Self-levelling headlamps

[SirRustalot]

I'm sure the answer is already on the forum but I do like a shortcut.

Driving home from a band rehearsal last night and my headlamps - these are the HID Xenon technology top-end jobs - were pointing to the ground. This gave me roughly five or so meters of forward lighting which is a bit frightening on the motorway in pitch dark. Great view of the approaching tarmac, though, and stagestruck rabbits up ahead were readying their hats and canes.

Also, unrelated, my cruise control has stopped working. Fuses all okay.

Could this be the fabled 'actuating arm in inverted position' thingy?

[KWIL]

Quick look under will answer that one:}

[T-Cut]

This is the right and wrong of it.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y191/waveguide/Lamps_Lights_Stuff/HID_Level_Sensor.jpg

TC

[J1MBO]

What can happen is that the ball joint lubrication dries out with this result

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/58024ed7e54026cca.jpg

a bent and inverted arm.

The ball joints can be lubricated and the arms straightened but replacements are available new from BMW under part number 37146752797, don't know what the current price is but it was less than £5 each in 2011 when I bought a couple.

[DMGRS]

Ouch, thankfully I've not seen one do that yet! :eek:

[Ched]

If your levelling sensors are ok you could try this Brian, with the drivers door open stand by the side of the car and turn the ignition on, you should be able to hear the motors do their little jiggle, if you dont turn the ignition off and turn your headlamp switch on,again you should hear the motors,if you dont hear the motors move when you turn the ignition on then like my car it's a faulty Lsm.
So the only way to make sure they're at the correct height is to turn the ignition on but don't start then turn your headlamps on,let them do their jiggle the start the engine.:shrug: :}

[SirRustalot]

Just checked. My sensor arm looks exactly like the pic above!! (i.e buckled and bent)

[VMax1000]

Just checked. My sensor arm looks exactly like the pic above!! (i.e buckled and bent)

New arm available from BMW. Part no. 37146752797

Courtesy of T16.

post here http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=99178

[HarryM1BYT]

Just checked. My sensor arm looks exactly like the pic above!! (i.e buckled and bent)

Boiling water will help in straightening. Clean the rust off the balls (on the arm), then plenty of waterproof grease.

It also might be worth checking, that the weight on the drive shaft, cannot make contact with the arm forcing it the wrong way. Mine did, they original cause of the arm being bent - but it was easy to refit the one section of arm + ball joints, on the opposite side towards the rear, so it provided more clearance.

[klarzy]

I could suggest putting a neoprene sock over the joint once lubricated, should keep the grease in and the grime out....

[SirRustalot]

Thanks chaps. What I actually did was straighten it, place a small piece of straight metal neatly in the groove with Araldite, clamped it until set, and then placed a correspondingly correct length of plastic channelling on the outside, secured tightly with a cable tie. Looked like it came out of the factory. I also placed it on the outside, as suggested above, as it made more sense to me.

While the wheel was off, I brushed off the rust on the caliper and painted it Hammerite silver, concluding with all four wheels off, doing the same all round.

Ignore the wheel type. My Starspokes are away being refurbed.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f354/Richasfook/2014-07-19182014_zps6eb0905a.jpg (http://s51.photobucket.com/user/Richasfook/media/2014-07-19182014_zps6eb0905a.jpg.html)