E90Post
 


The Tire Rack
 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > Headlights pointing WAY up?



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      01-15-2013, 12:26 AM   #1
BmerMeUp
Lieutenant
BmerMeUp's Avatar
Canada
32
Rep
447
Posts

Drives: Cinderella: 2008 E91 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Headlights pointing WAY up?

Hi.
I have tried to search this several ways, but to no avail. I have Xenon's in an E91. The non-xenon light, aka the DRL, aka the flashing high-beam, is pointing up at about 30 degrees. I was flicking them in heavy fog the other night to compare visibility, and those "high beams" seem to point nearly straight up, from the driver's perspective (what the hell do you call them, anyway?! The Xenon's are your Low beams / Main Beams / High Beams... the other ones are... what? DRL's and... the OTHER high-beam?! d'oh. That's what makes it hard to search for an answer!)

Anyway - I attached a pic (but not in the fog unfortunately). I know where the Xenon/Main beam adjusting bolts are - those are perfectly adjusted and have no problems. The "other" high-beam/DRL's are ridiculously high - both of them. Seems odd.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
Attached Images
 
Appreciate 0
      01-15-2013, 02:34 AM   #2
efdiesel3s
Halle Berry or Hallelujah
Netherlands
1
Rep
57
Posts

Drives: '11 335d, '93 fd3s, '90 e30 m3
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

I'm almost 100% sure you aren't suppose to use high beams in thick fog. If it is zero visibility the beams are not going to cut through the fog and allow you to see further. Your high beams would also blind the oncoming traffic. In fog situations you use the fog lights to allow you to see the peripherals better and for oncoming traffic to see you without blinding them.
Appreciate 0
      01-15-2013, 07:44 AM   #3
BmerMeUp
Lieutenant
BmerMeUp's Avatar
Canada
32
Rep
447
Posts

Drives: Cinderella: 2008 E91 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by efdiesel3s View Post
I'm almost 100% sure you aren't suppose to use high beams in thick fog. If it is zero visibility the beams are not going to cut through the fog and allow you to see further. Your high beams would also blind the oncoming traffic. In fog situations you use the fog lights to allow you to see the peripherals better and for oncoming traffic to see you without blinding them.
You are correct - you absolutely should NOT be using high beams in fog as your driving lights. In fact, using WHITE lights of any sort will produce more "blinding" glare than the preferred yellow, which my DRL's and fogs are.


I was "using" the fog as a display screen of sorts to visualize and evaluate the projection angles and beam width of my various lights and discovered the DRL high-beam was completely skewed. I probably could have worded that better in the question.
Appreciate 0
      01-15-2013, 09:27 AM   #4
Dominus
First Lieutenant
Dominus's Avatar
United_States
30
Rep
389
Posts

Drives: 2009 Bmw 328i w/ XDrive
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Pittsburgh

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
2009 BMW 328i  [10.00]
idk about yours but mine are turning lights. they reflect at a 90 degree angle to show the curbs while turning and when my turn signals are on. however some mistake them as highbeams as im turning and its very fustrating!
Appreciate 0
      01-15-2013, 03:12 PM   #5
VTECaddict
Where'd my VTEC go?
VTECaddict's Avatar
United_States
479
Rep
6,067
Posts

Drives: 06 330i 6MT
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Seattle, WA

iTrader: (4)

The bulb got dislodged from its socket.
__________________
AW/Terra | ZSP | ZPP | ZCW | iDrive | CA
Mods: BC BR coilovers | Blacklines | M-tech rear | dual exhaust | M3 steering wheel | BMW SSK | ZHP shift knob | High-kick CF spoiler | NBT Retrofit
M3 front control arms | M3 rear guide rods | Manzo rear toe and camber links | Monroe rear shock mounts | Varrstoen ES1 19x9.5+20 Front, 19x11+25 rear
Appreciate 0
      01-15-2013, 09:37 PM   #6
07lilredwagon
Captain
07lilredwagon's Avatar
40
Rep
679
Posts

Drives: 07 328 wagon
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: New York

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by VTECaddict View Post
The bulb got dislodged from its socket.
I have seen this before...if the bulb has been replaced recently, or not, and it is not seated properly in its housing, it will not be pointing in the right direction. That is an easy fix....My wifes Passat takes a mirror and a flashlight held at just the right angle to even see the bulb which has to be rotated just right to fully seat into its housing...what a pain!...Her headlights were all askew after I put new ones in and it took a while to figure it out....

But if yours have never been replaced, and they are seated properly...it could have been a trick of the light so to speak. I tried my high beams in the fog the other night, and it looked like they were pointed in all different directions...I went back to low beams with the fog lights on and it was much better.

Yes, yellow fogs are the way to go!


