High Beams
 

Hi again folks...need some more experienced insight...

So continuing to learn the Mini when the wife lets me take it for a spin! Drove at night with it for the first time. Love the car. BUT....this thing has the worst headlights (high beam only) i have ever experienced - i mean really bad, i would say unacceptable. High beam is very dim, with shady blotches in the field of view. I notice the low beam goes off when high beam comes on (sometimes both stay on with some vehicle types). Has anyone experienced this? Car is brand new, and was just washed. What gives??

which headlight package do you have? Halogens or LED?

Basic standard issue halogens.

Typically all cars will shut off the low beam light when the high beam is activated, unless you are pulling on the stalk to hold the bright lights in the 'flash' position. Unfortunately, the answer is that those base halogens are simply not very good. You can upgrade to some better Sylvania bulbs which will make a difference, although not a large one.

Another option is to try and adjust the position of the beams to get a better spread. I've attached the service tech instructions on how to adjust them if you want to see if that will help.

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/r...stment/HGzOmOl

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ent/1VnXq1tJ5G

Very helpful - i really appreciate it. Dave.

your bulb is probably HB2 ... replacements are readily available

if you want to stay halogen, Silverstar bulbs are probably available locally at a chain parts store or even Target or Wally World

or as discussed here you can try LED replacements . . . . http://www.mechanicalcaveman.com/bri...ht-review-led/

When I bought my '02 (new) I too was quite disappointed with the headlights. Silverstar bulbs made such an improvement that I changed over to them in my other 3 cars too. Did not have the issue with my 07 or 15 ... factory bulbs seem fine. DAU just bought a 19 F57 but it has LED . . .

A caution if looking for replacement halogens - you can find 'hotter' bulbs than the Silverstar. I've had a couple of folks come to me for help with failed headlights (halogen) and found wires internal to the sealed headlight unit baked to the point insulation had cooked - cracked - and fallen off and subsequently bare wires touched and shorted out. Be careful with 'super bright' halogen replacements .... heck, standard halogens get super hot!!!! <ask me how I know>

@Turnbud I feel you. Picked up my car on Thursday and subsequently drove 4 hours in dusk and darkness with driving rain. Man these headlights are awful! I had people passing me like crazy because I just wasn't comfortable with the amount of road I could (couldn't) see, especially in the rain. I'm coming from a 2013 Honda Civic Si with stock halogen headlights and foglights, and was totally shocked at how awful a brand new car's headlights were! At the very least, I have some comfort knowing I won't ever be in those driving situations again, as I live in a major city and will be doing well-lit highway commutes instead of that two lane rural highway that I had my first driving experience on.

Keep us updated on what bulbs you decide. Mine's a lease, so I think I'm pretty limited.

I have the led package and they work really well. Ive never like halogen lights in cars. They burn too hot dont last and arent bright enough.