the LED bulbs.

Regards

 

[ShaunB]

I am struggling to understand what you mean by going the LED route.

The second pic you posted is a OEM light, and it does use HID/xenon technology.

You are going to be spending lots of money and effort for little gains, just go out and by a set of DEPO angel eye lights.

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My bad, now I understand. I am unsure about the levelling aspect as the motor attaches to the Halogen trim at the back.

Here is a pic of the halogen setup, if the xenon setup has the same motor thenit should work.

 

[Blue Shirt]

If your car has auto-levelling for the headlights now, you will have to re-code the light control module (LCM) to enable manual adjustment of the headlights. If your LCM does not have the little reostat on the switch, manual adjustment is not possible although auto-levelling will only work if the new headlights also have the adjustment motor inside (as most should do).

If your headlights can be manually adjusted now (most halogens work this way), you can just fit the xenon headlights and the manual adjustment will still work, assuming the adjustment motors inside the replacement headlights still work fine.

 

[vjx]

Not sure about E81.
But E90 has xenon leveling sensor at front and rear axle. Lots of wiring has to be done. The signal will be send to ECU and FRM to process to adjust. It seems like the OEM Xenon headlight only has mechanical leveling adjustment.
I agree with ShaunB's idea.

 

[osiris]

The good thing is that if your car has auto leveling already and the light doesn't have the motor it wont throw an error at least.

Next thing is that you cannot replace the xenon bulb with a LED one as you will get little no no usable light output from the projector as the LED bulb light hot spot is in completely the wrong place so it will sit waaaaaay too far back in the projector housing and the reflector bowl wont be able to direct the light into the projector lens at all, it will look like the lens has started glowing but wont throw much light at all.

If you look at a BMW led light setup its actually in a halogen type of housing with no projector lens and this is due to the fact that the led is on a circuit board facing up and down and needs to hit a mirror to be directed onto a reflector housing to then point out in front of you, its not like a xenon that has an arc in a little round ball within a globe that throws light in 360 degrees that can then be easily directed into the projector lens using a reflector bowl.

Just stick with a xenon light with a xenon projector and you will get the best possible light output would be my suggestion.

 

[CA_130]

Hi All,

Thanks for the detailed response, you've given me a few things to think about, but I think I also need to clear up the Assumptions, Limitations, and Questions I have around this project.

Assumptions:

1. All e8X's with OEM Xenons are self leveling
2. The electrical clips are different between the two housings (Halogen & Xenon)
3. The LED bulb won't fit in the current housing due to its length (According to manfacturer)
4. The LED bulb is the same length as the Xenon bulb,
5. and beam pattern will be similar
6. Xenon headlights not too expensive (scrappers ?)
7. The Led bulbs won't need any additional modules and/or coding

Limitations:

1. I do not want to open my OEM lights, usually doesn't end well.
2. I prefer OEM parts (they're made to fit and work already)
3. No Xenons due the inherent disadvantages (Ballasts, heat, light up time, cost etc.)
4. I would like it to be reversible.
5. I cannot code YET.
6. I do not have self leveling lights, and don't need/want them.

The bits I was recommended to remove, by the LED Manufacturer, to perform optimally, and more importantly fit properly.

Questions:

1. Will my current height adjust still work?
2. Will the 'Led bulb+Xenon housing' route be more expensive than going aftermarket or full OEM Xenon?
3. Any idea in the cost of going full OEM Xenon ? (no self leveling)

My actual switch

 

[osiris]

As far as I know, if you have that adjuster then you do not have auto adjustable headlights.

After market xenons have a slow start up time so cant be used to flash with properly and is bad for them to flick on and off.

OEM xenon start time time is almost instant and can be flashed with like flicking your brights.

I would look at scrap yards for oem xenons.

You can use Carly Coder (available on the android app store) to code your car. I did it to my Z4 this past weekend, you can actually even turn off the voltage checks so that if you fit xenons to your car it wont throw an error or flicker like strobe lights.

 

[Kyle Daniel]

I am struggling to understand what you mean by going the LED route.

The second pic you posted is a OEM light, and it does use HID/xenon technology.

You are going to be spending lots of money and effort for little gains, just go out and by a set of DEPO angel eye lights.

---

My bad, now I understand. I am unsure about the levelling aspect as the motor attaches to the Halogen trim at the back.

Here is a pic of the halogen setup, if the xenon setup has the same motor thenit should work.

---

Hi Shaun, who retails these Depo angel eye lights ?


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