Headlight wasn't leveling - Fixed!

dabares1973 · 05-02-2019, 08:44 PM

This thread has been incredibly helpful, so thanks to the OP.

Question though. How much should the lens closest to the grill wiggle when shaking it?

Before following the OPs directions, they both were bouncing all over the place. Now the main lens on the outside (closest to the tires) is rock solid, but the left one is still shaking somewhat. Is that normal?

Velocity26 · 05-02-2019, 09:54 PM

If you see the auto height adjustment happen, and the headlights turn with the steering wheel, they are both attached and working correctly. If either headlight is not turning or adjusting, you either have a bad motor or the arm has detached.

qbnlykwhoa · 06-14-2019, 09:02 AM

Read through this whole thread and it def helped me find what i was looking for. My right headlight self adjusts every time i turn the car on but it just ends up aiming it to a random location. Too high, too low, or just right. I got into the headlight via the wheel well and the socket is attached. Tried removing the servo and it pulls the adjuster up when I try to pull it out. I unplugged it all and replaced the bulbs on the car yesterday so I'll see if messing around with it did anything. However, since all that is attached and it seems to be working properly, could it be that one of the two leveling sensors are bad?

dcorn · 08-26-2020, 10:14 AM

This thread keeps on giving, so glad I found it. Noticed my passenger headlight was pointing at the sky after I hit a huge pothole (enough to bend the rim and blowout a non-RFT sidewall. This past weekend, I pulled the wheel and inner fender hoping I could fix it without removing the bumper and headlight. It took a while to figure out how to get the access panel off the headlight without breaking it, but once I did, I could clearly see the ball joint of the vertical solenoid out of place.

I tried jamming the ball back into the socket, but it was too tight. What worked is removing the whole solenoid (turn counterclockwise and pull), angling the solenoid/ball joint upward, then pulling the projector housing back down to a level position (the housing is on a pivot and was aimed upward since it wasn't connected to the solenoid). I was then able to get the ball joint in by sliding it down from the top. It rests in what is basically a V-channel with an open top and bottom, and a detent in the middle to hold the ball in position. It was very simple to slide it in the channel from the top.

rxoarnuci · 08-28-2020, 05:28 PM

Sorry for using this thread, but I cannot create my own
So the deal is guys... How to code automatic headlights to be always on at daytime and night time, my car has FRM1 (late 2005 model), has automatic light switch selection.. At night my low beams work perfectly, but at day the green light near the auto light switch is off and all the lights are off... I want to make them be on at daytime, not only in night time. My car was coded by pro like a year ago and he make them work all the time on auto switch (always low beams day and night). But when i tried coding my self I failed something and everything went to stock

I managed to code everything back, except the AUTO low beams at day... Is there any way to code them back...? I tried literally everything, browsed all the internet and didn't find anything like this. I'm out of options... AND i don't like the yellow DLR's that are ugly and I want to get my daytime auto xenons back

(( please help somebody

squanchy · 12-28-2020, 04:16 PM

I've had this issue for years, the first time BMW replaced the headlights for me because i had some other issue that they misdiagnosed a few times -- so they threw me bone and replaced the headlights..

It had returned not too long after, thanks to the massive potholes in NJ/NYC

Driver side headlight was pointing way too far up, blinding oncoming traffic and hitting the signs above the highway instead of the road..

Went in through the wheel well, like some other users mentioned -- this worked fine.
(jack it up, remove tire, remove liner in well)

In my case, the same ball joint mentioned by the OP was not in.

I thought i had stripped the adjustment screw or something ( on the top of headlight when hood open ) because i couldn't imagine how i would get the joint back into the socket by how it looked.

The socket appeared to be WAY too low for it to ever fit

I actually had to lift up the headlight assembly within the housing ( from back of headlight through the wheel well ) for it to align properly.

Once i did that i was able to pop it back into place , re-attach the electrical and screw it back.

