More Headlight Issues (WTF!?)

[mLuMaN83]

Take a look at this! What is going on!? And PS.. I just realized my AE's wont fit with this. This is so weird! Are the insides adjustable or something?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwDyGbuA1wM

[Hermes]

your lens should be easy to take off, maybe just open up your housing and see if it's not attached properly?

[ryankokesh]

I think there's turny things (knobs if you will) to adjust what you're describing. I'm guessing someone else could confirm this for you (or tell you that I'm wrong).

[Hermes]

I think there's turny things (knobs if you will) to adjust what you're describing. I'm guessing someone else could confirm this for you (or tell you that I'm wrong).

Sounds like a possibility. The adjustment knobs are one for vertical and the other for horizontal, that might solve the issue. Have you noticed that the lights are not pointing correctly at night?

[Hornung418]

Hahaha...

Don't be so concerned about the high beam bowls. Just have your Xenons properly leveled and you'll be fine. Pop your hood and check to see if you have Auto-Leveling, if you do there's a good possibility that it could have failed and misaligned the headlights.

[Meric]

Try at night and make sure your lights go down and up when you turn on your car. Maybe auto-level system is not working properly.

[mLuMaN83]

My auto leveling on the driver side does not work correctly. I know that for sure. But would that cause the whole thing to sit a half inch or so forward? I know they go up and down but both high beam and projector look to be sitting closer to the lens than the other side. The beauty trim on the drivers side is against the high beam bowl. Passenger side has a space between.

The driver side leveling moves just a tiny bit on start up as the right side goes down and up. Does the auto leveling have horizontal movement? As I understand the auto leveling only moves up or down.

[Hornung418]

You should pull the auto leveling plugs and manually level your lights until you can repair the servo in the broken housing.

[mLuMaN83]

I pulled the headlights apart and put the bowls back in 7 times. I dont know what else to do. The bowls dont go back as far as they should.

[mLuMaN83]

They are totally screwed now. They wont go back together correctly and light output all messed up. I'm gonna buy another driver side headlight. This is ridiculous. No way I'm gonna take it to BMW. They're gonna want well over what it would cost to just replace it with another used one. I'll just pop on my new lens and painted beauty trim, and be done with it!!

[Hornung418]

Are you sure the bottom clip is snapped in on both sides?

[mLuMaN83]

Are you sure the bottom clip is snapped in on both sides?

Which clip are you referring to? The bowls dont have any clips. They just have an adjustment screw and a little circular coupling on the side, and the adjustment arm/plastic clip. Nothing else.

[Hornung418]

Please refer to this thread:

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?6544-Reattaching-Headlight-Leveling-Screws

I'm talking about the level arm bracket. If it's not attached then it wouldn't function properly and cause the driver side to sit further forward.

I think you are over reacting to the situation. Just take a few breaths and sit down on the floor with one light in your lap and just take it apart. Put it together like I mentioned in the thread above.

[mLuMaN83]

Please refer to this thread:

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?6544-Reattaching-Headlight-Leveling-Screws

I'm talking about the level arm bracket. If it's not attached then it wouldn't function properly and cause the driver side to sit further forward.

I think you are over reacting to the situation. Just take a few breaths and sit down on the floor with one light in your lap and just take it apart. Put it together like I mentioned in the thread above.

Ive been patiently working with it for hours. I took it apart and put it back together prolly 7 or 8 times. It's just not right and I dont have anything to compare it to. I have put it back together the best I can. Dont have the slightest idea what else to do. It was messed up before I even took it apart and auto leveling seemed "jamed up" as well. I would rather not buy a new headlight but I dont have any clu whats wrong with it or how to fix it and BMW is gonna charge me a crazy price most likely. Just fed up with it and something is definitely wrong with it. I'm usually pretty handy but this really got my panties in a wad!

[iZHP]

+1 to the silver auto leveling arm.
Make sure the ball at the end of the arm is snapped in place when re-installing the light.
It sounds like the leveling motor is still attempting to work. I wouldn't buy a new headlight.

[mLuMaN83]

I'm going to give this another go today and I am going to take a bunch of pictures and show you what I have. I really dont want to take my working headlight apart to compare and potentially have the same issue.

[Hornung418]

Okay here's what it is.

Your headlights are out of alignment. You need to put them together and disconnect your auto-leveling plug (It's between the two bowls) then level them properly. The way the auto-leveling system works is by pushing or pulling the lights at the bottom to either raise or lower the low beams so they are at the prescribed height. This would explain why your bowls are so close to the inner trim. Turn your lights on and see if they are still in the same position.

I'm willing to bet that your lights are so far out of proper alignment that they have to radically adjust to become leveled.

[mLuMaN83]

Still the same situtation. They dont seem to be sitting into the housing properly. I dont think the leveling arm clip would have anything to do with this. Disconnecting the auto leveling doesnt do anything. The bowls still dont go back in correctly.

Here is a video of the whole situation.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBAOouqde7A

[Hornung418]

Bro...you have a broken clip. :facepalm

Try pushing the bowl in and it will probably shift back a little bit.

Have you attempted to repair the passenger light? Because that big of a gap isn't normal either.

Again...you have a broken piece. Fix that part first.

Courtesy of Gingerbread...

[mLuMaN83]

I'll order the repair kit from ECS and start there I guess. I called BMW and they said they dont have any internal headlight parts available. They said they would just replace the whole headlight.

I'm gonna order this kit with the clips and if that doesnt work, I'm getting another headlight. I also noticed that in the kit from ECS - http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330Ci-M54_3.0L/Lighting/Headlights/Repair_Kits/ES172708/ it says that this kit only repairs one headlight but I see 2 of those little white clips. I only have one located on the end of the leveling arm.

I did also try to push it in a little more and it worked a tiny bit and made a pop but did not totally fix it. I dont wanna press too hard on it and damage something else.

[Hornung418]

Are you sure you fully engaged the clip? You can take off the black trim piece that way you will know when they snap in all the way.

Courtesy of Gingerbread...

[mLuMaN83]

Do you mean the leveling arm clip? If so then yes. I also tried putting them together wthout the clip to see if the clip was jamming them to sit too far forward and they still did not seat right. Is there another clip somewhere?

[danewilson77]

Moved to "Lighting"

[Hornung418]

Take both lights apart. Measure the leveling arm in mm. Compare between the two. I still think that this is not a huge issue. As long as your lights are aimed properly, what's to worry about?

Courtesy of Gingerbread...

[mLuMaN83]

Take both lights apart. Measure the leveling arm in mm. Compare between the two. I still think that this is not a huge issue. As long as your lights are aimed properly, what's to worry about?

Courtesy of Gingerbread...

Wont be able to use my AE's and the high beam bowl is pressed with decent pressure up against the beauty trim when it is aimed correctly. I was thinking what you are thinking as well. That maybe the arm is out too far not allowing the bowls to move all the way in. But again, not sure how it could come "out farther". Plus I tested the arm and it worked properly as far as I know. Out and in. I'm gonna measure them when my AE's get in the mail I'll do that while I am in there.