[X54TH]

Just picked this up from the F15 X5 forum regarding our 2 series rating on our headlights http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/deskto...ed-improvement


http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/veh...s-2-door-coupe

The performance of the HID headlights with and without automatic switching is the same in the IIHS tests. Presumably a driver could activate high beams when it is safe to do so as efficiently as the automatic system. However, the IIHS article states for HID headlamps with automatic switching: "High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway and on both left curves." This apparently justifies the higher "marginal" rating for the HID headlamps when equipped with automatic switching.

[DanG]

Neither of your links work. I heard that the halogen lights on the 228i rated poor.

[X54TH]

They should be fixed now. Sorry about that.

Here is the report on the 2 series.

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/veh...s-2-door-coupe

[RoundelM3]

It's still BS - I can see WAY more than 130 feet in both my 335i and 228i, which are equipped with HIDs. Turning on the high beams makes things show up hundreds of feet ahead, particularly reflective signs or deer/other animal eyes.

[X54TH]

I'm going to get my coding guy to code the following for the M235. These options are decoded for the US and Canada. This should enhance the lighting.

Enable Anti Dazzle High Beam Assist
Enable Variable Light Distribution

VLD: This allows the light beam to adapt according to vehicle speed. When driving in the city, a low beam is used to better illuminate the road immediately ahead without dazzling oncoming drivers. Then at higher speeds, the headlamps are raised to increase visibility.

[uberspeed]

Very happy to see this, lighting is a huge safety item IMHO, thanks for the links!

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by roundel335

It's still BS - I can see WAY more than 130 feet in both my 335i and 228i, which are equipped with HIDs. Turning on the high beams makes things show up hundreds of feet ahead, particularly reflective signs or deer/other animal eyes.

I have to agree here. My last two cars (G35, WRX) as well as my wife's 2015 Outback have HIDs and I find the xenons in my M235 to be fine on dark roads and lit roads and better than the noted cars in terms of light and cut off. I never once thought about the headlights in my M235 being poor. I rent tons of cars for work and none of them have HIDs. They're all terrible and it feels like you're driving in heavy rain.

[pz619]

Honestly, I think the headlights are poor. My S2000 had vastly superior HIDs in terms of brightness and clarity. The beam cutoff was more distinct. Granted it didn't have auto-leveling or the ability to turn with the road, but the feature is useless when the lights are basically pointed down. I need to go back and adjust the lights but so far I'm unimpressed.

[AlpsRider]

Originally Posted by pz619

Honestly, I think the headlights are poor. My S2000 had vastly superior HIDs in terms of brightness and clarity. The beam cutoff was more distinct. Granted it didn't have auto-leveling or the ability to turn with the road, but the feature is useless when the lights are basically pointed down. I need to go back and adjust the lights but so far I'm unimpressed.

Have you thought about coding in the Euro codes for the lighting?

[pz619]

Originally Posted by AlpsRider

Have you thought about coding in the Euro codes for the lighting?

I have. I just haven't gotten around to getting a windows laptop. My work laptop is windows but prefer to keep non-work related software off it. Plus you need an admin password to install anything. OK, I guess the latter is the real reason.

I don't think the software works with a mac which is my home computer. Might pick up a cheap one either off ebay, best buy, or that shady guy down the street that always seems to have electronics.

Do you have the euro codes loaded in your car? If so, what are your thoughts?

[scrape1]

These tests are good. Hopefully they will push the manufacturers into better designs, and NHTSA into more modern regulations. And maybe pressure BMW into no longer selling crappy standard lights. If their safety ratings take a hit, they will notice, it's bad for business.

I pretty much agree with the test results. The Xenons aren't awful, but they leave a lot to be desired. No reason they can't be better, especially considering lights on some cheaper cars performed better on the test. Marginal is about right.

[CanadianGatorBacon]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

I have to agree here. My last two cars (G35, WRX) as well as my wife's 2015 Outback have HIDs and I find the xenons in my M235 to be fine on dark roads and lit roads and better than the noted cars in terms of light and cut off. I never once thought about the headlights in my M235 being poor. I rent tons of cars for work and none of them have HIDs. They're all terrible and it feels like you're driving in heavy rain.

Are you saying that because your 2er lights are better than other lights or because they are objectively good. The IIHS test rates the lights against an objective criteria. There is no rating based on a comparison of one set of lights versus another. The lights on my Honda fit were awful. The lights on my 2er are so much better it feels like the difference isn't even quantifiable. But that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement on my 2er lights.

Also, this test is kind of limited since they only test one car with a certain light setup. But that said, the consistency across the range of all the tested 2ers is concerning.

[AlpsRider]

Originally Posted by pz619

I have. I just haven't gotten around to getting a windows laptop. My work laptop is windows but prefer to keep non-work related software off it. Plus you need an admin password to install anything. OK, I guess the latter is the real reason.

I don't think the software works with a mac which is my home computer. Might pick up a cheap one either off ebay, best buy, or that shady guy down the street that always seems to have electronics.

