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      09-13-2018, 04:30 PM   #1
Estoril Blue 116d
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FIXED!! Xenon LED headlights won't self level

...and the low beam is way too low! There is movement when I turn on the car, but it seems as if it's only a part-cycle movement of what the headlights normally do.
What do you think, is it the contraption/sensor thing on the suspension arms or am I looking at further (and more expensive) trouble.
How do I go about diagnosting this? Disconnect the sensor front and rear in turn and see if it adjust to a standard height?

Last edited by Estoril Blue 116d; 09-16-2018 at 06:52 AM.. Reason: Fixed the problem...
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      09-13-2018, 07:22 PM   #2
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Can it simply feel shy? (Did you make it do anything wrong? Do neighbourhood cars know?)

I guess the "heavy load" mode may be the default (conservative!) one and disconnecting sensors (that might have failed already) won't necessarily help. Another obvious way to test is raising the car's "butt" (just don't let other cars see that! ).

Address a service.
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      09-13-2018, 07:45 PM   #3
ovekvam
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I would guess that there are fault codes available if you connect the car to a computer. And as I understand it, you have either LED or Xenon, not both?
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      09-13-2018, 08:21 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
And as I understand it, you have either LED or Xenon, not both?
He believes he has both on a 2013 car: Xenon main lights and LED "angel" ones (day/sidelight rings). Only the former are adjustable though.
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      09-14-2018, 06:12 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by No one View Post
Can it simply feel shy? (Did you make it do anything wrong? Do neighbourhood cars know?)

I guess the "heavy load" mode may be the default (conservative!) one and disconnecting sensors (that might have failed already) won't necessarily help. Another obvious way to test is raising the car's "butt" (just don't let other cars see that! ).

Address a service.
Thx mate, yeah I'll get the dealer to look at it while I'm there for brakeservice.
I will get the car on some ramps and see if the sensorarms move freely or if they're all seized up?
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      09-14-2018, 06:13 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by No one View Post
He believes he has both on a 2013 car: Xenon main lights and LED "angel" ones (day/sidelight rings). Only the former are adjustable though.
Yes that's what my car has..
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      09-14-2018, 06:14 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ovekvam View Post
I would guess that there are fault codes available if you connect the car to a computer. And as I understand it, you have either LED or Xenon, not both?
Thx mate, yeah I will have the car diagnosed on monday. I'll post here if there's any fault codes regarding headlights.
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      09-14-2018, 12:28 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Estoril Blue 116d View Post
I will get the car on some ramps and see if the sensorarms move freely or if they're all seized up?
I actually meant the sensors might happen disconnected or "misinterpreted" as if the rear end were dropped while it's not.

Another possible failure might be in the headlights themselves but it looks unlikely as they do move you say: "part-cycle" movement might be all right (limited by the sensors data) while the high beam (you didn't mention) should be still appropriately higher than the low (while not as high as in "no load" position, obviously).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Estoril Blue 116d View Post
Yes that's what my car has..
This is called Xenon headlights. They also have "regular" turn indicator lights you did not mention. (Completely?) LED ones come on LCI. (It's ovekvam who's had both. On different cars though. )
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      09-14-2018, 04:05 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by No one View Post
I actually meant the sensors might happen disconnected or "misinterpreted" as if the rear end were dropped while it's not.

Another possible failure might be in the headlights themselves but it looks unlikely as they do move you say: "part-cycle" movement might be all right (limited by the sensors data) while the high beam (you didn't mention) should be still appropriately higher than the low (while not as high as in "no load" position, obviously).



This is called Xenon headlights. They also have "regular" turn indicator lights you did not mention. (Completely?) LED ones come on LCI. (It's ovekvam who's had both. On different cars though. )
Thx mate, yeah maybe the sensors misread the level the car is in, and the mechanism (the arms) could be allright. If I follow your logic it would make sense that the rear sensor is fubar.. I'll check both front and rear physically during the weekend and then do a diagnostic next week when I'll get the car remapped. Simply perform a full error scan and see what comes up.
The headlights themselves seems ok. I did some night time driving tonite and the light output is strong, the full beam is really powerful and totally white but as you mentioned the light pattern is way off in hi beam mode. It's also too low (like the low beam) and kind of all over the place.
Yeah I have the LED DRL / Xenon low/High beam headlights... and yes regular turn signals.
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      09-16-2018, 06:54 AM   #10
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I fixed it. The rear sensor was not attached any longer. The rivet holding it had sheered off. Also the arms weren't moving freely.

I will post pictures etc. on Instagram @estorilbluebmw

Thanks for your input guys!!
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