XSeries-forum

Hi all, this is really for information and any comments that anyone might have. Recently bought a Jan 2016 3.0D M Sport in Carbon Black with Cream interior.
Among the extras are Adaptive Headlights with Auto Dip and having had these before they always did the Auto Dip, turned Left/Right and the Foglights also came on either Left/Right independently depending on direction of turning.
However with my new X5 the arrangement is different. Auto Dip is as before (but much more reactive), but the inner two beams now light up and swivel Left/Right independently when turning. More of a surprise is that the outer main beams will go onto main beam when following another vehicle BUT the main beams are split independently either side of the vehicle in front, swivelling as needed with the outer moving then extinguishing as a car approaches to prevent dazzle. The Left hand one will stop on main beam, illuminating the Nearside kerb/verge, extinguishing if needed. I find this very useful. On normal non-lit roads the two main beams move to be side by side until a vehicle approaches, when they split as mentioned above, with the offside one eventually extinguishing.
I have seen this same Adaptive system on 2016 onward X3's but only when fitted with the LED lighting set-up.
Just wondered if any other F15 X5 owner had come across this arrangement?

Are you sure you have HIDs and not LED? I didn’t think it was an option for HID lamps because the beam control was harder. I wanted it on my X6 but it was LED only and serious money 8 years ago. Even the retrofit was north of £6k just for the kit (cheaper now).!

With that system it should have something written on each headlight unit. I have the same kit on my F46 Gran Tourer and it’s very impressive. Mine have ‘BMW Adaptive LED’ written on the side of each headlight unit.

The option for mine is for ‘Matrix Icon Adaptive LED’. They are multi-source lights (three LEDs per lamp I think) hence ‘matrix’.

BTW don’t damage the units as they are silly money. The F46 ones are quoted at over £2k per side + £300 per LED source unit (and I have 4).

Hi, thanks for your reply, they are definitely Bi-Xenons in the main beams and H7 in the inner lights. I had a 2017 F25 X3 with Icon Adaptive LED's before this X5. Also VIN info confirms Xenon Adaptive lights.

Works as you describe on my 2014 model with Xenons.

They obviously found a way to make it work without silly money then. Excellent result for you