Do you have the euro codes loaded in your car? If so, what are your thoughts?

I have a Windows laptop and the cable but I still haven't done any coding yet. My LED brake lights and turn signals are in the mail, they will require some coding to stop a slight flicker from the car's test system so I will be coding soon.
There has been some controversy as to whether our US cars have the same hardware needed for the Euro light coding. My car was "decoded" after manufacture so I'm going to give it a try.
PM me if you are interested in a collaborative effort, SD here.

[X54TH]

The North American cars can be coded for:

Anti Dazzle High Beam Assist
Variable Light Distribution

Definitions according to the coding sheet and my coding guy. He has successfully coded both.

ADHBA: Enable multi-stage High beam assist… will turn high beams individually on/off depending on oncoming traffic.

VLD: This allows the light beam to adapt according to vehicle speed. When driving in the city, a low beam is used to better illuminate the road immediately ahead without dazzling oncoming drivers. Then at higher speeds, the headlamps are raised to increase visibility.

Attached is the coding sheet for the F22.

[AlpsRider]

Originally Posted by X54TH

The North American cars can be coded for:

Anti Dazzle High Beam Assist
Variable Light Distribution

Definitions according to the coding sheet and my coding guy. He has successfully coded both.

ADHBA: Enable multi-stage High beam assist… will turn high beams individually on/off depending on oncoming traffic.

VLD: This allows the light beam to adapt according to vehicle speed. When driving in the city, a low beam is used to better illuminate the road immediately ahead without dazzling oncoming drivers. Then at higher speeds, the headlamps are raised to increase visibility.

Attached is the coding sheet for the F22.

Thanks, that is encouraging. Do you ever get people flashing their lights at you as if you had your high beams on?

[jmwilson125]

I've actually thought my beams seemed low. I ended up adjusting them up a little bit and they are waaaay better. I also did have a couple friends drive by me to make sure they weren't aimed too high.

I think the xenon's are actually quite good just aimed too low from the factory. I've head if you bring it back to the dealership and tell them to "please raise them to the highest legal limit" people have had good results.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by jmwilson125

I've actually thought my beams seemed low. I ended up adjusting them up a little bit and they are waaaay better. I also did have a couple friends drive by me to make sure they weren't aimed too high.

I think the xenon's are actually quite good just aimed too low from the factory. I've head if you bring it back to the dealership and tell them to "please raise them to the highest legal limit" people have had good results.

How much rotating of the headlight adjustment screw did you do (assuming that's what you did)? Looks really simple.

[jmwilson125]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

How much rotating of the headlight adjustment screw did you do (assuming that's what you did)? Looks really simple.

That's exactly what I did. I believe a drew a line or put a piece of tape on a screwdriver for reference. Then I did two full turns on each headlight while watching them on a wall about 25' in front of me. If memory serves me correctly I did 2 more turns after that. So 4 total per headlight.

Made a huge difference and I don't think it's obnoxiously high. I've checked it myself from down the road sitting in another car. I have also never been flashed in the 5 months since I raised them.

[opfreak]

Originally Posted by X54TH

The North American cars can be coded for:

Anti Dazzle High Beam Assist
Variable Light Distribution

Definitions according to the coding sheet and my coding guy. He has successfully coded both.

ADHBA: Enable multi-stage High beam assist… will turn high beams individually on/off depending on oncoming traffic.

VLD: This allows the light beam to adapt according to vehicle speed. When driving in the city, a low beam is used to better illuminate the road immediately ahead without dazzling oncoming drivers. Then at higher speeds, the headlamps are raised to increase visibility.

Attached is the coding sheet for the F22.

dont you need auto high beams for that?

[X54TH]

Originally Posted by opfreak

dont you need auto high beams for that?

Not sure but we ordered it with High Beam Assist and every other option (except the power lumbar option). My coding guy has all the details through the VIN and indicated all of it can be coded. So, not sure what happens if you don't have HBA.

[turbo159]

Originally Posted by jmwilson125

That's exactly what I did. I believe a drew a line or put a piece of tape on a screwdriver for reference. Then I did two full turns on each headlight while watching them on a wall about 25' in front of me. If memory serves me correctly I did 2 more turns after that. So 4 total per headlight.

Made a huge difference and I don't think it's obnoxiously high. I've checked it myself from down the road sitting in another car. I have also never been flashed in the 5 months since I raised them.

Yeah, I thought the headlights were poor compared to my Subaru Forester XT HIDs. However, I got the dealer to adjust the headlights, and it was a massive difference, except they pointed them too high. Lots of people were flashing me, so I lowered them by a quarter turn, and now nobody flashes me, and now my distance and side visibility is amazing. I don't know how many turns they'd did to raise it, but must not have been that much since a quarter turn seemed to do wonders.

[XutvJet]

I did 2.5 turns on mine and the seemed to help, even though I never found the stock lighting terrible at all, maybe just a bit low.