Headlight pattern
 

I converted the bulbs on my 190 to HID's and I have noticed that the light pattern is different on each side. The driver side seems to lay down light directly in front of the car ending at the point. The passenger side does not seem to have the light in front of the car but the point of the light ends at roughly the same place. I know the light pattern is largely based on the rib pattern on the lens of the head light but when I look at them they look pretty much the same. Am I missing something or is this the way it's supposed to be? The HID's have the H4 tabs (one big 2 small in a triangle pattern ) so they only fit in one way and I have the dual beam HID (no halogen high beam). No one has flashed me for blinding them so I think I am aimed right and when I point the car at the garage door I do not see light going all over the place.

Thanks

The pattern depends on the light source location (original filament, not the arc-tube of an HID), being in the correct position relative to the lense and reflector.

For the OEM "north american" headlamps, the beam pattern generated by the lenses are the same, in that they are focused towards the front. On the e-code "euro" lenses, the left and right side have different beam patterns. For LHD cars, the driver's side (L) sends the light straight down the road, while the passenger side (R) illuminates forward and also towards the sidewalk and also up to where road signs might be. If you're HIDs are sitting in "euros" that's what's happening. That's also why LHD cars should not be retrofitted with the headlight units from RHD countries like the UK or Japan, since the beam pattern would be reversed and send light more directly into the vision of oncomming vehicles in LHD countries.

I don't know what modifications you have done, but I also had the HID upgrade about a month or 2 ago and it is great. I did not get the high beams either as the regular lights are already bright. However what I did do, was open up the glass lens where the bulb sits and I removed the metal shield piece (not the reflector) that sits directly in front of the bulb. Not I have twice as much light and it allows me to aim the lights lower to insure I dont blind anyone and I can still see atleast 50+ yards in front of me. I have not noticed a different pattern either when I parked my car about 20-25 ft from a wall turned on my lights.

The PO of my 107 had gone to H4s for the H/L lamps...and when he did the conversion, he kept the sheet describing the method for aiming the headlamps.

Basically it's this...

...and it's done on a level floor/parking lot/dealership garage...

#1.) Start with your vehicle approx. 4-6 feet from a wall. Lightly mark the center of the beam (both V and H) on the wall in pencil.

#2.) Next, back the vehicle up approx. 30 feet. The center of each beam, if aimed properly to begin with, should have dropped approx. 10cm. from their starting positions and they should not have moved inward or outward at all.

Now, I'm trying to remember this from memory at 0245 in the morning...I'll see if I can find the form and either post it here or "quote" it directly.

As for the High-Beam Only headlamps, they're aimed in a similiar manner.

The key though is: You don't want the D-Side Beam going up and out and the the same for the P-Side. And when you hit the "HIGH" beam switch...you don't want to be blinding aircraft in the vicinity.

Hopefully, that'll get you in the ballpark and not turn your oncoming fellow travelers into paparazzi-rejects... :eek: :cool: :rolleyes:

This shouldn't be surprising, as the headlight was not designed for HID bulbs.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html