Ok, I finally got around to adjusting my xenon's to not point down almost under the car.

But, I noticed it seems to adjust both the low and high beems at the same time, right? So now my low's are perfect, light up everything just perfect (what a difference!), without being too high and blinding the oncoming traffic. The problem is, I think my highs are a bit too high now. Is there anyway to adjust them separetely?

 

No, they adjust together, one unit.

 

how are your highs too high?

 

Would you mind telling me how you did this? I thought it had to be done by a dealer. (Some cleverly disguised hocus pocus that cannot be revealed to 'civilians'! )

 

Just had mine done after major front end repair from a wreck. I watched as they raised the bonnet, adjusted each headlight unit w/ a torx fitting somewhere on the unit (didn't see exactly where) and then lowered them to check against a closed garage door. Wasn't rocket science, but you do need the right tool.

 

I'd like to know how to do this too. Mine point way to low. I thought it was something I just had to get used to. Now that I know I can adjust them. I'd really like to. Instead of taking it to the stealer to have them do it.

 

It is pretty simple and it doesn't take a special tool (unless you consider a #1 Phillips screwdriver 'special')

Open the hood, standing in front of the driver's side headlight (US, left hand drive), and look down. At about the 11 o'clock position is an off-white nylon adjusting screw. A #1 Phillips fits just right, a #2 is a bit big and might strip the slots. Turning the screw clockwise about a half turn will raise the beam about 2°. That should be plenty, a small change at the light makes a big difference down the road. Do the same to the other light, mirror image.

The Xenons on the MINI are Bi-Xenons, that means there's one light, with a shutter that mechanically moves to "let out" the high beam. Stand outside the car with the headlights on and flick the high beam lever; you'll hear the shutter move and see the now un-obstructed beam shining out, hopefully not too high now that you've adjusted the whole assembly.

 

Easy, they are pointed too far up (the same as "high"). Do I misunderstand your question??


They work fine, but just seem a bit too high (alot of light going up into the tree's above the line of sight). But man, are the lows a 1000 times better now. Make sure you check them good after adjusting though, cuase it's easy to go too high. I had to come back down a bit the first time.

 

Just be careful you dont strip the white nylon scrw like I did Ohh well

 

i guess what im trying to say is that the high beams do not have a cutt off so to say they are too high seems a bit odd... they are supposed to light up as much area as possible.

its like your low beams are spot lights and your highs are floods... you dont necessarily need to aim a flood light...

 

When you say "mirror image" for the passenger side light do you turn the screw clockwise or counterclockwise to raise the beam? You said clockwise for the driver's side.
Birdman, if the lights are in the trees now I bet you raised them too much. The beam has to hit the ground in front of the car, not point straight ahead like the brights.

 

My highs were in the tree's. ;-)

Understood. But, there is still a main stream of light you can aim on the highs. And that main beam, is what seems to be a bit too high. No biggie though.
our low beams are spot lights and your highs are floods... you dont necessarily need to aim a flood light...

 

I can understand the 'too high' statement. When the lows are adjusted properly, the highs do head for the trees a little.

And are the bi-xenons really just one light source getting redirected? Maybe that's why I liked my TT's xenons better. The low beams were HID devoted to that purpose, and the high beams were halogen and added that light up the night blast.

So am I correct in assuming that the lumen output of the MINI's lights remains constant and when you flip on the high beams, they're actually stealing some of the output to illuminate a wider area? If so, maybe it's time to invest in some halogen driving lights (and then I'll also have a way to 'wave' at oncoming MINI's without putting additional strain on the igniters).

Also, is the one screw the only adjustment available? Nothing for tilt or side to side adjustment?

 

The MINI's Bi-xenon lamps, when you use your Highbeams your low beams are still on and shining at the ground its just that the "shutter" inside the headlamps opens up so the light shines thru the entire lense and splashing light forward like a flood. Yeah there a little high but they really do light p waaay down the road.

The xenons are adjusted as the passenger side is supposed to be a hair higher than the driver side light because itll help shine at the side of the road to help see pedestrians etc. And the drivers side will be pointed lower, to not shine in oncoming traffic.

I got mine adjusted just right if hitting a bump in the road the lights wont "flash" oncoming traffic and im still able to see the side of the road far ahead (passanger side light adjusted higher than drivers side).

Yeah the cutoff is very drastic, Ive noticed that and hate it espically when you have a car infront of you on a dark road and hes still too close to put on your highbeams. But if no ones in front of you put on your highbeams, thats what they are for.

Coming form a Saturn where the lights sucked these are 100x's better espically when its raining out and your still able to see the road the light doesnt dissappear.


See how the right hand side beam (passanger side) is farther than the left (drivers side) its when you adjust your lights and how the pattern is. I noticed espically the drivers side lamp, right where the yellow line is on a road is where the beam starts to cutoff as to not shine in oncoming traffic. ( you can see an example on the GFX above between 60-90 how is cutsoff.

Also for anyone who does not know where this screw is located, here is a photo from the drivers side light.





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