[pisgahlvr]

Hello all,

Was wondering if any of you fine folks could provide me with some suggestions.

I have a 2013 BMW 335i F30 M-sport in Estoril Blue II. I absolutely LOVE this car but there is one major problem that I have with it.

The night time visibility with the adaptive HID headlights absolutely sucks. I mean it is just terrible. I have had multiple people comment on how bad it is. The high beams work great but the low beam lights just suck. Are they designed from the factory to be this bad and offer terrible visibility? Is there just something wrong with them? I feel like they are not pointing up high enough. I have tried moving the adjusters, and they offer so little adjustment that it didn't really make much of an appreciable difference. Is this something I should let BMW take a look at?

Secondly, I have searched long and far for some sort of aftermarket solution to allow us to install auxiliary driving lights on these cars. There doesn't seem to be much on the internet about this. Is this even possible? Has anyone successfully done this?

Can one of you smart, intelligent, clever people PLEASE figure out a way to make auxiliary/fog lights work on F30 M-sports? Thank you in advance.

[pisgahlvr]

Nobody?

[Adamr916]

Start with changing out to brighter bulbs, I think the most common swap is up to 5000 or 5500k, after that, see about turning each of the lights up half a turn on each side, I belive it's the adjuster in the middle, not the ones on the outside. If thay doesn't work, bring it back to the dealer and let them get after it.

[denwhat]

Take it to the dealer, it might be that they aren't adjusted high enough.

I don't think swapping bulbs to 5k would be a good idea. You would be getting a whiter light, but with less lumens output with 5k.

[Adamr916]

5k is pure white from my understanding. The factory is around 4500k, so that little bit shouldn't hurt if any

[alex2364]

I adjusted my headlight aim slightly higher than factory spec and it's pretty good now. Either your aim is too low or something is wrong with your headlights. I would get a dealer to check it out.

[ji99lypuff]

I remember some post about headlight auto leveler thing malfunctioning and the aim being too low even when adjusted.

[wicked_ink]

I've adjusted mine slightly higher and upgraded bulbs to OSRAM CBI's and they're plenty bright now.

[pisgahlvr]

Originally Posted by wicked_ink

I've adjusted mine slightly higher and upgraded bulbs to OSRAM CBI's and they're plenty bright now.

Ok, awesome, thank you for the responses everyone.

Wicked, will you get a code if you put different bulbs in? Mind telling me what type of bulb to buy? Do you need to replace the high beam bulbs as well?

thanks.

[Jbrock22]

I actually think the head lights are awesome.

[pisgahlvr]

Originally Posted by Jbrock22

I actually think the head lights are awesome.

They are plenty bright enough, it's just they are pointed to low to be of any use. The light doesn't scatter enough in front of me and have gotten in the habit of relying on lights of other cars on the road, as well as street lamps to see further out in front. It's downright dangerous if you ask me. Need to get this dealt with ASAP.

[Jbrock22]

Are they adaptive? If so I would think there may be more adjustability? Go to he dealer. One feature I have is auto high beams, amazing. It's faster then I could ever possibly be switching Hi to low beams. I have a 340 on order I would have purchased a GC but to get auto hi beams you need to spend an extra $1900 for LED. Good luck.

[wicked_ink]

Originally Posted by pisgahlvr

Ok, awesome, thank you for the responses everyone.

Wicked, will you get a code if you put different bulbs in? Mind telling me what type of bulb to buy? Do you need to replace the high beam bulbs as well?

thanks.

You won't get any codes when replacing them. Our cars take D1S bulbs. These bulbs work as low beam and high beam.

Here's a good set for much cheaper than the CBI's I got:

http://www.highperformancebulbs.com/hipexed1shid.html Pick 4300K or 6000K

[wicked_ink]

Here are the OSRAM CBI's I purchased for my car:

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00C7DAUF...ords=D1s+osram

Best bulbs imo.

Instructions on how to replace them are on page 197 on the manual I believe.

[435MSport6Speed]

Originally Posted by wicked_ink

I've adjusted mine slightly higher and upgraded bulbs to OSRAM CBI's and they're plenty bright now.

turn CCW to raise them, right?

[963mw]

Go with the Osram Xenarc Nightbreaker Unlimited bulbs, they transformed my car's nighttime visibility.

[pisgahlvr]

Originally Posted by nickhelou

Go with the Osram Xenarc Nightbreaker Unlimited bulbs, they transformed my car's nighttime visibility.

Did you install four bulbs? And what temperature?

Just to clarify the car uses four bulbs correct? Two for high beam, and two for low beam?

[wicked_ink]

Originally Posted by paulff3

turn CCW to raise them, right?

Yes CCW to raise them and CW to lower. Make sure you adjust the correct knob. There's a tutorial on this site with pics but it shows the horizontal knob instead of vertical so unless you want to adjust it side to side then adjust the one I've pointed out in the pic I just took below. Use a 6mm hex key to adjust. If you point a flash light in that hole, you'll see a little knob where the allen wrench goes.

[wicked_ink]

Originally Posted by pisgahlvr

Did you install four bulbs? And what temperature?

Just to clarify the car uses four bulbs correct? Two for high beam, and two for low beam?

You do not need 4 bulbs. All you need is 2. They work for both low beams and high beams. Our projector headlights are bi-xenon so when you turn on your high beams a little flap moves within the projector that makes the light focus higher.


Here's a video that shows how bi-xenon headlights work:

[USC2000]

Why wouldn't you take it to the dealer if you felt it was that much of a safety concern?

[963mw]

Originally Posted by pisgahlvr

Did you install four bulbs? And what temperature?

Just to clarify the car uses four bulbs correct? Two for high beam, and two for low beam?

2 bulbs. They are BiXenon, so the bulb works as High + Low beam. 4350k.

[435MSport6Speed]

Thanks Wicked.