W210 head light conversion

[M666EVO]

Hi, I have seen some posts on the below but would like some clarity.

I have a 2001 W210 so I believe the face lift model. I currently have the standard halogen headlights but have bought 2 Xenon replacements, is it quite easy to change these over?

Not sure whether to attempt myself or take to a garage? Any help appreciated. Thanks

 

[Petrol Pete]

This topic has been ongoing for a long time. It usually boils down to people saying...

• Xenon headlamps have to have spray wash jets by law.
• Xenon headlamps have to have auto height correction via sensors on both front and rear axles.
• Not having the above is illegal and an MOT failure.

Someone on here will be along soon to give you exact details.

 

[M666EVO]

This topic has been ongoing for a long time. It usually boils down to people saying...

• Xenon headlamps have to have spray wash jets by law.
• Xenon headlamps have to have auto height correction via sensors on both front and rear axles.
• Not having the above is illegal and an MOT failure.

Someone on here will be along soon to give you exact details.

I did notice that as I have gone through previous posts. Hopefully someone has actually done it and has concrete facts!

 

[renault12ts]

You have the concrete facts.

Your car may have the headlamp washers...but not the headlamp self leveling. You will know this by the absence of an adjuster wheel on the cockpit.

 

[alabbasi]

I've had a 1st gen W210 E420 and a 2nd gen E55. I'm pretty sure that while the E420 lights auto leveled. The E55 lights did not, or at least not to the same degree of sophistication. From personal experience, I would double check the part about height correction sensors.

 

[Germgh0st]

I was under the impression that the washers/levellers rule did not apply to retorofitting. However there are tighter MoT rules around replacing headlights with a type of bulb that the car was not type approved for and pretty much any halogen to xenon upgrade can land you in bother. But when you think on it, do you really want to put very bright bulbs in your car without being able to keep them clean and make sure they're level? How many times have you been blinded by somebody who has done just this?

 

[whitenemesis]

If the model could be optioned from the factory with xenons then the retrofit would need washers and self-levelling
The bulb type approval thing is related to the bulb housing, not the car. One cannot fit xenon bulbs into lamp housings designed for halogen, the classic 'upgrade' is an MoT fail.
I had the bi-xenon retrofit done to my S203 and had the self-levelling and washers installed. NOT cheap, in fact the headlamp washer install cost as much as the lamp units (genuine MB parts) and the self-levelling sensors and loom.
You also have to check if your SAM can handle xenons, it may need to be upgraded to.

 

[Petrol Pete]

So OP, what do you think ? Plenty of info on here.

 

[gurpz]

Your car will more than likely already have headlamp washers as it was standard on most specification W210's. Yes to be fully compliant you will need the self levelling but you can get it to work by modifying the Xenon headlamps to adjust manually with the vacuum adjustment from the original headlamps. W210's wont require any coding unless you are retrofitting the self levelling system. You may however need to check the power and ground pin outs on the wiring harness as if I recall they differ depending on Halogen or Xenon. The plugs fortunately are the same. Whilst doing all of this will get them working like OEM but can cause issues from a legality point unless the levelling is installed. On the plus side doing this is still far better than a eBay HID kit installed into a standard halogen headlamp

 

[M666EVO]

So OP, what do you think ? Plenty of info on here.

Yeah great - really appreciate the help. Will try and fit them and see how I go. Otherwise they might go back on ebay...

 

[W124ali]

Hi, all the above have valid points and I'm not fully aware of the legality side of it however from a practicality point of view, changing the headlights are very straightforward, (some useful videos on Youtube). The main issue you could face, as I did, is rusty bolts especially the one on the edge of the bumper screwed into to the wings can be an issue with the head breaking off. Also the bolts inside behind the mud guards inside the wheel wells. These get rusty and can break off, then you'll have to get creative. Other than that the headlight and reinforcement bolts are simple enough. Straight plug in and play.