[Labeef]

I don't think Mazda is pushing the envelope on performance and technology, so it's unfair to compare the two.

Take it to the dealer and have it repaired under warranty. Might be the last problem you ever have or the start of a lemon law, you never really know with any car. Go to any car forum and you will find a concentration of people with issues looking for a solution, it's not always a fair representation of the brands quality.

[RoundelM3]

My $.02: With any mass-produced car, some are going to have issues and others not. Zero problems with headlights on all 4 of my BMWs (3 of which had self-leveling) since 2001 and both of my wife's. My 2013 335i M-Sport had the aux cooling fan fail twice, but it never stranded me anywhere. The 128i Convertible my wife drives had a manifold sensor fail and it was replaced under warranty, as was the battery when it failed after 3 years. Any dealership that tells you it won't honor a warranty item because you supposedly caused the damage needs to be reported to BMW NA. I suspect if you opened a case with them, they'd refund whatever the dealer charged you. I'd also consider another dealer, especially for a future car purchase.

[Thumper333]

Originally Posted by Rocklobster

Easy on the assumptions cowboy. She only had to drive into work once in the dark with the system failed. At that point she didn't have a choice. It was highbeams, or call in sick. We promptly took it to the dealer after that. I just found it a little silly that a simple bolt failed...and when you spend new BMW money on a car. I guess my other (and maybe my main) beef is the fact there is no fail safe mode/option to put it in mid-position automatically or manually. It fails and automatically goes into "Truffle-Hunting Mode" to quote C&D.

Well, listen here pardner..... LOL

To be fair, the system didn't "fail", a physical bolt broke, which caused the level sensor to send a correct, but inaccurate signal. How would you set up a 'fail safe'? Tell the system anytime it reads a signal to far out of normal to ignore it? Then what happens when that signal is correct for the conditions of the car and road? Or maybe wire a sensor to the bolt to see when it breaks and then ignore it? LOL Seems a bit complex and expensive.

a manual dial could work, I know of a couple cars (usually trucks though) that used to have something like that before they went to the automatic method.

I think however that when you start putting little dials in to do things manually in expensive cars, you start to get threads like "Why do I have to adjust my headlights manually, this is a $50k+ car!!!" LMAO

Originally Posted by Rocklobster

Imagine driving across nebraska or montana in the middle of the night and the system fails. Not a lot of BMW dealerships in your vicinity...a manual dial would make the car quite safe until you got to a dealership.

Road side assistance is open 24/7, but more to the point, if you are in Montana in the middle of the night it's doubtful that high beams are going to bother a bunch of people.

I agree that it's an annoyance and it causes issues, but I think claiming the car is a death trap and can not be driven for any distance is a bit over anxious. No, you can't go 75mph on the freeway with the lights out of whack, but using a slower speed and the high beams when no one is around is a reasonable fix temporarily.

Good lord man, do you think people just flat out DIED on Rte 66 in the 50s if a headlight went out? They didn't have cell phones or anything.


I mean, where does it stop? I think run flats are unsafe..............because I can only go 50 miles on a puncture....what if I am 70 miles from town? What if all four tires blow? I means, these things are rolling deathtraps with all the stuff that goes wrong.

I'm mostly ruffling your feathers, but the overall point is accurate.

[obriennathaniel]

funny story, I installed coilovers on mine and snapped the actual plastic arm in half lol I then super glued it back together and a year later its still holding strong! no problem with the bolt either (ive taken that bolt in and out a few times and never had any problems with it)

[Bols]

Originally Posted by Rocklobster

Easy on the assumptions cowboy. She only had to drive into work once in the dark with the system failed. At that point she didn't have a choice. It was highbeams, or call in sick. We promptly took it to the dealer after that. I just found it a little silly that a simple bolt failed...and when you spend new BMW money on a car. I guess my other (and maybe my main) beef is the fact there is no fail safe mode/option to put it in mid-position automatically or manually. It fails and automatically goes into "Truffle-Hunting Mode" to quote C&D. Imagine driving across nebraska or montana in the middle of the night and the system fails. Not a lot of BMW dealerships in your vicinity...a manual dial would make the car quite safe until you got to a dealership.

So far my M4 has had zero issues so it's balanced out...though if you asked my wife she might not feel the same She's had a hand full of issues.

Lolled @ truffle hunting mode.. It's trying to earn itself back!

Yeah unfortunately these things can happen we've had bimmers in the family for as long as I can remember and some had small issues with lights or air suspension but others like my previous E90 never had one.. hope my F36 follows suit! Just luck of the draw unfortunately, all you can hope for is an honest and interested dealership!

[Rocklobster]

Originally Posted by Thumper333

Well, listen here pardner..... LOL

To be fair, the system didn't "fail", a physical bolt broke, which caused the level sensor to send a correct, but inaccurate signal. How would you set up a 'fail safe'? Tell the system anytime it reads a signal to far out of normal to ignore it? Then what happens when that signal is correct for the conditions of the car and road? Or maybe wire a sensor to the bolt to see when it breaks and then ignore it? LOL Seems a bit complex and expensive.

a manual dial could work, I know of a couple cars (usually trucks though) that used to have something like that before they went to the automatic method.

I agree that it's an annoyance and it causes issues, but I think claiming the car is a death trap and can not be driven for any distance is a bit over anxious. No, you can't go 75mph on the freeway with the lights out of whack, but using a slower speed and the high beams when no one is around is a reasonable fix temporarily.

Good lord man, do you think people just flat out DIED on Rte 66 in the 50s if a headlight went out? They didn't have cell phones or anything.

Well, if how often do both headlights burn out on a car at once. Usually you have that 2nd one to get you safely pretty much anywhere.

Also, I don't think i used the term "death trap".

I guess being the car has the computer interface that does so many other things i'd just have a little menu in the vehicle settings to override the system to manual and a little adjustment right in that menu to allow someone to manually move the headlight level up and down.

Again my old Mazdaspeed6 Had a manual adjustment dial right on the dash.

But alas 99% of folks would never know it was there (if in the computer menus) or be able find it, or end up useing it. Instead they would just call roadside assistance as you mentioned...i tend to solve my own problems, so i would have really been happy if we could have in this case.