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Is there a way to find out what type of lights I have? How would you know if I have Xenon? Can you find out from the VIN#?

Gary

You can usually tell by the color!! and the way they ignite. Plus Xenons have a large casing to the back of the head light. You Vin number will help too if you contact a BMW dealer.

Xenons have a projector bulb while the halogens had a multi-reflector (no bulb) design on the pre-'04 facelift models. Starting in '04, all of the X5s came with projector bulbs, but the xenons have something like "Dynamic Xenon" inscribed on the bulb. Also, there should be a tiny green LED circle next to the Auto headlight setting on the headlight switch.

2004+ X5 headlights with Xenons read Dynamic Bi-Xenons on headlights.

Xenons have headlight washer jets, check that

mine doesn't have washers but I have bi xenon. 2004 but probobly watered down since mine is already adapted for philippine use

Just checked the UK brochure on this and washer jets are standard on ALL X5's here!!

not in the philippines :)

You can also check the first page of your owner manual, where the option list is sticked !

Swich on your light in front of a wall, if you see the light automatically going a little bit up and down before stabilizing, you have a xenon system.

;o) Stf.

Not in the US either.

Not necessarily true. Only post 04/04 models have the "Dynamic Bi-Xenons" stamped on the headlights. My 02/04 have Bi-Xenons, but not Dynamic...thus no lettering of such on the headlights.

I have an '04 Feb. build X5 with Bi-Xenon without "Dynamic Xenon" inscribe on the bulb, that also does NOT have the tiny green LED next to the Auto headlight setting (the Auto headlight setting is present, but just no green LED). So, it's hard to tell for the '04 model. The only simple way to tell is to turn on the headlights in auto mode and see if they do a self-level diagnostic adjustment. Halogens do NOT have the self-leveling feature.

Ohh i live in australia and the washer jets are only on the xenon lights

Oh didn't know that. Thanks. Dunno why BMW made the switch :dunno: late on the X5.......our X3 is a 02/04 production but I guess its cuz the X3 was a new model so it came with stuff without needing to switch.

Best way is to turn them on right when starting the car. I think the car does the auto-level regardless of whether xenons are on at start up. For example, when I had the DRLs on in the X3, I'd see them auto-level too.

Xenons
 

Looks like I have them...there was no mention in the manual because the dealer didn't fill it out. I'm going to check with the dealer tomorrow.

Thanks everyone.

Gary