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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > Headlight wasn't leveling - Fixed!



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      04-23-2011, 11:32 AM   #23
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Headlights that break due to potholes is a safety liability. BMW should rectify this...
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      04-23-2011, 03:30 PM   #24
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Today I tried this again but this time I took the whole bumper off and removed the headlight unit. I looked for something that might have popped out but everything looked fine. I was about to reassemble everything when I decided to grab the whole light assembly (the part that actually rotates) and rotated it back to the straight position. And it held. I couldn't believe it. It must have somehow popped out of position from the huge pothole I hit. Put everything back together and now it seems fine. Guess I'll have to wait and see over time. :-)
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      04-25-2011, 10:43 PM   #25
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hey I tried this tonight. I'm having trouble 'popping' the ball back into place. I'm afraid to break something. Where are you guys 'pulling' on the xenon light? I'm afraid to bend anything. I put the light back together for now...i guess i'm going to have to give it another shot tomorrow morning when i'm more awake.
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      06-06-2011, 03:17 PM   #26
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i'm having the same problem for my passenger headlight.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/811/photo1muc.jpg/
^ bulb popped out of the socket.

Is there anyway to fix this problem without removing the bumper and the whole headlight?
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      06-06-2011, 08:06 PM   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 83k View Post
i'm having the same problem for my passenger headlight.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/811/photo1muc.jpg/
^ bulb popped out of the socket.

Is there anyway to fix this problem without removing the bumper and the whole headlight?
Headlight will definitely have to removed along with bumper too.
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      06-06-2011, 09:36 PM   #28
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I have found many techs just look for fault codes, no code in their minds means no problem. I had to go back and forth with my dealer on an issue where a code was not generated. Took three visits for them to find the issue which was a bad bearing.
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      06-15-2011, 09:25 PM   #29
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Help....passenger headlight pointed to far right and I'm getting the dash code. Where should I look for issues first? Driver side wheel well suspension adjustments for headlight? Help!!
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      06-15-2011, 09:53 PM   #30
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If its pointing to far to the right then the ride height sensors should be fine being they adjust the up and down of the headlights. If its to far to one side then something on the inside is broke
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      06-15-2011, 10:02 PM   #31
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How abbot the left to right steering sensor. Stepper motor? I don't know...really annoying. I recently replaced the hid bulbs and angel eye bulbs.
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      06-20-2011, 10:24 PM   #32
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Hmm, when the cars off is the one headlight still pointing to the wrong side? or just when you turn the headlights on?
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      06-21-2011, 10:01 PM   #33
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It's all the time. Thanks for trying to help dude.
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      06-21-2011, 10:16 PM   #34
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Moral of the story: The OP cares about his car, doesn't accept it when the dealership tells him something that makes no sense. On the one hand, he had to do himself what should have been covered by warranty and done for him. On the other hand, he learned about his car, and took extra care to fix it properly. Kudos to the OP.

Some jacka** that inspected my Nissan told me I needed to spend $300 to $1000 for a parking brake cable and new rotors and calipers in the back. I guess he has no idea that I've done the fronts myself 4X and the rear 3X (frozen pistons) to include rotors and calipers, so I wasn't going to fall into the gee I'm so scared I'm not passing inspection because you say so here's $1000.

I never touched the parking brake before so I believed him that something was wrong, the handle came up 2X as high as normal. Little did I know all it is, is an adjusting nut that's yes, technically impossible to adjust with the handle down and console not removed. But I managed. Works good as new, and took me all of 20 min. and $0.

Car repair is a pretty dishonest business. There's really no aspect/opportunity to be honest, they have to eat and support their families too. It is what it is...
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      06-22-2011, 08:12 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jetblack07 View Post
It's all the time. Thanks for trying to help dude.
If its all the time then something on the inside is broke and the whole housing will probably have to be replaced.
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      06-25-2011, 07:06 PM   #36
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Guys,

Just wanted to say thank you for this thread. I had the same problem (headlight pointed up; still adjusted l to r for adaptive function, but didn't move up/down). Dealer checked and no faults. Was able to pop ball joint back in without taking off bumper (removed wheel, wheel well liner, back cover to headlight assembly). At this point it does adjust up down on startup, and is adjustable again from adjuster screw on top. Fingers crossed that it holds...

