w211 e220 head lights

[pomm001]

Is it my imagination . but the lights on my 04 211 are rubbish
they would never ever dazzle anyone as the dip is the 'projector' type and give a gentle 'flood' of light, which has a very definate cut of line,which i find difficult to drive a safe speed on an unlit road.
My motor bike agin german is just the same, yet my little A class, and my sons Astra are great in comparrison.
the vehicle has been in the dealer network from new so presume that at sometime the alignment has been checked at some time , i have even adjusted them up a little myself to try and aid the situation.
I recently drove a 211 with std HID lights and it wasnt much better on dip
Does anyone else have the same concern ?
I converted my bike to HID with aftermarket kits and it made a great improvement, but nervous with the car just incase my insurance would be null and void

any suggestions

 

[jberks]

Do you have halogens of xenons?
I find the xenons on mine fine for tearing along the country lanes round here, but even the halogens on the 210 were ok on full beam with the spots running (dipped wasn't great admittedly).

 

[television]

If standard lights, then it worth getting the new Philips bulbs they came out best in the last test

 

[pomm001]

Yes they are the standard halogen lights
its not so much the amount of light its the way the lamps defuse the beam which give the distinctive cutain of light that give a definate horizontal cut off, as mentioned my BMW bike has exactly the same issue.
New bulbs were mentioned which ones are they and how much, i was lightly toying with fitting an after market HID 50 watt kit, but then it wont be strickly legal as HID equiped vehicles I believe have to have the headlights linked to the suspension height, it worked a treat on my bike but would feel bit of a chav doing it to my e class.

 

[pomm001]

Sorry
i refer to the performance of my dipped beam, maybe i didnt make this clear, main beam is fine .

thanks

 

[carabind]

I assume you haven't got the avant garde with standard xenons. I also found the standard halogen lights lacking

1.As mentioned before above, you can subsitute with better quality halogens which give a crisper, whoter light. If you know anyone going to the US soon they are about 40-50% cheaper there coz of exchange rate, but may not have the official "E" mark (but who's going to check)

2.steer cleer of the so called blue xenon cheap(sub £10) bulbs on ebay , they give a strange blue light and don't last long.

3. Otherwise, keep an eye on on ebay (search mercedes e class 211), complete OE xenons lamp sets do come up every few weeks or so, from breakers

 

[Chas]

Yes they are the standard halogen lights
its not so much the amount of light its the way the lamps defuse the beam which give the distinctive cutain of light that give a definate horizontal cut off, as mentioned my BMW bike has exactly the same issue.
New bulbs were mentioned which ones are they and how much, i was lightly toying with fitting an after market HID 50 watt kit, but then it wont be strickly legal as HID equiped vehicles I believe have to have the headlights linked to the suspension height, it worked a treat on my bike but would feel bit of a chav doing it to my e class.

If you have a definite horizontal cut off then you have the headlamps set to driving in left hand drive (European), which is an option on most Mercs with projectors, as is mine.

Take the cover off the back of your dipped beam projectors and see if there is a little metal lever inside ,just in front of the projector. You can move it left or right to adjust the beam pattern. The standard beam pattern gives a pronounced 15 degree kick up to the left in both dipped beams so you can see the road side on the left and also read road signs better.
Park the car in front of a wall/ garage door about 5 metres away and see if the beam pattern has changed, you should see the beam kicking up to the left from the red hot spot



pics show kick up of beam (one headlamp) and a horizontal pattern, which is what you might have