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Adjusting Headlights

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Patrik

Member
London
I’ve found the lights on my bog standard E85 2.0i pointing down a bit too much, even when I set it on the dashboard to the lowest setting, ie. with the lights pointing highest I can’t really see very far while the puddles and potholes close by are illuminated perfectly well. Now I’d like to at least check whether they are set up properly, would anyone know if I drive up to a wall, how far should the nose of the car be and how high the line on the wall for the headlights?

Patrik
 
For a rough guide - I did my 2 Excite replacements on a 2.5 E85 Halogen set up and it passed the mot fine.
Mark the center of each light with a marker.
Measure the height of the dot from the ground = A
Measure the distance between the two dots = B
Put two vertical tapes on a wall distance B apart
Put two horizontal tapes at height A intersecting the verticals.
Put a horizontal tape 2in down on the left and 4" down on the right ( For RH Drive)
Park car 3' from tapes and adjust lights one at a time to be centered on the tape intersection of A/B

Reverse about 25/30 ft directly back and bounce the suspension a couple of times.
One light at a time

Adjust heiight of low beam cut off so it hits the RH 4" and LH 2" lines below horizontal center and is centered on the vertical line.

Mains should be set with center of beam on the A/B intersection ie Straight Ahead, parallel to the road.

When the car is loaded the drivers adjuster will need to adjust the lights down to compensate so start with it at the highest setting

That should het you a pass at MOT
 
I have 2005 Z4 3.0I GB version, but have moved to EU, how can I change the direction of the headlamp so it does not dazzle on coming drivers as IN EU we drive on the right side so am currently dazzling on coming traffic from the left. Thanks
 
If they are Original BMW Headlights then they should have a lever on the back that changes the dip. If they are 2excite replacement the dip lever is deleted and you have to use the stick on headlight deflectors.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AA-Headlamp-Beam-Converters-Deflectors/dp/B001PPDNHG/ref=asc_df_B001PPDNHG/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309828959236&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=680143414059441565&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007445&hvtargid=pla-592969576684&th=1
 
@Rucky thanks for your message. Bizarre thing is this adjustment (via the lever) was made about 3 years ago but car did not need to be tested (due to covid etc) until a couple of weeks ago at which point they failed me advising that they are pointing in wrong (UK) direction as opposed to EU. Do you think the lever could have potentially reset itself back to UK position during the last 3 years driving? Its so weird.
 
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