Planning on installing xenons..a few q's

[ThemisN]

I have been digging online to find some salvaged xenon housings to put in an 04 x3...the question comes to this... Obviously each one will require an ignition element, but how many "control units" are required? 1, or 1 for each headlight?

Also, what is "Drive ALC Uncoded" listed on realoem?

Thanks guys!

[trapdoor]

Originally Posted by ThemisN

I have been digging online to find some salvaged xenon housings to put in an 04 x3...the question comes to this... Obviously each one will require an ignition element, but how many "control units" are required? 1, or 1 for each headlight?

Also, what is "Drive ALC Uncoded" listed on realoem?

Thanks guys!

As I understand it, there is one LCM (Light Control Module) which is the bit in the car with the switches on. Then each headlight has an ingitor/ballast unit which lights the Xenons up and then controls the drive current etc.

The ALC will be the Automatic Levelling Control as Xenon lights require the facility to auto level to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. There are also ALC sensors front and rear from what I remember.

[yadi812]

I, too, have been interested in upgrading to HIDs ever since we got our '04 x3 couple of weeks ago. I specifically shopped for one equipped with xenons but was kinda 'pushed' into getting one without long story...

What I've gathered so far is, once you have the housing and the ballasts and ignitors, and the ALC as you mentioned, you still have to consider the left-right movement activated by the steering wheel. Here is where it gets a little fuzzy. What parts do you need, would it fit in x3 with halogens, how hard is it to add all these parts and make everything work correctly?

No one seems to have attempted (or documented) this from what I've read so far.

[trapdoor]

Originally Posted by yadi812

... you still have to consider the left-right movement activated by the steering wheel. Here is where it gets a little fuzzy. What parts do you need, would it fit in x3 with halogens, how hard is it to add all these parts and make everything work correctly?

The 'left and right' movement is the 'Adaptive' Headlights option. It is not that necessary and even though I have it on mine, to be honest I don't really notice it doing that much. The only time you can really see it working is slowly turning say into a sidestreet with a hard lock on. I initially thought it would be more noticeable but I think it only moves 15 degrees to the nearside and 7 degrees to the offside (or amounts similar, can't recall the exact figures without looking at the brochure).

The important part of a Xenon install is the auto-levelling so as not to blind oncoming traffic. The adaptive was a cost option (in the UK at least) and not standard with Xenon from what I remember. Similarly bi-Xenon was an option with the standard being Xenon on dipped beam and Halogen full beam.

[Quicksilver]

Will this help....http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/l...on-bmw-x5.html

http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/xenonretroinstall.pdf

[yadi812]

Fantastic There IS hope after all. Thanks Quicksilver, you've put me on the right track. I'm not planning to do this right away but I'll definitely post a report once I get it done.

[yadi812]

trapdoor. I could be wrong but I think the US versions of 2004 were either halogen or adaptive xenons. No bi-xenons. I could be mistaken though.

But you're right, the left-right is not as important as the auto-leveling. As long as the left-right mobility doesn't create complications, ie, as long as it can stay stuck dead center while being able to move up-down, I could care less about not having it.

Installing the level sensors doesn't look too easy though, after taking a quick look at the BMW instructions.

[Quicksilver]

Just a little encouragement:

Try to use the "search feature". I found those links in about 3 seconds just by looking at the home page. You would be surprised at all the info just on that one page.

Wish you the best.....

Originally Posted by yadi812

Fantastic There IS hope after all. Thanks Quicksilver, you've put me on the right track. I'm not planning to do this right away but I'll definitely post a report once I get it done.