E39 Headlight leveling

[Crazy Dave 0]

2001 E39

I do not often drive at night so have only just noticed this. A few months ago I noticed that the headlights (main and dip) were set way too low and so I adjusted them up to where they should be. A month or so later on a rare night drive I noticed that they were too high so I wound them down again. Tonight I have noticed (you guessed it) that headlights are too low again.

I know that there is an auto leveling circuit and I suspect this is playing up. Does anyone have any ideas on what may be at fault or where I should look?

[BM WORLD 1258]

most likly broken adjuster rods inside the lights.

if you can grab the bulb holders at the back and move them up and down freely then they are stuffed,

and the inner reflector lens is just floating up and down by itself.

[allan 295]

Hi Dave

As Brent as mentioned broken headlight adjusters a common problem with the e39, old age catching up :

The auto levelling set up I thought was fitted to the Xenon lights only? works off suspension movement through a sensor to the self levelling motors on the headlights. Their is a manual height adjusting switch on the right side of the dash, from memory the more common method to lower the headlight beam when you have the car loaded up. Is your a face lift or pre face as both can be opened up and the adjuster replaced although the face lift type are a bit more of a pain in the rear. Hope you get to the bottom of this and it is an ease to fix.

[dereklau007 1]

Hi Dave,

As the other guys have pointed out it would be the adjusters in the headlights. When I purchased mine I had them fixed by the car yard. My headlights are the facelift version with xenons so you couldn't just unclip the lens cover like the pre-facelift versions.

Glenn from Botany Motorworx was able to get me in touch with someone that actually fixes these as a hobby. I think someone else on the forum also got this person to fix theirs.

I'd give Glenn a PM or a call as he does have the contact.

All the best and hopefully you will get it sorted.

Cheers,

Derek

[Crazy Dave 0]

Thanks guys, Brent was spot on with the diagnosis (lifting the back of the electrical connection sockets causes both lamp units to wobble around)

And sounds like the rest of you have a good understanding of the issues.

So mine is a jap import. From memory, manufactured in Sept 01. I think that makes it facelift but it has the Xenons with LED angel eyes if that nails it down.

So I am an engineer and like to consider myself reasonably practical at fixing or making things, but I'm not sure how to get these lamps apart. I suspect like everything BMW, there will be a short fast easy less obvious way and also a long slow painful way where bits get broken.

Any directions on the fast easy less obvious way would be appreciated.

I do have to say though, that having discovered German automotive engineering just over a year ago, I do love this car, and am happy to put up with a few little niggles like this. I assume that these adjuster rods are made from the same plastic as the cup holders (mine have not broken yet) and the seat side switch units

Cheers Dave

[hotwire 352]

Dave, yours is F/L in that case. Can't say I have dismantled a F/L lamp though - only the pre as I had to replace mine a few years ago.

[Allanw 1051]

Leave them is the sun, out of the car, until the glue heats up, so you can get the fronts off. There's a bit of work involved.

I've just got a set of brand new genuine Hella xenons on the way - if you want brand new complete units, they're about NZ$1400, but they come with the ballasts etc, which you already have (I only know of one set at that price though). A brand new set of Halogens is now about $800 plus courier.

Prolly worth repairing if they're in otherwise good condition.

[allan 295]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the e39 world have a search on the net their is a write up on how to do this. The following is what I did after reading his write up he stated you DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. Remove headlight from car and strip all the rubber bits, vent tubes, bulbs every thing off them. You can us the sun if shinning, heat gun or a oven heated to around 60 degrees C give or take a few. Place the headlight unit in the oven and leave it for 5 minutes this softens up the adhesive that seals the outer lense etc. Remove from oven and slowly begin to prize off the outer lense and undo the odd retaining clip as you work your way around it, real sticky stuff. Once you have the lense and inner cover off you will be able to see what is happening. Remove the inner lense/ reflector etc and you will see how the adjusters are attached. Before you reassemble things slide the new adjusters into position and wind the adjuster screw into them to cut a new thread lub if need be. Then unwind them and secure to the headlight relectors, re locate in the correct place and attach the adjuster screw to the adjuster, take note of the adjusters I think they are different sizes. When you come to reassemble the inner cover and lense you will need to make sure the adhesive is warm and sticky so it can reseal again. All the vent holes and channels need to be clean once assembled fit the headlights to the car and have them adjusted correctly. Bets of luck if you have a go at this yourself.

