W221 2006 standard headlights to bi-xenon headlights

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bhartv

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Hi there. I have an opportunity to pick up a set of pre-facelift bi-xenons for the W221 about the same period as the standard halogen headlamps on my car complete with the ballasts.

Can someone please confirm if the current standard headlamps can be swapped out easily with the bi-xenon ones in terms of all the connectors being there already or is a new or extra wiring harness required on each side?

Also I assume the car will need some Star coding? Is that quite straightforward?

Many thanks.
 
Don't know about wiring but you'll also need headlamp washers and front and rear levelling devices .
 
I have headlamp washers on the car already. What is involved in terms of the levelling? Is that not part of the xenon headlamp unit itself?
 
No there are two sensors 1 front and 1 rear that sense suspension movement to ensure Xenons stay pointing level.
 
I don't know the W221 but you may also need a new headlamp switch. The levelling wheel on the halogen switch is not needed with xenons.
 
I am not aware that there is a levelling switch for the standard headlamps on the W221?
 
I have headlamp washers on the car already.

I am not aware that there is a levelling switch for the standard headlamps on the W221?
I'm a newcomer to MB cars, so don't know the spec available on your car, and I am sure you would know the difference, but could these be two clues that your car may already have xenons?
 
I'm a newcomer to MB cars, so don't know the spec available on your car, and I am sure you would know the difference, but could these be two clues that your car may already have xenons?

Nothing at all to do with xenon fitment.

Standard halogen lights have a height adjustment control (as do many other cars) to adjust the height of the beam according to the loading of the vehicle. Fully laden vehicles, (boot fully loaded and rear seat passengers) are going to have their headlight beams pointing up higher than any vehicle with just the driver in it. The manual height adjustment control knob, mounted near the light switch, allows for compensation between these.

Headlight washers were and probably still are an optional fitment on cars with standard halogen lights.

If you're dissatisffied with your current headlights, it may be worth changing the bulbs for Osram Nightbreakers or Philips Extreme.

As has already been said, to comply with legal requirements of xenon lights, load sensors are fitted to the front and rear suspension to automatically adjust the level of the beam and not blind oncoming drivers.
If not currently part of the MOT, it soon will be and any car with xenons but without the load sensors are likely to fail. :dk:
 
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Folks, the OP has a w221, this has headlight washers and levels the car using airmatic thus levels the lights. The question also has nothing to do with the rights or wrongs but if he can fit OEM lamps without any additional SAMs or sensors. I'd like to know the answer too as WIS won't work for me since last Java update.
 
Standard halogen lights have a height adjustment control (as do many other cars) to adjust the height of the beam according to the loading of the vehicle:

I know, this was my point. But cars equipped with Xenons don't have manual height adjustment, and the OP's car doesn't.

However Mirras has clarified what the car does have.
 
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All - I have headlight washers and manually adjustable headlights - but they're manually adjustable from the headlight itself not from a button inside the car. Is that what you all mean?

Still waiting for someone to confirm whether or not the OEM xenons are a straight swap of the OEM halogens just with some extra coding to tell the car which one it has.

Does anyone know if extra SAMs or extra wiring is needed? Surely someone does know? Cheers
 
Sorry, I meant "manually adjusted from the dashboard" not at the headlight unit in the engine compartment.
 
All - I have headlight washers and manually adjustable headlights - but they're manually adjustable from the headlight itself not from a button inside the car. Is that what you all mean?

Still waiting for someone to confirm whether or not the OEM xenons are a straight swap of the OEM halogens just with some extra coding to tell the car which one it has.

Does anyone know if extra SAMs or extra wiring is needed? Surely someone does know? Cheers

I think it VERY likely you can fit the Xenons..
You have washers.. Your car alters its own height via air suspension then I say DO IT.
I actually know several people who have done this conversion to various MB's "illegally" and yet year after year their cars still pass the MOT !!!
 
Hi

We've done a few pre-facelift halogen to post facelift ILS changes, which are very very complicated, but what you are thinking about should be pretty simple.

Have a look at the connectors on your existing lights, there should be an 8 pin and a 5 pin connector (according to wiring diagram) for Xenon lights - I haven't found a wiring diagram for "non Xenon" headlights, so if you have an 8 pin and a 5 pin thats good. One just has 2 wires, that is the CAN network to control the headlamp adjustment, the others turn on all the individual lights.

SAMS on W221 are SCN coded, so you'll need to get the datacard updated to show the new options and then SCN code that and some other control units, and possibly do firmware updates on them.

As W221 have airmatic, no level sensing needs to be added. And if you have headlamp washers (which all W221 i've bothered to look at seem to) then this is going to be a relatively easy retrofit.

Headlamp switch doesn't change between Xenon and non Xenon. It (in theory) should if going to ILS as it loses the foglamp position.

Don't forget bumpers have to come off to change the headlights.

Richard
 
PS, its a 9 pin and a 5 pin (not 8 and 5). And according to EPCnet its the same connector for all cars whether they have Xenon or not so that looks like it probably is an easy swop
R
 
Hi there. I have an opportunity to pick up a set of pre-facelift bi-xenons for the W221 about the same period as the standard halogen headlamps on my car complete with the ballasts.

Can someone please confirm if the current standard headlamps can be swapped out easily with the bi-xenon ones in terms of all the connectors being there already or is a new or extra wiring harness required on each side?

Also I assume the car will need some Star coding? Is that quite straightforward?

Many thanks.

Hi bhartv,

I know this is a really old thread but I was wondering if you ever fitted the xenons and how you got on?
 

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