Headlight Trouble

[Ricky Bobby]

so the stepper motors only control up/down functions, not left right? am i reading this right?

And there is an AHL module which controls the lights correct? If chris can put his ears to the headlight and hear if there is any clicking or stripping of teeth in the motor that would help. If he hears nothing we may have a module problem?

[TerminatorX5]

Deactivation of adaptive headlights function in response to system faults
If a system fault occurs, the indicator lamp flashes. The adaptive headlights function is deactivated as follows:
· If the stepper motors are still functional, the headlights are returned to the straight-ahead position.
· If one of the headlights has jammed in a position in which it could dazzle oncoming vehicles, the headlight concerned is switched off as soon as the vehicle is stationary. The front fog lamps are switched on in order to ensure a minimum level of illumination. The headlight is not switched off while the vehicle is in motion.

Interesting... chris, is it safe to assume that this is not happening in your case? when you are driving, and the light is stuck in right position, the light does not shut off when you come to a stop at stop sign or traffic light? and, if you had the fog lights off, the fog light does not come on automatically, does it?...

If the xenon light remains on, the fog light is not coming on, it indicates that the vertical stepping motor is working fine (no blinding of the oncoming traffic)...
Since the headlight is not returning to the "park" position, it might be the stepper motor for horisontal adjustment is malfunctioning...

This brings us back to the mechanical issue...

There are several possible issues with the mechanical malfunction:

1. the stepper motor is defective - replace motor
2. the gears are disengaged, and need to be re-engaged - it could be that the manual adjustment of the headlight is adjusted outside of the mechanical limits of reach of the motor gears, like someone turned the adjustment knob too far and the gear fell off the worm drive
3. the gears outside of the moter are actually broken, and will need to be replaced - chances are, the headlight would ned to be opened in order to fix/replace the worm drive and the gears...

To get started on this, the headlight will need to come off the car...

do you know how to do this?

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

so the stepper motors only control up/down functions, not left right? am i reading this right?

And there is an AHL module which controls the lights correct? If chris can put his ears to the headlight and hear if there is any clicking or stripping of teeth in the motor that would help. If he hears nothing we may have a module problem?

I need to comb through the recent headlight posts and see what had been done there in reference to the lights...

I think one of our Premier members had opened the permasealed units - was it X5SSND? I need to ask him about the stepper motor, if there are two of them or just one - according to the WDS, there are TWO motors in the headlight... but the WDS has already let me down and lead me in a tail chases before...

[chrissoto312]

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

Deactivation of adaptive headlights function in response to system faults
If a system fault occurs, the indicator lamp flashes. The adaptive headlights function is deactivated as follows:
· If the stepper motors are still functional, the headlights are returned to the straight-ahead position.
· If one of the headlights has jammed in a position in which it could dazzle oncoming vehicles, the headlight concerned is switched off as soon as the vehicle is stationary. The front fog lamps are switched on in order to ensure a minimum level of illumination. The headlight is not switched off while the vehicle is in motion.

Interesting... chris, is it safe to assume that this is not happening in your case? when you are driving, and the light is stuck in right position, the light does not shut off when you come to a stop at stop sign or traffic light? and, if you had the fog lights off, the fog light does not come on automatically, does it?...

If the xenon light remains on, the fog light is not coming on, it indicates that the vertical stepping motor is working fine (no blinding of the oncoming traffic)...
Since the headlight is not returning to the "park" position, it might be the stepper motor for horisontal adjustment is malfunctioning...

This brings us back to the mechanical issue...

There are several possible issues with the mechanical malfunction:

1. the stepper motor is defective - replace motor
2. the gears are disengaged, and need to be re-engaged - it could be that the manual adjustment of the headlight is adjusted outside of the mechanical limits of reach of the motor gears, like someone turned the adjustment knob too far and the gear fell off the worm drive
3. the gears outside of the moter are actually broken, and will need to be replaced - chances are, the headlight would ned to be opened in order to fix/replace the worm drive and the gears...

To get started on this, the headlight will need to come off the car...

do you know how to do this?

Yes, you are correct. The Xenon light stays on and stuck in the "right" position. Fog lights do not come on automatically.

No, I do not know how to take the headlight off the car.

[Ricky Bobby]

so the stepper motors only control up/down functions, not left right? am i reading this right?

And there is an AHL module which controls the lights correct? If chris can put his ears to the headlight and hear if there is any clicking or stripping of teeth in the motor that would help. If he hears nothing we may have a module problem?

[TerminatorX5]

I asked for help from X5SND, he had installed AE into the facelifted headlights, and knows how to remove the headlight and what is inside those headlights...

Let hope that he will answer the call...

The original thread for his AE retrofit is here: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...you-say-7.html

[Ricky Bobby]

Chris,

do you have headlight washers? I think for facelift cars you need to drop the front bumper to remove the headlights but I could be wrong, start wrenching!

TX5, do you think if Chris pops the hood and looks behind his headlight and maybe pops the back covers off he could see if there are 1 or two motors controlling the up/down and left/right functions? and maybe he could see/hear their operation better if the back panels are off (assuming he doesnt know how to take the front bumper/headlights off)?

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Chris,

do you have headlight washers? I think for facelift cars you need to drop the front bumper to remove the headlights but I could be wrong, start wrenching!

TX5, do you think if Chris pops the hood and looks behind his headlight and maybe pops the back covers off he could see if there are 1 or two motors controlling the up/down and left/right functions? and maybe he could see/hear their operation better if the back panels are off (assuming he doesnt know how to take the front bumper/headlights off)?

in EU cars with xenons must have headlight washers and manual or automatic level adjustment (vertical control), so chances are, he has the washer nozzles...

On mine, the access to the back of the headlight is very limited, the left one is almost impossible to stick a hand in, the right one is a bit better but still, very tight...

For the purpose of just looking/listening, maybe it would be sufficient but for the actual repair/replace - the light needs to be out, otherwise, in addition to bloody knuckles he will end up with half of his toolbox dropped into the engine bay!!!.. lol...

[chrissoto312]

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

in EU cars with xenons must have headlight washers and manual or automatic level adjustment (vertical control), so chances are, he has the washer nozzles...

On mine, the access to the back of the headlight is very limited, the left one is almost impossible to stick a hand in, the right one is a bit better but still, very tight...

For the purpose of just looking/listening, maybe it would be sufficient but for the actual repair/replace - the light needs to be out, otherwise, in addition to bloody knuckles he will end up with half of his toolbox dropped into the engine bay!!!.. lol...

LOL, No, I don't have the washer nozzles on my model.

I can access the back of my headlight easily. I know how after replacing the factory HID's back when I first bought it.

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by chrissoto312

LOL, No, I don't have the washer nozzles on my model.

I can access the back of my headlight easily. I know how after replacing the factory HID's back when I first bought it.

no headlight washers, ehh..? interesting... what are the last 7 of your VIN?


you might be able to pull the headlight out without dropping the front bumper - I have not done that on the facelifted E53s, so I don't want to tell you something that I am not familiar with first hand... technically speaking, there should not be any big issues, you remove 4 screws holding the headlight to the body, pull the headlight out, disconnect the wires and voila!!, you got the light in your hands... but... as the expericence has shown, things are not that easy half of the times... you should mark the position of the screws, so when you reinstall the lights, you will have minimal adjustment needed to be done... there might be some grounding wires that might need to be disconnected... I wish X5SND had come across this and the other thread - he should know the internal guts of these lights...