6 hours ago
Hello everyone
I'm planning a standard LED to Pixel LED headlight retrofit on a CMA platform car and wanted to share my research so far, ask some questions, and hopefully contribute to the community as this progresses.
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**My Car:**
- 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge Ultimate
- CMA platform, Android/iCup infotainment
- Built WITHOUT pixel headlights (Thailand market — pixel option was removed during the chip shortage and never came back for my market)
- Standard LED headlights currently installed
- Car has front radar and windshield camera (for driver assist features)
**My Goal:**
Full pixel LED headlight retrofit with adaptive driving beam (ADB) functionality enabled via OrBit.
---
**What I've Researched So Far:**
I've spent considerable time going through this forum, SwedeSpeed, XC40 Forum, and the Polestar Forum. Here's what I've pieced together:
**1. What Works on SPA (Reference)**
- Power6 successfully completed non-bendy LED to bendy LED swap on his 2019 S60
- Key lesson: factory non-bendy HCMs (stamped "MID") physically won't support bendy lights — need "HIGH" stamped HCMs
- The diagnostic part number and software are the same for bendy/non-bendy HCMs to VIDA
- Best approach: buy headlights WITH HCMs attached from donor car to avoid software/pairing issues
- OrBit can handle side assignment, software loading, and headlight learning if parts are sourced separately
**2. Pixel Activation via OrBit on CMA (Proven)**
- Multiple XC40 Recharge and Polestar 2 owners have successfully enabled pixel ADB by changing:
- Parameter 106 (Headlight Type) — change to pixel variant value
- Parameter 109 (Active High Beam) — change to "06 With AHB3 (Adaptive) Pixel Light"
- This works on cars that ALREADY HAVE pixel hardware installed
- No infotainment menu changes needed — pixel function is controlled by headlight stalk (Auto High Beam), confirmed working when dash icon turns blue
---
**My Questions for the Community:**
1. Has anyone here completed or attempted a physical standard LED → pixel LED headlight swap on any CMA car? Even partial progress would be valuable to know about.
2. Do OrBit's HCM tools (ECU Tools — side assignment, software flash, headlight learning) fully work on CMA pixel HCMs? I've seen that post-2021 HCMs have limited third-party support.
3. If I source complete pixel headlight assemblies WITH HCMs attached from a wrecked C40 or XC40, is the process: physical swap → OrBit CEM config change (106 + 109) → done? Or are there additional CMA-specific steps?
4. The 2 extra pins on the pixel small connector — does anyone know what signals they carry? CAN bus lines for pixel matrix control? Or something else?
5. Is there a MID vs HIGH hardware distinction on CMA HCMs like there is on SPA? How can I identify the pixel-capable variant?
6. Would a pixel HCM originally from a Polestar 2 work on a C40 after OrBit reconfiguration? Or must it be from the same model family?
7. If I have to buy pixel headlights and HCMs separately (since eBay sellers almost always strip them apart), what do I need to watch out for?
- Are there specific part numbers I should look for to ensure the HCM is the pixel-capable variant and not the standard LED variant?
- Does the HCM come pre-loaded with software that works for pixel headlights, or are there different software versions for standard LED vs pixel?
- Does it matter which model (C40, XC40, Polestar 2) the HCM originally came from, or is the software universal across CMA?
- Does the HCM need to be re-paired/learned to the new headlight assembly, or will any pixel HCM work with any pixel headlight unit?
- Is there any marking or label on the HCM itself that identifies it as pixel vs standard?
Thanks in advance!
I'm planning a standard LED to Pixel LED headlight retrofit on a CMA platform car and wanted to share my research so far, ask some questions, and hopefully contribute to the community as this progresses.
---
**My Car:**
- 2023 Volvo C40 Recharge Ultimate
- CMA platform, Android/iCup infotainment
- Built WITHOUT pixel headlights (Thailand market — pixel option was removed during the chip shortage and never came back for my market)
- Standard LED headlights currently installed
- Car has front radar and windshield camera (for driver assist features)
**My Goal:**
Full pixel LED headlight retrofit with adaptive driving beam (ADB) functionality enabled via OrBit.
---
**What I've Researched So Far:**
I've spent considerable time going through this forum, SwedeSpeed, XC40 Forum, and the Polestar Forum. Here's what I've pieced together:
**1. What Works on SPA (Reference)**
- Power6 successfully completed non-bendy LED to bendy LED swap on his 2019 S60
- Key lesson: factory non-bendy HCMs (stamped "MID") physically won't support bendy lights — need "HIGH" stamped HCMs
- The diagnostic part number and software are the same for bendy/non-bendy HCMs to VIDA
- Best approach: buy headlights WITH HCMs attached from donor car to avoid software/pairing issues
- OrBit can handle side assignment, software loading, and headlight learning if parts are sourced separately
**2. Pixel Activation via OrBit on CMA (Proven)**
- Multiple XC40 Recharge and Polestar 2 owners have successfully enabled pixel ADB by changing:
- Parameter 106 (Headlight Type) — change to pixel variant value
- Parameter 109 (Active High Beam) — change to "06 With AHB3 (Adaptive) Pixel Light"
- This works on cars that ALREADY HAVE pixel hardware installed
- No infotainment menu changes needed — pixel function is controlled by headlight stalk (Auto High Beam), confirmed working when dash icon turns blue
---
**My Questions for the Community:**
1. Has anyone here completed or attempted a physical standard LED → pixel LED headlight swap on any CMA car? Even partial progress would be valuable to know about.
2. Do OrBit's HCM tools (ECU Tools — side assignment, software flash, headlight learning) fully work on CMA pixel HCMs? I've seen that post-2021 HCMs have limited third-party support.
3. If I source complete pixel headlight assemblies WITH HCMs attached from a wrecked C40 or XC40, is the process: physical swap → OrBit CEM config change (106 + 109) → done? Or are there additional CMA-specific steps?
4. The 2 extra pins on the pixel small connector — does anyone know what signals they carry? CAN bus lines for pixel matrix control? Or something else?
5. Is there a MID vs HIGH hardware distinction on CMA HCMs like there is on SPA? How can I identify the pixel-capable variant?
6. Would a pixel HCM originally from a Polestar 2 work on a C40 after OrBit reconfiguration? Or must it be from the same model family?
7. If I have to buy pixel headlights and HCMs separately (since eBay sellers almost always strip them apart), what do I need to watch out for?
- Are there specific part numbers I should look for to ensure the HCM is the pixel-capable variant and not the standard LED variant?
- Does the HCM come pre-loaded with software that works for pixel headlights, or are there different software versions for standard LED vs pixel?
- Does it matter which model (C40, XC40, Polestar 2) the HCM originally came from, or is the software universal across CMA?
- Does the HCM need to be re-paired/learned to the new headlight assembly, or will any pixel HCM work with any pixel headlight unit?
- Is there any marking or label on the HCM itself that identifies it as pixel vs standard?
Thanks in advance!