[Ennoch]

Okay, so there are a fair few threads on this particular 'common' problem on these but I haven't found any which really translate to the symptoms I've got. It's under warranty but the earliest the local garage can fit me in is the 20th August, and if I want a courtesy car then it's mid-october. Sooo, I'm therefore on the hunt for checks I can have a look at myself.

Symptoms:
- intermittent warning symbol on the dash that when it stays on for long enough to see in the fault log on iDrive is the 'headlight vertical aim control faulty' issue. It predominantly flashes up either when I have a load of stuff in the back and I'm going up a hill, or under hard acceleration.
- the low beam has noticeably dropped, with the OSF dropping more than the NSF relatively (I think, but perhaps I'm misremembering the beam pattern).
- High beam is seemingly unaltered, but the low beam flickers up and down by say 1-2ft at the side of the road. This happens even when the warning isn't on.

Last year the NSF headlight was replaced after belting Bambi, as was the control module. The wing etc has also been off.

I'm thinking that this could either be down to a faulty level sensor (maybe rear seeing as that's where the biggest shifts in suspension position occur above) or something electrical crapping out and just being a bit intermittent. Any hints? Unfortunately I don't have any of the error reading devices other than a basic OBDII thing I use on the Impreza.

Cheers!

[Eddamoo]

Its probably a level sensor. Get the code read on BimmerCode or similar as that will tell you which point of the system is failing.

[gelogelo]

Hi mate, I had same problem with you on my f30 last year and also right now as i type this up.

after a few hours of research turns out that the wiring for the front headlights are prone to corrosion or rubbing as they are practically just between the front wheel arches and the back of the headlights, this can cause the vertical aim control failure warning to pop up on your dash.

I took mine to the nearest garage they couldn't find any fault on their computer system when hooked up, I told them it could be down to the wiring as I found similar cases on google. Turns out it was and they fixed the wiring and only charged me £35 for the work

Haven't had an error ever since and only now after 16 months I am getting the same error again so i will get the wiring checked again.

Hope this helps

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by gelogelo

Hi mate, I had same problem with you on my f30 last year and also right now as i type this up.

after a few hours of research turns out that the wiring for the front headlights are prone to corrosion or rubbing as they are practically just between the front wheel arches and the back of the headlights, this can cause the vertical aim control failure warning to pop up on your dash.

I took mine to the nearest garage they couldn't find any fault on their computer system when hooked up, I told them it could be down to the wiring as I found similar cases on google. Turns out it was and they fixed the wiring and only charged me £35 for the work

Haven't had an error ever since and only now after 16 months I am getting the same error again so i will get the wiring checked again.

Hope this helps

Was it that intermittent for you too, and with the flickering/moving low beam aim? I'll have a hunt in the interim as it's easy enough to pop the liner off and wrap the wires in tape. I wonder if this was down to the repair last year not putting them back in the right place, or just BMW not being quite as well designed or built as they claim to be!

[gelogelo]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

Was it that intermittent for you too, and with the flickering/moving low beam aim? I'll have a hunt in the interim as it's easy enough to pop the liner off and wrap the wires in tape. I wonder if this was down to the repair last year not putting them back in the right place, or just BMW not being quite as well designed or built as they claim to be!

Yeah it was the same with problem with me, usually when you turn on the car the headlights also does that up and down motion but since i had the error it stopped doing it.

After wiring got fixed it worked like as it should, start up headlight motion works as it should and vertical aim control was working up and down again.

goodluck and I hope it's just wiring too

[Ennoch]

I've solved it so far by simply driving during daylight and when at night just choosing quiet roads so I can use full beam. Not ideal but not the end of the world. It's booked in to get looked at on Thursday along with the returned knocking front end so we'll see what they find!

[3-GT]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

I've solved it so far by simply driving during daylight and when at night just choosing quiet roads so I can use full beam. Not ideal but not the end of the world. It's booked in to get looked at on Thursday along with the returned knocking front end so we'll see what they find!