JP
Appreciate 0
      01-16-2013, 11:34 PM   #7
BmerMeUp
Lieutenant
BmerMeUp's Avatar
Canada
32
Rep
447
Posts

Drives: Cinderella: 2008 E91 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 07lilredwagon View Post
I have seen this before...if the bulb has been replaced recently, or not, and it is not seated properly in its housing, it will not be pointing in the right direction. ...
arg. I was afraid of that - they are both pointing up at a ridiculous angle (equally ridiculous, mind you), but yes, unfortunately... I just replaced them recently - and on a Xenon E9x... WHAT A MONSTROUS PAIN IN THE POOPER they are to service!!

Doesn't surprise me I may not have gotten them in properly. They look/felt like they were in, but it is ENTIRELY possible they are not, or have come slightly dislodged. Last time it took me over 3 hours to change them. Let's see if I best my personal time... ack.


Thanks for the tip!
Appreciate 0
      01-16-2013, 11:37 PM   #8
BmerMeUp
Lieutenant
BmerMeUp's Avatar
Canada
32
Rep
447
Posts

Drives: Cinderella: 2008 E91 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominus View Post
idk about yours but mine are turning lights. they reflect at a 90 degree angle to show the curbs while turning and when my turn signals are on. however some mistake them as highbeams as im turning and its very fustrating!
Frustrations aside... that's a very cool feature. I had heard them called "cornering lights" but never knew what their behaviour might be. Sounds handy!

As it is - even when they are working - those lights DO NOTHING. They are DRL's (normally - I coded that to be my AE's) or flash-to-pass highbeams. That's it. So you could go your entire driving career never using them, if you don't high-beam-flash people. Sort of dumb. Cornering lights - those sound like fun.
Appreciate 0
      01-17-2013, 12:48 AM   #9
JustinGTP
Captain
JustinGTP's Avatar
Canada
58
Rep
602
Posts

Drives: '13 MINI Paceman JCW
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Calgary, Alberta

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by BmerMeUp View Post
Frustrations aside... that's a very cool feature. I had heard them called "cornering lights" but never knew what their behaviour might be. Sounds handy!

As it is - even when they are working - those lights DO NOTHING. They are DRL's (normally - I coded that to be my AE's) or flash-to-pass highbeams. That's it. So you could go your entire driving career never using them, if you don't high-beam-flash people. Sort of dumb. Cornering lights - those sound like fun.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dominus
idk about yours but mine are turning lights. they reflect at a 90 degree angle to show the curbs while turning and when my turn signals are on. however some mistake them as highbeams as im turning and its very fustrating!
Pre LCI sedans used them as DRLs and flash to pass. LCI sedans 2009+ use them as cornering lights. However, cornering lights have the beam sweeping to the sides, so they definitely do not work or look like high beams.
__________________
'09 LCI 335i E90 in BSM over Oyster Dakota Leather, Manual, Sport, Navigation, Individual Audiophile, Executive, Active Steering, JB4 + MHD BEF, 335is Exhaust w/AWE Tuning Tips, AFE DCI, Euro Tails/Fog Light Switch, various painted and other OEM + mods, 19" M5 reps summer
'13 MINI Cooper S Paceman JCW R61in Light White & Black Roof/Mirror Caps/Sport Stripes, Loaded + Rare
Appreciate 0
      01-17-2013, 12:50 AM   #10
E91 Hoarder
Captain
E91 Hoarder's Avatar
No_Country
118
Rep
831
Posts

Drives: E91 AWD, E91 RWD, E90, X535i
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: On the Road

iTrader: (8)

OP, check out this thread: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6704

They talk about headlights angles. Hope this helps...
__________________
"Let me see what I can do... sir"

Appreciate 0
      01-17-2013, 01:20 AM   #11
BmerMeUp
Lieutenant
BmerMeUp's Avatar
Canada
32
Rep
447
Posts

Drives: Cinderella: 2008 E91 328xi
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Ontario

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by iSerge View Post
OP, check out this thread: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6704

They talk about headlights angles. Hope this helps...
Hi iSerge - thanks for that, I did originally stumble on that, but got bored after 2 or 3 pages of "Wow! Thanks! I never knew that!" ha.

So I just read through all 13 pages - they DO mention halogens in a few spots including a second post just for halogens, but in all cases they are referring to the entire light housing, not the individual bulbs.

Having said that... if there are no adjustments for the individual bulb housings, then it stands to reason something is wrong with my bulbs, not the aiming. At least, that's the theory I'm going with for now!

It's too cold and too dark to check it tonight, but next chance I get I'm going to poke around and see what I can see, maybe the bulbs popped out or the 3 hours of screwing around trying to replace the bulbs fubar'd something.

Thanks again!
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:01 PM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST