After all your help last week I have upgraded bulbs from standad to the Philips ones which give a "whiter" light and I can now see the road.
I also had my dealer align the lights properly (free of charge). BUT the right light shines to the left and the left light shines to the right. Being totally ignorant about these things, is this normal or should they only cross at a considerable distance?
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On main beam they should be about parallel.
On no account should the left light be shining to the right. It sounds as if the alignment is thoroughly co**ed up. Take it back.
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CM,
Has this only happened since it went to the dealer?
Assuming you are checking the beam on dip......
If the left has a total bias to the right could you have a right dipping continental headlamp?
I've had this with three headlamps in the past few years, wrong unit fitted!
David
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I am checking on dip. There is a total bias to the opposite side but I do not think that it is a Euro spec car as RHD cars have an HB4 bulb and LHD have H4.
I know that the bias has only happened since taking it into the dealer (who said that the technicians were at lunch so he would do it himself!!!)
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Brian
You're absolutely right about main beam - parallel and just below the horizontal. However, the car may have independent adjustment for the main and dip units, so both sets need to be checked.
Dip beam with modern assymetric beams should again be parallel (that is in line with the direction of travel) and certainly shouldn't be 'cross eyed'.
When viewed against a garage wall dip beam should show a beam pattern which is 'flat' on the right of centre, and which angles up at about 30 degress on the left of the centre of the beam (best way I can describe it), so giving extra illumination on the kerb side. If the beam angles up on the right you have either a LHD headlamp unit (most likely), or, possibly a car which can be converted for continental driving and either the lamp has been adjusted, or the bulb has been fitted in the 'LHD' position.
The othe possibility (sorry) is that the bulb isn't seated correctly - saw this on a friends Honda, fresh from the factory! This gave the most strange beam pattern, considerably to the right.
Regards
John
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John
Yes, sorry, I was thinking on the lines of twin filament bulbs. (Main/Dip)
I was assuming from the tenor of the question that it had only happened since going into the dealer. (Although I assume GM fitted the bulbs himself, so something may well have got shifted there. However, the dealer should have picked that up)
I would still be inclined to return it to the dealer for checking/recalibration.
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Brian,
This only happened after BMW got their mits on to it!
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CM
Unlucky there then! My dealer made an excellent job of adjusting the lights on my previous 3-series, unbidden, as part of a service!
So you have separate main and dip units, but Brian's right - they messed it up. take it back and complain
regards
John
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Dear oh dear oh dear. Bring back the P100 - or one of the good Continentals!
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P100's,now there was a headlamp!
No pissing about with cretins using foglights when you've got a pair of those!
I reckon you could get a pair of 500 watt bulbs with room to spare in those monsters,and ,thus equipped you could have most of the so-called-classic BMW drivers through a hedge in weeks.
And jolly good riddance!
Next week,the aircraft spec 4wd eliminator........
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