Hello all!

Just picked up a 2009 MCS. Love the great handling, but there was a few items that have been neglected.
Oil leaks / front main seal, belt tensioner was replaced. Very handy on cars in the past, BMW and Porsche.

These Xenon HIDs are really weak. Unsafe weak, and I can't find out why. I bought a Good set of bulbs, not cheap ebay.. Still dim.
Popped open one of the headlights, a chore, and cleaned the projector lens. Still dim Bought a ballast. Still dim.

It almost seems like they are stuck on DRL, really weak. Click high beam, they do get brighter, but not up to a halogen low beam.
We are talking weak.....So.
Anyone with experience with the HID, is there a relay for the HID? It is my understanding no relay, onl the LCM. There is a fuse in the interior panel, it is good.

They come on, and do the auto level startup.
If I give up, what are the options for direct swap out? Keep housing, swap in morimoto?

Really want to drive it more, but not safe

 

Interesting symptoms. Owning four vehicles with HID's the Mini Xenons IMHO are the best out the ones I own.

Have you gotten any indication that you may be picking up the pieces from a vehicle that was previously modified? If it were mine I would start investigating what we know is required for proper Xenon headlights. Would first look at any codes, and then the proper coding of the Foot Well (FRM) / Body Control Module (BCM) for Xenon lights.

Reference... https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...eadlights.html

 

Thanks, will study the linked thread.
Lights appear to start normally, no strobing or other clues why they are so weak.

More research and will update thread on any finds.

Anyone swap out the stock HID for a replacement non oem HID?

 

Problem identified, now I need a solution.

I am guessing the PO used cheap HID bulbs with bad uv glass. The reflector bowls are burnt, a good portion of the reflectivity is missing.

Possibly swap in a morimoto as replacement? If there is no way to fix this, I guess a pair of HID Headlights possibly the ones by Spyder.
But I lose the auto-level function.

 

I am considering popping my lights open and see if I can get a mini H1 or a D2S to possibly bolt up and replace the OEM projector. If it's not close to matching bolt patterns, I will try swapping out the lens with a clear set. If that doesn't work, I will probably end up getting some new halogen housings and doing a full D2S 4.0 retrofit. I haven't ever had good luck with mass produced aftermarket lights. The only ones that were great were Morimoto lights for my truck.

 

I am lining up components to try a retro fit with Morimoto. The only thing holding me up is the new ballast I plan on using. The old has a 4 wire plug, new has only two.
Will there be error lights or other issue only using the two needed for power for the new ones?

Will update here with any information.

 

That's a great question. I have always had the luxury of using adapter harnesses' from TRS and everything always went super smooth. I wonder if someone has a wiring schematic out there for the HID lighting system, and we could see what the other 2 wires are. Off topic a bit, I took apart my taillights yesterday and all the bulbs are single element, with a circuit board off to the side, so I would assume that the board increases and decreases voltages so the single filament halogen bulb acts as a dual filament. Definitely threw a wrench in the system for me replacing all my bulbs with high quality LED's in the tails. The more I dig into this car, the more I shake my head at BMW for doing things "different" or what they call better. I'm going to look around to see if I can find more info on an HID retrofit for these cars. So far, the ones I've come across have all been halogen systems to start with.

 

I've not personally had any experience with this, so take this with a grain of salt: I'd check to see the voltage you're getting from each of the headlight wires before and inside the pigtail, note differences, and match that info up against what the manual says they're supposed to be putting out.

 

Just finished a HID projector swap. A lot easier to say than it was to do. Kept the OEM housing, so including the auto-level feature!

Back to GREAT lights.

 

techman1, what projector did you put in there? Did you have to get an adapter plate to use the factory mounting holes or did the projector you used bolt right up?

 

I used a HID replacement kit from TRS -The Retrofit Source. The kit is designed for the BMW E 46 (325 I 1997-2005, i think) It is designed to replace the existing Bosch HID. definitely not a drop in replacement, a good bit of tweaking. But the results were worth it, for me.

Challenges:

1. using the existing Mini bracket to mount their kit. It says to mount the adapter to the back of existing bracket, HID in thru the front. If done that way, the material needing removal would have removed existing mount screws, which are needed. I ended up connecting adapter to HID assembly, trimming existing bracket, and inserting and securing from the back. Trial and fit for first one, over 5 hours, moving slowly. Second headlight done in 2 hours.

2. Getting them apart. Used the lowest setting of the oven, 170. After it got to temp, turned oven off, waited 5 minutes for temp to even, then put headlight in for 5 minutes. Used gloves to remove. Used plastic trim tools to help. Remove the washer and the two metal clips prior to putting in the oven.

3. Wiring up the High beam shutter. The supplied connector needs to be connected to the two wires out from the existing ballast. I used a SMAAALLL screwdriver, and removed existing plug from mini , removed the wires from the new and swapped them. The mini ballast now has a new plug that mated into the new HID shutter trigger.

Techman1

 

Thanks for the valuable info techman1, I will plan on doing this mod when I am off in a couple weeks. Do you have any beamshots with the new projectors?

 

No beam shots, but it is a great, output, clean cut off line. When I took it out, I can look at a car 30-40 feet in front of me, and see the cut line on it. High beam is bright.
A lot of work, if you do take this on, be prepared to use a dremel to adjust the mount.

 

Yes, I understand the work involved with retrofitting lights. I have done many sets. These are the lights i just got done doing on a friends Tacoma. Morimoto mini D2S 4.0 with Denso ballasts and Philips Xtreme 4300K bulbs.. Pic was taken about 50 feet away.

 

Looks exactly like the beam from mine!
I used the same, Morimoto D2S 4.0 Bi-Xenon.
Except I kept the mini ballast, the 4 wire plug is 2 for power and 2 for the shutter, and D2S 5300 bulbs.

I would be happy to give tips when you start, let me know.

 

techman1, was it this kit?

 

Yep, and the optional igniter, D1S >D2S .
And the D2S bulbs, all in one go.