Just tested it and im sooo happy that i was able to resolve this on my own rather than getting the run-around from BMW service centers or shell out the 1800 per headlight.

I wish while i had that apart that i looked a bit closer, but wanted to learn if there was any other part of the housing was faulty ( due to the severe droop in the internal components before i put the joint back together )

I have seen some diagrams like this one https://www.realoem.com/bmw/images/diag_6eos.png

But does anyone know if there are schematics that outline the housing itself? e.g..

Driver side:
On the top left corner inside the headlight, i noticed a little piece of circular plastic that was able to float inside some other plastic part -- allowing the components to anchor off that point but almost float inside.

I guess im curious to learn ( if i go in there again ) if i have any issues that would require new housing.

Either way -- im super happy that i was able to do this -- with no mechanical experience.
Definitely worth a couple hours of careful work to understand the components and get it working again.

Hope this helps someone else like me

NewM235Owner · 05-30-2021, 12:38 PM

In case this helps anyone I have a 2007 E93 and a driver side headlight pointing up in the air. Using the advice in this thread I did it through the wheel well, which I found pretty easy. My vertical headlight motor was held by two torx screws, after I removed those the motor pulled right out, which told me that the ball wasn't in the slot. All I had to do was take the light assembly (to the left of the vertical headlight motor) and move the assembly upwards (moving the aim of the headlight downwards) and this moved the plastic slot very close to the motor inlet. I then put the motor back in by tilting the motor so the ball was at the bottom of the slot and it slid right in. There was no forcing anything. If you have the same setup I have and the same problem and you are forcing something I would say manipulate the light assembly and tilt the motor at the same time rather than force something. This fixed the problem.

