M Roadster headlights not leveling...

[MakoBimmer1]

Just this past week Ive noticed my headlights doing strange things. The autolevel feature is really messed up! Every time I turn on the car, the headlights are in a different position. Tonight driving home, the drivers side headlight was aimed high and the passenger side low. Yesterday, both headlights were aimed so low that I couldnt see very far in front of me while driving home late at night. I pulled up near the wall in the garage to see how they move when I turn the car on. They both just kinda flutter up and down and are just not working right....like they cant find the correct level?!? I noticed this issue first started when I was parked at an upward 40-45 degree incline in downtown Seattle. The lights went down to their extreme and kinda stayed there. Now they are acting super wacky.....

Anyone else have this happen?

[MakoBimmer1]

hmmmm.... I guess I am the only one with headlight issues. A trip to the service dept. is in order...

Tonight, they auto leveled when I started the car, but once I started going up and down hills in downtown Seattle, they took on a life of their own and pointed at all different levels. At rest with the car idling and lights on, they are in a constant state of movement like they cant find the correct level.... Hope this is an easy fix.

[Yal]

I remember a few posts from Z4um having to do with auto leveling not working right, but since I don't have them, I didn't pay much attention. Sorry.

[Dammmittt]

I don't drive mine at night very much...sorry bro. It sounds like a software issue tho. Gotta upgrade to the 07 service pack

[FloridaBoy]

Originally Posted by MakoBimmer1

Every time I turn on the car, the headlights are in a different position. Tonight driving home, the drivers side headlight was aimed high and the passenger side low.

For Xenons this is the opposite of normal. Driver's side should be a little lower.

Originally Posted by MakoBimmer1

Yesterday, both headlights were aimed so low that I couldnt see very far in front of me while driving home late at night.

For Xenons this MIGHT be normal. They do have a terribly short cut off into black at night. Of course if they are aiming 5 feet in front of your bumper then you have a problem.

Originally Posted by MakoBimmer1

I pulled up near the wall in the garage to see how they move when I turn the car on. They both just kinda flutter up and down and are just not working right....like they cant find the correct level?!?

This is not normal. Get ye to thine dealer.

[MakoBimmer1]

I have an appnt. for the service dept in 2 weeks. They tell me they have to take the headlight assemblies apart! Seems extreme for this issue.... If they mess them up, I guess I get all new ones...Seems like tehy could just hook up my car to their little computer thingy and tell whats wrong instead of going on a fishing expedition under my hood.

[GP20]

What are the odds that "both" headlights are malfunctioning all of a sudden? My guess is that it's not the headlight themselves, but the levelling sensors instead or maybe the headlight module which can be easily accessed in the cabin. Taking the headlight assemblies apart doesn't seem like a logical first step to fix the problem, unless of course the dealer realizes that too but just wants to rip off BMWNA.

[MakoBimmer1]

Originally Posted by GP20

What are the odds that "both" headlights are malfunctioning all of a sudden? My guess is that it's not the headlight themselves, but the levelling sensors instead or maybe the headlight module which can be easily accessed in the cabin. .

THATS what Im thinking too. I mentioned that to the service rep and he still said its probably not. HOWEVER, I think I will trust the BMW mechanic over the service reps.... the mechanics tend to know more about the cars... Ive found from past experience.

[Rick Hunter]

Maybe Mako's excited about his new shoes and just can't hide it!

Hope everything works out in the end.

[MakoBimmer1]

update: Mako is currently in the shop having both headlights replaced! Seems extreme, but thats what the dealership is doing. Unfortunately the dealership is out of BMW loaners so guess what Im driving this week..... a Dodge 7 passenger mini-van!!! T H E... H O R R O R !!!!!