Dealer quote: $1800. Actual cost: 2 hours and $0.

Really appreciative of those who took time to share their experiences, and helped me to avoid the tyranny of the (deliberately?) misinformed dealerships.

Cheers.
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      08-18-2011, 01:22 AM   #37
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Damn this needs bumped up as I am having the issue with light pointing to left side with dash error message. Am I correct that if I a put the socket back in place that the error message will go away?
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      10-01-2011, 04:32 PM   #38
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EDIT: got it in

i've got this problem with my driver side headlight. i tried fixing it yesterday but i couldnt get the little ball on the servo into the black clip.

i've got the vertical adjustment screw set all the way "up" and the servo is extended out about ~1/4" but it doesnt want to pop into place =/

Last edited by gaberoll; 10-01-2011 at 11:55 PM..
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      11-14-2011, 02:20 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BKV122 View Post
OK so I went ahead today since it was a warm sunny day here in NY to pull my headlight out (removed bumper, headlight washers etc.) to see what was up.

Well I found exactly what the OP found with the servo arm out of the socket as i tried to put the arm back into the socket it just wouldn't reach. Upon further observation i found that the manual adjustment screw/control arm was broken (circled in red in picture). Don't think its fixable other than buying a whole new assembly. So i lifted by the xenon bulb area to pull the whole inner guts uip so i could try and get the servo back into the socket which i was successful but when i put everything back together still no good with the auto level (it does a little more now but not what it used to do. I will possibly replace the housing at a later date now that i know what the problem is and what i gotta do.

Thanks for the info timmahh, I would have brought it to the dealer in a few days to have them probably tell me exactly what they told you that everything is fine.
Took mine apart yesterday and found the same exact thing. Did you ever replace the housing? How much did it cost?
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      11-27-2011, 10:36 AM   #40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VTsullyman View Post
Took mine apart yesterday and found the same exact thing. Did you ever replace the housing? How much did it cost?
Yea I ended up getting the whole housing replaced, i was lucky enough to have my SA get it covered under CPO warranty, so only paid the $50 deductible. But i think the assembly is about $800-900
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      11-27-2011, 12:49 PM   #41
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Wait I think I am having the same problem, my passenger headlight is pointing in the sky and doesn't level when I turn the car on. Hopefully it is an easy fix, do you really have to remove the bumper to get the headlight out?
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      11-27-2011, 09:36 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakeme521 View Post
Wait I think I am having the same problem, my passenger headlight is pointing in the sky and doesn't level when I turn the car on. Hopefully it is an easy fix, do you really have to remove the bumper to get the headlight out?
Just remove the liner in the wheel well, you don't have to remove the headlight. I'm sure it's easier to pop it into place if you do but I managed it in 30 minutes or so with two long screwdrivers.
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      02-08-2012, 12:09 AM   #43
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Thank you! I had this problem for 3 years now and finally had the time to work on this thanks to your post. I was having a hard time getting the servo arm back into the socket (at first it seem like the arm is too short to reached the socket). Then after 30 minutes of frustration, I stumbled on how to get the arm and socket close enough to snap it back into place.

It was not clear to me from OP post that the internal guts of the light can pivot back and forth. Look at my photo and gently grap the big black wire and pull it toward the opening to bring the pivot closer to the servo arm. See my white circled item. Dont yank on it or you might break something. Just give it a pull toward the opening and you will understand what I mean.


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      03-05-2012, 04:49 PM   #44
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My servo arm is in the socket but still it wont auto level. Its just the right side, I bought the headlight used. Any ideas what else could be?
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