I originally posted about shaky Xenons in my first post
here.
I have:
- removed the bumper and checked that all of the headlight fasteners are tight.
- verified that the auto-leveling motor is securely attached to the inner mechanism
- verified that the manual height adjuster (i.e. aiming adjustment) is securely attached to the inner mechanism
- obtained a copy of SI 63 13 07 and reviewed
The copy of the TSB I received was only for E92 and E93 - is that correct or is there an E90 version out there too? It made no mention of the reinforcement parts for E90s.
If I raise the hood and push down on the top of the clear part of the lights, I can observe substantial deflection downward. The rear black plastic are of the lights don't seem to move. I would think TSB-style reinforcements would help with this.
If I use the heel of my palm to bump the top of the clear lenses, I can hear and see the "brr-rr-rr-rr" of rattling inside. The entire Xenon/DRL/AE assembly seems to jiggle up and down. Worse on the driver's side. It seems like fasteners might just need tightening but they're definitely internal to the lights. I suppose that ball/socket joints at the aiming adjustments and/or auto-leveling could be loose too but they are attached and not broken or popped out since these adjustments work fine.
I believe that the fine print on my third party warranty excludes "headlights" (stated exactly like that) so I think I'm probably SOL on this one in terms of warranty.
So, what are my options? Anyone else have this or fix it? I'm not forking over for new lights out of my own pocket. I don't have any interest in aftermarket lights, unless it was just components that prematurely wear in OE lights. I think I've read references to "baking" the lights which I presume means that they are sealed shut from the factory and heat is required to open them. I would be interested in replacing the lenses too since the PO didn't put a film on them and they're a bit pitted, but I've been led to believe that these aren't available for E90s like for older BMWs.
What about the TSB - is there an E90 version for the sedan? Supports would help, but the components inside the light are loose enough that I think extra supports probably wouldn't fix the problem.
Thanks,