Allan

[Jo Blogs 11]

Hi Dave,

Welcome to the e39 world have a search on the net their is a write up on how to do this. The following is what I did after reading his write up he stated you DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. Remove headlight from car and strip all the rubber bits, vent tubes, bulbs every thing off them. You can us the sun if shinning, heat gun or a oven heated to around 60 degrees C give or take a few. Place the headlight unit in the oven and leave it for 5 minutes this softens up the adhesive that seals the outer lense etc. Remove from oven and slowly begin to prize off the outer lense and undo the odd retaining clip as you work your way around it, real sticky stuff. Once you have the lense and inner cover off you will be able to see what is happening. Remove the inner lense/ reflector etc and you will see how the adjusters are attached. Before you reassemble things slide the new adjusters into position and wind the adjuster screw into them to cut a new thread lub if need be. Then unwind them and secure to the headlight relectors, re locate in the correct place and attach the adjuster screw to the adjuster, take note of the adjusters I think they are different sizes. When you come to reassemble the inner cover and lense you will need to make sure the adhesive is warm and sticky so it can reseal again. All the vent holes and channels need to be clean once assembled fit the headlights to the car and have them adjusted correctly. Bets of luck if you have a go at this yourself.

Allan

Thanks,

Have been meaning to do my vehicle for some time now,

Both have Poor light output. Mine has Xenons

[justinsoong 0]

Hi,

Looks like my left hand headlight adjusters are stuffed as well, which is average, and the only thing stopping me from getting a wof.

I contemplating doing the adjuster fix DIY, vs finding a 2nd light to replace it. Did anyone else do the DIY adjuster replacements, how did the process go?

Cheers

[Allanw 1051]

There is a topic somewhere on a US forum, explaing how to do it without removing the lenses from the lights. Sounds like it takes longer, but they stay sealed at elast.

[hotwire 352]

Hi,

Looks like my left hand headlight adjusters are stuffed as well, which is average, and the only thing stopping me from getting a wof.

I contemplating doing the adjuster fix DIY, vs finding a 2nd light to replace it. Did anyone else do the DIY adjuster replacements, how did the process go?

Cheers

Simple to do in PFL, if a 98 car as you say. Simply remove & dimantle/unclip the lamp (about 5 mins)

Get replacement adjusters from the dealers. If you are doing one - you may as well do both sides

[jcerecke 2]

I've fixed my sealed lights. Both sides needed doing. Not a hard job, just annoyingly long. Didn't help that my oven was too small to fit the lights in, ended up using my flatmate's hair dryer haha. I'm happy to help you out Dave if you like. Also since you're an engineer, you might want to check this out. I didn't bother fabricating my own, just got a new set from BMParts. He had em in stock too.

[Crazy Dave 0]

I've fixed my sealed lights. Both sides needed doing. Not a hard job, just annoyingly long. Didn't help that my oven was too small to fit the lights in, ended up using my flatmate's hair dryer haha. I'm happy to help you out Dave if you like. Also since you're an engineer, you might want to check this out. I didn't bother fabricating my own, just got a new set from BMParts. He had em in stock too.

Thanks for the offer of help - Wouldn't a chat to just talk it through - I will PM you

So I pulled the left hand lamp out this weekend. Stripped it down and into the oven for 10 minutes at 60 degrees. Then a reasonable amount of levering but could not get the lens to part with the main body. I did not want to break anything so I stuck it all back together to await a rethink.

Hence the reason for a chat :-)

I did disconnect the adjuster motor drive cables to stop the lamps being driven up and down