Z4 headlights flash?

[BMWI6]

I just bought an 07 z4m and I noticed that unlike the other BMW's I have owned, when I flash my lights whether they are on or off, the xenons are the ones that flash and not the other lights. Why is this? why do they even put the other lights then if there is no use for them since they never turn on? thanks

[jmillet]

Originally Posted by BMWI6

I just bought an 07 z4m and I noticed that unlike the other BMW's I have owned, when I flash my lights whether they are on or off, the xenons are the ones that flash and not the other lights. Why is this? why do they even put the other lights then if there is no use for them since they never turn on? thanks

That's 'cuz you only have one high/low beam Bi-Xenon light per side. The inside light is a dummy and only contains a halo.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=27

[BMWI6]

Originally Posted by jmillet

That's 'cuz you only have one high/low beam Bi-Xenon light per side. The inside light is a dummy and only contains a halo.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=27

thanks. wow, that is messed up. why would they make a dummy instead of putting a halogen bulb there. that is weird and stupid.

[gearl]

day time running lights.

[pungo]

I totally agree that the dummy light was a really bad idea. If you don't have the lights on and want to just flash the lights, the xenons flash the high beams. I don't think xenons like to be flashed like that. It's not a problem if you have your low beams on, but having the xenons energize just to flash to pass is just lame! I think the Euro cars have the Halogen for the flash to pass while the US cars got screwed. It looks like the dummy projector is blacked out. I pulled the little 10w bulb that's behind the dummy and shined a small high powered LED flashlight in from the back and zero light came out the front, it just lit up the halo a little. I sure would like swap out my spec lights for some Euro spec ones. The Xenons are bright but don't seem to shine very far down the road on high beam. My guess is the Euro spec xenon with halogen high beam will shine further down the road than the US spec xenons.

As far the USA DRL, well, they can hardly be seen during the day, so they should be called NRL, for nightime running lights, since that's the only time you can see them. I think we should petition BMW to give us real DRL, (or Halogen instead of dummy lights), since the car is advertised as having DRLs. I get an insurance discount for having DRLs even though no one can see them during the day, I'm sure my insurance company wouldn't be too happy if they saw my DRLs during the day.

[BMWI6]

Originally Posted by pungo

I totally agree that the dummy light was a really bad idea. If you don't have the lights on and want to just flash the lights, the xenons flash the high beams. I don't think xenons like to be flashed like that. It's not a problem if you have your low beams on, but having the xenons energize just to flash to pass is just lame! I think the Euro cars have the Halogen for the flash to pass while the US cars got screwed. It looks like the dummy projector is blacked out. I pulled the little 10w bulb that's behind the dummy and shined a small high powered LED flashlight in from the back and zero light came out the front, it just lit up the halo a little. I sure would like swap out my spec lights for some Euro spec ones. The Xenons are bright but don't seem to shine very far down the road on high beam. My guess is the Euro spec xenon with halogen high beam will shine further down the road than the US spec xenons.

As far the USA DRL, well, they can hardly be seen during the day, so they should be called NRL, for nightime running lights, since that's the only time you can see them. I think we should petition BMW to give us real DRL, (or Halogen instead of dummy lights), since the car is advertised as having DRLs. I get an insurance discount for having DRLs even though no one can see them during the day, I'm sure my insurance company wouldn't be too happy if they saw my DRLs during the day.

totally agree with you, BMW misinformed us and those lights are definitively not DRL's so il petition with you. Oh and it was very clear on my 335 manual that xenon lights should not be turned on and off repeatedly because it will damage them so what will BMW have to say about that?

[pungo]

Originally Posted by BMWI6

totally agree with you, BMW misinformed us and those lights are definitively not DRL's so il petition with you. Oh and it was very clear on my 335 manual that xenon lights should not be turned on and off repeatedly because it will damage them so what will BMW have to say about that?

I wonder if the xenon bulbs are covered under warranty? We could all just start flashing our lights to get them to fail and have them replaced under warranty. Then after they replace a few thousand bulbs on their tab, they'll get the idea they screwed up and replace our lights with the proper Euro spec ones. Well, I can dream, can't I?

[ATX750i]

If you guys wanna swap for the pre facelift lights that have the halogen inside lights, i would agree to a swap.

I want the Bi-xenon's and all that.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by JHastings0826

If you guys wanna swap for the pre facelift lights that have the halogen inside lights, i would agree to a swap.

Are you saying that the pre-facelift xenons have the halogen high beam inside? I'd swap, but I don't think I could get over the orange lower lens on my silver car. I even bought the clear front reflectors to get rid of the orange on the front. Do the inner lights have halos?

[ATX750i]

Inner lights are halogen but do not have halo's, have you seen the pre facelift Z with the running lights on? Very visible from far down the road. From what I heard, the facelift'd Z headlight connector wont fit the pre facelift Z connector. not 100% sure on that.

[pungo]

Originally Posted by JHastings0826

If you guys wanna swap for the pre facelift lights that have the halogen inside lights, i would agree to a swap.

I want the Bi-xenon's and all that.

After re-reading your post, the pre-facelift don't have the bi-xenon's, therefore the need for the halogens for high bean? Now that makes more sense. I wonder if the Euro spec xenons have bi-xenons?

[ATX750i]

That is correct. but if you have your low beams on then if you flash to pass, it wont bother the burners, the flap moves out of the way for the high-beam for the flash. other wise, yes, it is bad for the burners to be energized and de-energized repeatdly.

If anyone has a pic of the connector for the Face-lifted headlamp assemblys, that would comfirm my suspisions of the connector difference. If they are the same, I would be willing to do a swap with anyone that wants to.

[MVF4Rrider]

It would be nice when in parking lamp mode, both halos illuminated.