Z4: Headlights when driving in Europe

[bras0782]

Hi guys,

Going on a road trip from to Europe so need to adjust my headlights for driving on the other side of the road. My car is a 2004 Z4 with standard halogens.

Any ideas how to do this? What have others done in the same situation?

The manual shows a lever accessible via the headlight compartment, but I can't find it. In fact, the diagram in the manual (pg86) doesn't tie back with what I see at all.

Thanks

Edited by bras0782 on Friday 15th August 08:23

[john_p]

On mine (06, with xenons) the "lever" is actually a thin bit of metal, no wider than a 2p coin, right against the dip beam headlight. I was expecting it to be a thick plastic lever, but it is actually a very thin plastic thing.

[Mattt]

john_p said:

the "lever" is actually a thin bit of metal

john_p said:

it is actually a very thin plastic thing.

?

[Mattt]

Bras, you asked this question on another forum and got a load of answers too

[john_p]

Sorry, I meant metal.

[bras0782]

john_p said:

On mine (06, with xenons) the "lever" is actually a thin bit of metal, no wider than a 2p coin, right against the dip beam headlight. I was expecting it to be a thick plastic lever, but it is actually a very thin plastic thing.

Wish I had xenons

Mattt said:

Bras, you asked this question on another forum and got a load of answers too

I posted here for 2 reasons:

1. Unfortunately the responses didn't help me find the lever or explain where I was going wrong.

2. Being a UK based forum (and a good one at that) I expect people to had more experience driving on the other side of the road.

[r3nuf]

May not help much, but i had to ask my local dealer prior to driving in France last week and i have an E60 with xenons.

For my car, i had to un-twist a little round cap (50mm diameter ish) on the top of each headlight, and lift a lever that seemed to curve over the top of the headlight. The lever didnt move much and seemed a little flexible, like it was going to snap off, but seemed fine in the dark on the wrong side of the road.

[Z4monster]

Remove the wheel arch cover. Remove the back of the headlight. Inside yoou'll feel a lever which will switch over the beam pattern.

Once you're home do the opposite. I'm sure there was a post about this on the old Z4um before it got destroyed by spammers but not sure the new z4 forum has one.

Hope that helps.

[ian in lancs]

yep on halogens take the wheel arch plastic panel and light assembly covers (held in place by springs) off the light assembly until you see the back of the bulb and chromed back of the beam reflector. The lever is metal and looks like a male spade connector about maybe 7mm x 1mm and slides vertically to blank off the top of the beam pattern - the bit that illuminates roadsigns on the LHS verge on a RHD car leaving a rectangular beam shape that doesn't dazzle oncoming drivers. Not sure about zenon's but i assume their similar.

[bras0782]

Z4monster said:

Remove the wheel arch cover. Remove the back of the headlight. Inside yoou'll feel a lever which will switch over the beam pattern.

Once you're home do the opposite. I'm sure there was a post about this on the old Z4um before it got destroyed by spammers but not sure the new z4 forum has one.

Hope that helps.

ian in lancs said:

yep on halogens take the wheel arch plastic panel and light assembly covers (held in place by springs) off the light assembly until you see the back of the bulb and chromed back of the beam reflector. The lever is metal and looks like a male spade connector about maybe 7mm x 1mm and slides vertically to blank off the top of the beam pattern - the bit that illuminates roadsigns on the LHS verge on a RHD car leaving a rectangular beam shape that doesn't dazzle oncoming drivers. Not sure about zenon's but i assume their similar.

Thanks guys. That's exactly what I did - managed to get to the back of the lights by removing the spring, but couldn't find the lever. The diagram in the manual doesn't help.

ian_in_lancs, I'll try looking for the spade-like connector. Is the lever on the outer edge of the compartment? Is it stiff or easy to slide up and down?

Many thanks

[ian in lancs]

You're right the diagram is very poor. The lever is right next to the reflector bowl, and IIRC on the LHS of it looking at the back of the lights. It is difficult to move and a torch / mirror will help in locating it. I think I used a screwdriver to push it down.

[bras0782]

I still couldn't find the lever so I took to the nearest BMW service centre.

When I showed him the diagram in the manual he told me it's a pic of the back of the xenons, not the halogens! Wish the manual had clarified that!!

After a bit of trial and error he found the lever. We couldn't see it because of the limited view with the wheel in the way, but it's next to the big bulb and just above what felt like the back of a screw. It's just a small lever which you can push up and down with a finger - very easily misable unless you know what you're looking for.

Hope this helps anyone else in the future.

Edited by bras0782 on Sunday 17th August 15:23

[john_p]

r3nuf said:

The lever didnt move much and seemed a little flexible, and snaps off if you move it too much

EFA

From experience

Edited by john_p on Sunday 17th August 19:47