Help... adaptive headlight issues...

mike3000fl · 03-10-2010, 09:01 PM

My adaptive headlights arent working right.

The right headlight does as it should and turns right and left with the steering wheel.

The left headlight turns OPPOSITE of what the steering wheel tells it. I turn left and it goes right, and vice versa.

Is this something as simple as an upside down connector or is the lens module inside the headlight in the upside down? Any ideas at all.

Car is out of warranty so dealer is last resort.

mike3000fl · 03-11-2010, 09:18 AM

does anyone know what kind of connectors go to the headlights? is it possible to mix one up? my left light definitely does the opposite of what it is supposed to do. no error codes, no blinking green light on switch. its reversed somehow.

mds82 · 03-11-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

does anyone know what kind of connectors go to the headlights? is it possible to mix one up? my left light definitely does the opposite of what it is supposed to do. no error codes, no blinking green light on switch. its reversed somehow.

there is only 1 way to attach the connector to the headlight.

did you recently do any work to the headlights?

mike3000fl · 03-11-2010, 11:09 AM

had a wreck, dealer replaced headlight but i guess it doesnt come with the module so they reused it, right now i suspect its wired backwards because the light turns opposite of what it is supposed to.

i know the main headlight connector goes one way but wires going to and coming from the adaptive headlight module must be wrong or something. anyone dealt with the adaptive headlight module, can it be wired wrong? easy to access from back panel of headlight or do you have to open her up.

mds82 · 03-11-2010, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike3000fl

had a wreck, dealer replaced headlight but i guess it doesnt come with the module so they reused it, right now i suspect its wired backwards because the light turns opposite of what it is supposed to.

i know the main headlight connector goes one way but wires going to and coming from the adaptive headlight module must be wrong or something. anyone dealt with the adaptive headlight module, can it be wired wrong? easy to access from back panel of headlight or do you have to open her up.

if the dealer replaced it, have they look at it

well the adaptive system is a motor that pushed in/out to turn the headlight. I dont really understand how that could be backwards, unless they attached the wire wrong to the motor.

if you take the back cover off of the headlight you will set a lot of wires, there are 2 motors in the headlight, one that control up/down, one that controls left/right. you can see if any of the wires to those motors appears to be backwards.

you will need to remove the wheel, remove the wheel well and get in from there. I would check with the dealer first still

mike3000fl · 03-11-2010, 11:19 AM

this is good news, so you are saying i dont really have to take apart the light, just get access to the rear of it and pop the cover off and take a peek at the wiring, hoping its a small connector that can be wired backwards accidentally.

reason i dont wanna go to the dealer is cause they did this last year in 2008 before i went to iraq for a year. just now noticed it. i heard the parts they put in have a 2 year warranty, if its not a simple fix ill hassle them about the 2 year deal.

everything indicates its just working inverted, theres no errors codes, no issues with the SLZ steering sensor, green light on headlight switch works, it just turns left instead of right and right instead of left.

thanks.

exclusivo · 03-12-2010, 05:23 PM

would bmw really wire up your lights internals? i dont think so, that just sounds cheap. they probably reused the old modules, which is just a small square unit, that is screwed into the headlight housing, that is likely the issue. if they gave you new headlights, the internal wires would already be wired up, only the module needs to be connected. it is possible the module is defective. or maybe they used the left module on the right headlight, and vice verse; but im not sure if the modules are interchangeable or not. i would try switching the modules before going in there and messing with wiring.

mike3000fl · 03-12-2010, 05:50 PM

yea i agree, the dealer didnt wire the internals up but i was thinking they reused the adaptive module that bolts to it and was hoping i would just find a backwards connector in there somewhere. (not the main connector, the mini one going from adaptive module to motors.) i think when you order the headlight assembly the adaptive module is a seperate part that has to get connected up.

anyhow i took off the front bumper, removed both headlights, compared wiring inside left to right and they match, nothing looked out of place. used a multimeter and switched some of the pinouts around to reverse voltage going to the left and right motor to trick it into acting opposite, didnt do anything though.

so yea now im thinking the adaptive module probably needs to be coded correctly, not sure if there are actual left and right modules or a single one that gets coded.

mike3000fl · 03-23-2010, 03:04 PM

Problem fixed itself. Had a airbag light for a failed OC3 seat sensor. Dealer replaced under warranty, headlight works correctly now. Go figure.

03-10-2010, 09:01 PM	#1
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	Help... adaptive headlight issues... My adaptive headlights arent working right. The right headlight does as it should and turns right and left with the steering wheel. The left headlight turns OPPOSITE of what the steering wheel tells it. I turn left and it goes right, and vice versa. Is this something as simple as an upside down connector or is the lens module inside the headlight in the upside down? Any ideas at all. Car is out of warranty so dealer is last resort.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

03-11-2010, 09:18 AM	#2
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	does anyone know what kind of connectors go to the headlights? is it possible to mix one up? my left light definitely does the opposite of what it is supposed to do. no error codes, no blinking green light on switch. its reversed somehow.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-11-2010, 11:09 AM	#4
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	had a wreck, dealer replaced headlight but i guess it doesnt come with the module so they reused it, right now i suspect its wired backwards because the light turns opposite of what it is supposed to. i know the main headlight connector goes one way but wires going to and coming from the adaptive headlight module must be wrong or something. anyone dealt with the adaptive headlight module, can it be wired wrong? easy to access from back panel of headlight or do you have to open her up.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-11-2010, 11:19 AM	#6
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	this is good news, so you are saying i dont really have to take apart the light, just get access to the rear of it and pop the cover off and take a peek at the wiring, hoping its a small connector that can be wired backwards accidentally. reason i dont wanna go to the dealer is cause they did this last year in 2008 before i went to iraq for a year. just now noticed it. i heard the parts they put in have a 2 year warranty, if its not a simple fix ill hassle them about the 2 year deal. everything indicates its just working inverted, theres no errors codes, no issues with the SLZ steering sensor, green light on headlight switch works, it just turns left instead of right and right instead of left. thanks.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-12-2010, 05:23 PM	#7
exclusivo Lieutenant Colonel 126 Rep 1,893 Posts Drives: race car Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: queens, ny iTrader: (11)	would bmw really wire up your lights internals? i dont think so, that just sounds cheap. they probably reused the old modules, which is just a small square unit, that is screwed into the headlight housing, that is likely the issue. if they gave you new headlights, the internal wires would already be wired up, only the module needs to be connected. it is possible the module is defective. or maybe they used the left module on the right headlight, and vice verse; but im not sure if the modules are interchangeable or not. i would try switching the modules before going in there and messing with wiring. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-12-2010, 05:50 PM	#8
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	yea i agree, the dealer didnt wire the internals up but i was thinking they reused the adaptive module that bolts to it and was hoping i would just find a backwards connector in there somewhere. (not the main connector, the mini one going from adaptive module to motors.) i think when you order the headlight assembly the adaptive module is a seperate part that has to get connected up. anyhow i took off the front bumper, removed both headlights, compared wiring inside left to right and they match, nothing looked out of place. used a multimeter and switched some of the pinouts around to reverse voltage going to the left and right motor to trick it into acting opposite, didnt do anything though. so yea now im thinking the adaptive module probably needs to be coded correctly, not sure if there are actual left and right modules or a single one that gets coded.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-23-2010, 03:04 PM	#9
mike3000fl Banned 138 Rep 2,731 Posts Drives: 06 330i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tampa iTrader: (0)	Problem fixed itself. Had a airbag light for a failed OC3 seat sensor. Dealer replaced under warranty, headlight works correctly now. Go figure.
	Appreciate 0 Quote