High beam headlight shadows make using high beams unsafe
 

Just took possession of a new 2019 F56 with halogen bulb headlights. Horribly disappointed in the high beam light. Not only is it not bright at all, but there is an amazing amount of shadows close in to the vehicle caused by the metal shroud in front of the headlight bulbs. (The metal piece place right in front of the bulb which has "Mini" stamped through it.) Somehow the reflector part of the headlight picks up the shadow cast by this shroud when using the high beam light in the HB2/H4 bulb and projects that shadow out directly in front of the vehicle. I've checked that the headlights are using required HB2 bulbs by removing and checking them.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? The shadows are so noticeable, and the reduced intensity of light is so great, that I can't safely use the high beams to drive. The low beams work just fine in terms of no shadows and appropriate light intensity level.

The build date for this vehicle is July 2018 which I believe puts it in the LCI category for 2019 models. Has there been any change to the headlight assembly for 2019?

Maybe your headlights need to be adjusted. If they're aimed too high the light is just lost in space and causes some shadows. Are your low beams aimed correctly that you can tell? There's a white plastic screw (phillips) just aft of the headlight assembly when you open the hood. Turn it one way or the other to adjust the light beam up or down. I would park three or four car distances from a wall at night and adjust the low beam so it would hit where the upper bumper of a car in front of you would be. Every single Mini I've owned needed their headlights adjusted, they were either too high or too low.

If you want to verify headlight alignment, do an internet search of "how to adjust headlights". There are many listed, and are all fundamentally the same, similar to Benibikers post above. Since you need to back the car ~25' from a wall, I've used the side of a school, but any building will do. Even a garage if the driveway is really flat.

EXACTLY the same issues with recently purchased 2019. Amazed how poor the high beams are...still deciding on a solution...

Code fog lights to stay on with high beams, this helps fill in front of car. Easy to do with Bimmercode. You are correct in saying high beams suck. These are the same bulbs my 41 year old BMW motorcycle uses.

Joe

LED headlights should be standard, I drove the F56 with halogens and they were weak at best, not the LED headlight are super clear and bright. I dont know why people buy a new MINI with halogens. You can get these which help.

These are super bright and if you can code for those to stay on they really help. in low beam, they help also when on.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ave-these.html

Some times you don't have a choice. My Daughter's Mini is an Oxford edition and it only comes with the Halogens. I tried to see if they could order it with LED headlights and we were not able to.

This. I bought my F56 in 2016 and it’s a 2015 leftover. I was made a really great deal that I could not pass up, but it has halogen lights. I replaced the bulbs with Sylvania Silverstar Ultra bulbs, which have made a huge difference. They are much whiter and brighter than the stock ones.

MINI did make a 25W Xenon upgrade available after the fact for the second gen cars. I’m surprised they have not made an LED upgrade available yet for third gen cars. I am exploring some of the options available on AliExpress, though. Several of them look like really good choices and they even have replacements that look like the facelifted (2019) headlights with the circular turn signals and squared off projector housings.