05-02-2019, 08:44 PM	#155
dabares1973 Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Tennessee iTrader: (0)	This thread has been incredibly helpful, so thanks to the OP. Question though. How much should the lens closest to the grill wiggle when shaking it? Before following the OPs directions, they both were bouncing all over the place. Now the main lens on the outside (closest to the tires) is rock solid, but the left one is still shaking somewhat. Is that normal?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-02-2019, 09:54 PM	#156
Velocity26 Resident old fart 146 Rep 575 Posts Drives: 2010 335i M-Sport Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Florida iTrader: (4)	If you see the auto height adjustment happen, and the headlights turn with the steering wheel, they are both attached and working correctly. If either headlight is not turning or adjusting, you either have a bad motor or the arm has detached.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-14-2019, 09:02 AM	#157
qbnlykwhoa Private First Class 55 Rep 133 Posts Drives: 2011 E93 M3 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Central NJ iTrader: (0)	Read through this whole thread and it def helped me find what i was looking for. My right headlight self adjusts every time i turn the car on but it just ends up aiming it to a random location. Too high, too low, or just right. I got into the headlight via the wheel well and the socket is attached. Tried removing the servo and it pulls the adjuster up when I try to pull it out. I unplugged it all and replaced the bulbs on the car yesterday so I'll see if messing around with it did anything. However, since all that is attached and it seems to be working properly, could it be that one of the two leveling sensors are bad?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-26-2020, 10:14 AM	#158
dcorn Captain 77 Rep 940 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 335i Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NoVA iTrader: (2)	This thread keeps on giving, so glad I found it. Noticed my passenger headlight was pointing at the sky after I hit a huge pothole (enough to bend the rim and blowout a non-RFT sidewall. This past weekend, I pulled the wheel and inner fender hoping I could fix it without removing the bumper and headlight. It took a while to figure out how to get the access panel off the headlight without breaking it, but once I did, I could clearly see the ball joint of the vertical solenoid out of place. I tried jamming the ball back into the socket, but it was too tight. What worked is removing the whole solenoid (turn counterclockwise and pull), angling the solenoid/ball joint upward, then pulling the projector housing back down to a level position (the housing is on a pivot and was aimed upward since it wasn't connected to the solenoid). I was then able to get the ball joint in by sliding it down from the top. It rests in what is basically a V-channel with an open top and bottom, and a detent in the middle to hold the ball in position. It was very simple to slide it in the channel from the top.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-28-2020, 05:28 PM	#159
rxoarnuci New Member 3 Rep 15 Posts Drives: BMW E91 320d M47 Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Lithuania iTrader: (0)	Sorry for using this thread, but I cannot create my own So the deal is guys... How to code automatic headlights to be always on at daytime and night time, my car has FRM1 (late 2005 model), has automatic light switch selection.. At night my low beams work perfectly, but at day the green light near the auto light switch is off and all the lights are off... I want to make them be on at daytime, not only in night time. My car was coded by pro like a year ago and he make them work all the time on auto switch (always low beams day and night). But when i tried coding my self I failed something and everything went to stock I managed to code everything back, except the AUTO low beams at day... Is there any way to code them back...? I tried literally everything, browsed all the internet and didn't find anything like this. I'm out of options... AND i don't like the yellow DLR's that are ugly and I want to get my daytime auto xenons back (( please help somebody
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-28-2020, 04:16 PM	#160
squanchy Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: BMW 328 xDrive Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: NYC iTrader: (0)	I've had this issue for years, the first time BMW replaced the headlights for me because i had some other issue that they misdiagnosed a few times -- so they threw me bone and replaced the headlights.. It had returned not too long after, thanks to the massive potholes in NJ/NYC Driver side headlight was pointing way too far up, blinding oncoming traffic and hitting the signs above the highway instead of the road.. Went in through the wheel well, like some other users mentioned -- this worked fine. (jack it up, remove tire, remove liner in well) In my case, the same ball joint mentioned by the OP was not in. I thought i had stripped the adjustment screw or something ( on the top of headlight when hood open ) because i couldn't imagine how i would get the joint back into the socket by how it looked. The socket appeared to be WAY too low for it to ever fit I actually had to lift up the headlight assembly within the housing ( from back of headlight through the wheel well ) for it to align properly. Once i did that i was able to pop it back into place , re-attach the electrical and screw it back. Just tested it and im sooo happy that i was able to resolve this on my own rather than getting the run-around from BMW service centers or shell out the 1800 per headlight. I wish while i had that apart that i looked a bit closer, but wanted to learn if there was any other part of the housing was faulty ( due to the severe droop in the internal components before i put the joint back together ) I have seen some diagrams like this one https://www.realoem.com/bmw/images/diag_6eos.png But does anyone know if there are schematics that outline the housing itself? e.g.. Driver side: On the top left corner inside the headlight, i noticed a little piece of circular plastic that was able to float inside some other plastic part -- allowing the components to anchor off that point but almost float inside. I guess im curious to learn ( if i go in there again ) if i have any issues that would require new housing. Either way -- im super happy that i was able to do this -- with no mechanical experience. Definitely worth a couple hours of careful work to understand the components and get it working again. Hope this helps someone else like me
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-30-2021, 12:38 PM	#161
NewM235Owner New Member 12 Rep 23 Posts Drives: M235 Join Date: May 2016 Location: NC iTrader: (0)	In case this helps anyone I have a 2007 E93 and a driver side headlight pointing up in the air. Using the advice in this thread I did it through the wheel well, which I found pretty easy. My vertical headlight motor was held by two torx screws, after I removed those the motor pulled right out, which told me that the ball wasn't in the slot. All I had to do was take the light assembly (to the left of the vertical headlight motor) and move the assembly upwards (moving the aim of the headlight downwards) and this moved the plastic slot very close to the motor inlet. I then put the motor back in by tilting the motor so the ball was at the bottom of the slot and it slid right in. There was no forcing anything. If you have the same setup I have and the same problem and you are forcing something I would say manipulate the light assembly and tilt the motor at the same time rather than force something. This fixed the problem.
	Appreciate 0 Quote