--Chad

[FloridaBoy]

LMAO--well, it will make you appreciate the Z4 more.
(or maybe you will take a liking to 48 cup holders and dump the Z4)

[Artz 330]

I had this problem. They had to strip out all the wiring and trouble shoot to the GM, they thought the K Bus was messed up Finally in the end it turned out water had gotten into the headlight connector and had corroded the harness. It was shorting out. After 3 weeks at the dealership and checking all the wiring and stripping out the car, a stupid little harness at the headlight was the issue. The water builds up from underneath the car and the brake cooling ducts thats how the problem started. But I had the same exact issue. One light was lower and the other would point up into the trees. I couldnt see the road at night. Before they do anything crazy tell them to check the headlight harness and make sure there is no shorting at these points.

Edit: too late did not read your headlights where being replaced. Mine were also and 2 weeks later I was back in the shop.

[MakoBimmer1]

Another update: After 3 glorious days of driving a 7 passenger Dodge Caravan, I got my car back! The dealer said they replaced both headlights. I get it home and check the level of the headlights in the garage.... they are not level and the drivers side headlight is slightly moving up and down like it cant find level again.... Either the dealership is fibbing about changing out both headlights or they didnt even bother to check if this corrected the problem! Im tempted to keep driving it like this until the good weather is over cause I really want to enjoy the car right now.... uuuughhh!!!!! So frustrating.... Too bad independent autoshops cant do the work for me. I would much rather take the car to a BMWCCA members shop than the dealer, but BMW will not cover warranty work I was told.

Will post updates as available...

[MakoBimmer1]

I feel Im being punished....for what I havent figured out yet. I am now in a '06 Hyundai Elantra as a rental car. uuughh...how do people drive these things??? It is absolutely aweful! Anyhoo....car is back in the shop for round 2 with the headlights.

[GP20]

Sorry to hear about that. :S Have you thought about going to Seattle BMW? I remember you saying that you weren't really impressed by their work. But at least at Seattle BMW, they either give you a E90, or rent you a Mercedes as a loaner car.

[Rick Hunter]

I don't get it... you'd figure that the place to go for nice loaners would be Bellevue. After all, it is a more affluent part of town. That's too bad to hear about your loaner woes, MakoBimmer1.

My last loaner at BMW Seattle was the X3.

[MakoBimmer1]

Originally Posted by GP20

Sorry to hear about that. :S Have you thought about going to Seattle BMW? I remember you saying that you weren't really impressed by their work. But at least at Seattle BMW, they either give you a E90, or rent you a Mercedes as a loaner car.

Originally Posted by Rick Hunter

I don't get it... you'd figure that the place to go for nice loaners would be Bellevue. After all, it is a more affluent part of town. That's too bad to hear about your loaner woes, MakoBimmer1.

My last loaner at BMW Seattle was the X3.

Problem is that BMW of Bellevue is booked months out in advance with their BMW loaners. I usually get one when I schedule my maintenance in advance. Emergency type situations get you a rental car from Enterprise.

BMW of Seattle would give me a loaner even though I didnt buy from them??? HMMMMMMM.... if thats the case, Im going there from now on!

--Chad

[MakoBimmer1]

FURTHER UPDATE: After a second set of new headlights, BMW finally figured out that they only needed to reprogram some modules in the car and now the headlights work perfect. They dont know what caused the malfunction to begin with. on the second set of new headlights, one headlight has a milky white film on the lowbeam lense, so they are going to replace it next week!

I am soooo glad this is over!

I now notice that my DRLs are actually brighter than my previous ones.... yeah!!!!

[Rick Hunter]

You should ask the dealer if you can keep the "faulty" headlights.

[TestShoot]

I hate to bump an old thread but i have the same issue. driver's side goes up and down at start up and then is aimed high. the passenger side does nothing and it is aimed low.

When I hit high beams, the driver's side almost signals aircraft and the passenger's side look almost usable.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by TestShoot

I hate to bump an old thread but i have the same issue. driver's side goes up and down at start up and then is aimed high. the passenger side does nothing and it is aimed low.

When I hit high beams, the driver's side almost signals aircraft and the passenger's side look almost usable.

Do you have access to scanning software? I's start there if possible.

[TestShoot]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Do you have access to scanning software? I's start there if possible.

which scanning software? i have an obdii reader but that is it