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2010 2011 BMW 5 Series Forum F10 BMW 5-Series (F10) Forums General 5-Series Sedan and Wagon (F10 / F11) Forum Headlight identification: Xenon vs halogen
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      12-16-2018, 06:33 PM   #1
agentorange
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Headlight identification: Xenon vs halogen

Was looking at a used F10 online today, a 535d. The VIN decoder came back "adaptive headlights", and I know that they are not LED because the shape is wrong. Did the US spec halogen cars ever have adaptive lights or is it just a xenon and LED thing. TIA.
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      12-17-2018, 12:13 PM   #2
snj1013
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I don't believe any US spec'd F10's ever had halogens other than some in 2011.
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      12-17-2018, 02:48 PM   #3
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It should have Bi-Xenons.
Which means Xenons on the outside pair and halogen on the inside.
Adaptive means they are motorized to swivel on turns and hills.
The halogen is used the turn assist ( they come on for a few seconds while turning or signalling) and flash to pass.
The Xenons are your High and Low beam.
+1 on the above post.
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      12-17-2018, 03:29 PM   #4
philipm785
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Do they swivel up and down? Mine definitely turn side to side, but they don't seem to counteract dips or peaks in the road surface. Is that an EU/US thing that needs coding?
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      12-17-2018, 07:09 PM   #5
wcr3d
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It's not going to do it for bumps/dips in the road.
It's for up and down actual hills.
If you watch closely at night during start up you can see them rise.
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      12-19-2018, 04:09 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wcr3d View Post
It's not going to do it for bumps/dips in the road.
It's for up and down actual hills.
If you watch closely at night during start up you can see them rise.
What he said. It's like my adaptive lights follow my mind and eyes when they light up. I rarely drive cars at night but these lights make it feel like daylight! Not too bright, not too dim and not blinding others. Just right
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      12-19-2018, 11:28 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyngofpop View Post
What he said. It's like my adaptive lights follow my mind and eyes when they light up. I rarely drive cars at night but these lights make it feel like daylight! Not too bright, not too dim and not blinding others. Just right
It's interesting how much better the bi-xenons are on our current 328d compared to the two Jaguars and one Cadillac we have owned over the last 6-7 years. The BMW lights on high beam are far superior to the other cars.

Thanks all for your insight.
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      12-19-2018, 05:16 PM   #8
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One thing they can be coded for is to cast a wider beam at low speed and transitions to a higher/further beam at about 30 mph.
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      12-19-2018, 05:24 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mness View Post
One thing they can be coded for is to cast a wider beam at low speed and transitions to a higher/further beam at about 30 mph.
I tried that... Didn't work.
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      12-22-2018, 05:01 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc View Post
I tried that... Didn't work.
Remove 8S4 from FA, then VO Code the FRM module. Is that what you did? On your VIN decode, does it have S8S4A Decoding Variable Light Distribution? If so the steps I put should un-decode it.
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      12-22-2018, 05:24 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mness View Post
Remove 8S4 from FA, then VO Code the FRM module. Is that what you did? On your VIN decode, does it have S8S4A Decoding Variable Light Distribution? If so the steps I put should un-decode it.
Didn't do that, just coded it. I'll try that, IF I ever get ESys to work again... Yes, I have S8S4A Decoding variable light distribution
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      12-23-2018, 11:42 PM   #12
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I have halogens on my 2011 528. Awful.
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