2005 x5 Headlights Turn off while stopped
 

Hi all, i have a problem wih my 2005 bmw x5 headlights. Just recently, they were turning off when stopped in traffic, and turned back on when moving. When i got home, they would not turn on at all after. Only the angel eyes and rear lights turn on. I've tried turning on and off with switch, no difference. I did a search but no definite answer. Is it The light control module on passenger side?

Thanks

Update, got in the car this morning and turned lights on, they worked. something definitely going on last night and after the car sat they worked.

That's a weird one for sure!

2005 x5 Headlights Turn off while stopped
 

Do you have a 2nd level scanner that will scan all modules?

A prime suspect is the ignition switch. The car will turn off the headlights when you turn from 2 to 1 position. Not sure how the car would stay running unless there are parallel circuits. I would do some fiddling with the key switch in the on position and see if you can get the lights to blink out also see if the fog lights will run if the low beams don't.

If there was a momentary loss of power to "T15" or whatever BMW calls the power from position 2 (on position) it would give you the symptom you described you could try it. Turn the key from 2 to 1 to 2 quick as you can I'm betting engine stays running and headlights will go out. The difference is I think you said the lights didn't come back on when you turned the switch off and on but it wouldn't surprise me if you had to turn the key to zero position to reset the light control module

Which headlights and/or model is your 2005 X5?

More than likely you have the adaptive bi-xenon headlights...but we can't tell with the info you've left us.

The adaptive bi-xenon headlights also have the automatic feature as well. What position is your headlight switch? If in the "A" mode position (turned to the left)...then you may be having an issue with either the xenon control module (#1) or the ALC (adaptive light control) module (#5) (see diagram below of adaptive bi-xenon headlight).


As mentioned in my reply in the thread on the other forum...the e53's adaptive bi-xenon headlamps have a foot in both the old gen communication bus...but the new gen BMW option/features...and that you will find that these modules that control the adaptive bi-xenon headlights are only found on other new gen bmws like the e60/e63/e64/e65/e66/e83/etc.

You may be able to find some old e53 threads where the ALC module has flaked out and caused problems like you've mentioned (I hope I'm using the correct abbreviation for #5):

So i have the adaptive headlights. The switch was in the normal mode and this has never happened before. From some really old posts about 8 years ago, one person had the same problem and dealer replaced the light and check control module, passenger side. I haven't seen the same set or circumstances in any other posts so i'm thinking this is the part to concentrate on.

Thread bump....
Had this exact same issue this evening.
Lights on, stopped at traffic lights and I noticed them turn off. Started to move and they came back on again. This happened a few times, and then it was all fine..
Weird..
Was there ever a root cause identified for this? I have the xenon lights.

Not saying this is your issue, but it's worth investigating.


The headlights on my Toyota Sequoia did that two me a couple of times and I realized it was the overhead street lights that were shutting them off. I used the "auto" feature for the headlights and this particular intersection was a 5 way so there were a bunch of street lights on top of each other and it was bright enough that if I sat at that light for more than a few seconds the headlights would shut off. As soon as I got through the intersection and back on to the darker road, they popped right back on.


As a quick test, try turning the headlights to "on", not using auto and see if it happens again.

Ah... should have mentioned that I tried the selector switch to the ON position and had the same issue.

This just happened to me today, Anyone have an Idea about what is going on?

Mine ended up with an Alternator replacement after it totally failed half way up the M4!
In the weeks up to the failure, headlights would randomly go off.

Might be worth getting your alternator checked.

Thanks, that is good information. I will have it checked out.

I am late to this party and wonder if anyone can update the group on your causes/solution...

My 2006 X5 MT with 138K miles with H7 halogen low beam bulbs.

- At red light (behind another car), 6:30AM and was dark, HL switch in "Auto".
The low-beam lights turned off by themselves, then when I drove, they turned back
on.

- Arrived at work and parked in underground parking lot, when I stopped the car
(engine running), the low-beam lights turned off again. I left the engine running and turned the HL switch to "On": no change, the low-beam lights are still off.

- After a day at work, during trip going home, it was no problem.

- I understand intermittent problems are difficult to diagnose.

But any suggestions?

For me it was caused by the alternator. Only a few days after these symptoms the alternator failed completely.
Replaced it and the fault never reappeared.