[Mac B]

I've just taken delivery of a new 530D which has Xenons. I'm disturbed to find that, although the dipped beams are fine with a nice flat cut-off at the right height, the mains seem to be aimed up into the trees (this was especially obvious on a misty night when you could clearly see the beams shining upwards).

Is this normal or should I get them adjusted by the dealer?

[B33M3R]

Do you have Adaptive Headlights or just Xenons?

[xenon]

Sounds normal especially with adaptive - mist exaggerates the effect, that's all.

[Beancounter_74]

....and with a username like that ^^^^ , he should know

[Mac B]

Originally Posted by B33M3R

Do you have Adaptive Headlights or just Xenons?

Just Xenons

[B33M3R]

If you have the standard Xenon's you should be able to check the spread pattern fairly easily parked up against a wall or garage door etc. If you them go full beam and they are really out of alignment it will be easy to see. If this is the case then something's could be a miss and you best pop to the dealers.

Fog is very deceptive whatever lights you have and the reason I asked about whether or not you had adaptive lights or not is because, as Xenon's already mentioned, these could look like the beams are going all over the place when in fact it's all ok.

[Mac B]

Thanks - I'll look into this more closely.

[xenon]

Main thing is how the lights perform as opposed to where you perceive them to aim.

[ukbeemerboy]

Sounds fine to me... My beam shows right up into the trees, just when it's misty is shows up the beam line more clearly. I don't tend to use main beam in fog or mist though to be honest as you just get a wall of white light in front of you.

[RandomGuy152]

By 'main' you are referring to the full beam (blue light in the instrument cluster)?
That's normal, the projection of the full beam is more broad, hence it appears to shine upwards. The word dipped is aptly given for normal beam as they are… dipped, and do not have the same effect.

Mind you, a fully laden car with halogen dipped beams will have a similar beam projection if the beams are not lowered with the little switch near the headlight controls.

As Scott pointed out, full beam in mist/fog is not really helpful, only makes it worse

[B33M3R]

Originally Posted by Shuii

By 'main' you are referring to the full beam (blue light in the instrument cluster)?
That's normal, the projection of the full beam is more broad, hence it appears to shine upwards. The word dipped is aptly given for normal beam as they are… dipped, and do not have the same effect.

Mind you, a fully laden car with halogen dipped beams will have a similar beam projection if the beams are not lowered with the little switch near the headlight controls.

As Scott pointed out, full beam in mist/fog is not really helpful, only makes it worse

I believe the regs surrounding HID headlights stipulate, amongst other things, that they must be auto leveling. No thumb wheel to speak of.

[xs2man]

Originally Posted by B33M3R

I believe the regs surrounding HID headlights stipulate, amongst other things, that they must be auto leveling. No thumb wheel to speak of.

Which I guess is why he said halogens?

[B33M3R]

My bad, apologies to Shuii. Teach me to skim read....