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      03-05-2021, 02:11 PM   #1
D041987
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LED headlight cutoff Question

Hello,

New owner of a F15 X5. I have the LED headlights and they just do not have a sharp cutoff compared to my other BMW cars with Xenon's. They have a cloud/ ruffle sorta like old halogen lights had back in the day.

I took the car in for service to have a few things checked and my service advisor along with the shop foreman is saying these are the way they are suppose to look and will not open a PUMA case with BMW NA.

Can anyone post a pick of the cutoff for the LED headlights against the wall?


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      03-05-2021, 03:34 PM   #2
turboawd
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Cars with xenon have a shutter that opens for high beams and is closed for low beam, hence the straight line. With led, low and high beam are on opposite sides of the light reflector. The leds do move though for the adaptive lighting. Perhaps a portion is off a bit.
Does it do the same in auto mode and on mode?
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      03-05-2021, 04:21 PM   #3
D041987
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Yes, same light distribution. The pics above are in Auto mode and low beam.
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      03-05-2021, 05:14 PM   #4
turboawd
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If you're parked like that and turn the wheel back and forth, does the light turn a bit also? Have to be in auto.
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      03-05-2021, 07:46 PM   #5
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mine are the same. I take it as normal. however my wife's MDX lights are better and the LEDs are standard. go figure.
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      03-05-2021, 08:05 PM   #6
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Your lights are not adjusted properly. In addition, code them for glare free high beam and be amazed. You cannot do that with xenon in NA as they lack the shutter
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      03-06-2021, 07:49 AM   #7
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Mine looks same as yours and I have the adaptive lighting.
But when I drive, I am happy with it and it is a lot brighter than Xenon light.
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      03-06-2021, 08:04 AM   #8
jbfrancis3
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You did still did the right thing getting the LEDs. I opted for the Xenons because I figured eh, BMW xenons are pretty good. Nope, they're underwhelming on the F15.

And as other have mentioned the xenon cutoff is traditionally defined by the shutter necessary to control the light scatter. Whereas LEDs offer more flexibility in design to control the light, and don't need the shutter, ergo no cutoff that you are used to.
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      03-06-2021, 07:04 PM   #9
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That's how they look
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