Have you tried changing the headlight switch from auto mode to headlights on? This disables the adaptive function.

Whilst it won't solve the issue, it may make it easier to live with until it's fixed.

[Ennoch]

Unfortunately I've already been through all the basics like that. It's not actually the adaptive bit that's the issue, it still turns into corners fine, it's just the aim is too low regardless of auto/manual.

[3-GT]

That's a shame, never mind.

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by 3-GT

That's a shame, never mind.

Still, worth the shout. Cheers. We'll see what the dealer says on Thursday. It'll not be fixed on the day unless they have the part in stock as I need the car back and they're unable to supply a courtesy car until doomsday so it'll need to go back in once they have the part. Fingers crossed they can trace the source of the front end clunk while they're there. Third time lucky!

[Eddamoo]

You can disable the headlight auto-levelling on BimmerCode as a temporary measure. This will stop them pointing at the floor.

[BIFCAIDS]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

Unfortunately I've already been through all the basics like that. It's not actually the adaptive bit that's the issue, it still turns into corners fine, it's just the aim is too low regardless of auto/manual.

I know you've said you've been through the basics (and I've skimmed), but have you had the wheels off and checked the leveling arm front and rear? If it's broken or come off it will be pointing down/up.

Just a thought.

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by BIFCAIDS

I know you've said you've been through the basics (and I've skimmed), but have you had the wheels off and checked the leveling arm front and rear? If it's broken or come off it will be pointing down/up.

Just a thought.

Yeah, I've taken a look and can't see anything obviously snapped. If it is the sensor I suspect it's an internal issue as the problem started out very intermittently when accelerating hard out of corners or going up hills and then progressed to total failure.

[Ennoch]

Well it turns out that the sensor has failed due to water ingress at the plug, which apparently isn't covered under the BMW warranty despite me not being able to see anything in the booklet of exclusions to say that this is the case.

They also took the trouble to find that one of the horns isn't working, and will 'investigate' for £112 + VAT, that the lights on my gear selector are a serious safety issue needing urgent attention, and will again 'investigate' for £112+ VAT. The clincher though is that the 'technician' couldn't/wouldn't hear the clunk but did hear creaky door seals so suggested replacing all the window runners for £978+VAT. You've gotta love dealers...I'm being quickly reminded why I sacked off having garages work on my cars 500k miles ago!

Does anyone know if a sensor is one of the things that need coded to the car, or would it just be plug & play to replace?

[3-GT]

Looks to be a straight swap.

Assuming it's the rear this is the instructions, just make sure you mount it in the correct orientation.

[Ennoch]

It's actually the front one, I just realised I never said in my post.

ETA; pic now showing, thanks!

[3-GT]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

It's actually the front one, I just realised I never said in my post.

ETA; pic now showing, thanks!

Can't understand why this sensor or the horn wouldn't be covered though.

Horn is easy to replace.

Front sensor is very similar to the rear.

[SkyJawa]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

Well it turns out that the sensor has failed due to water ingress at the plug, which apparently isn't covered under the BMW warranty despite me not being able to see anything in the booklet of exclusions to say that this is the case.

They also took the trouble to find that one of the horns isn't working, and will 'investigate' for £112 + VAT, that the lights on my gear selector are a serious safety issue needing urgent attention, and will again 'investigate' for £112+ VAT. The clincher though is that the 'technician' couldn't/wouldn't hear the clunk but did hear creaky door seals so suggested replacing all the window runners for £978+VAT. You've gotta love dealers...I'm being quickly reminded why I sacked off having garages work on my cars 500k miles ago!

Does anyone know if a sensor is one of the things that need coded to the car, or would it just be plug & play to replace?

Stealers through and through. Gotta love em. The horn is a joke, its a known weak spot and fail all the time, mine was done under warranty.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by Ennoch

Well it turns out that the sensor has failed due to water ingress at the plug, which apparently isn't covered under the BMW warranty despite me not being able to see anything in the booklet of exclusions to say that this is the case.

They also took the trouble to find that one of the horns isn't working, and will 'investigate' for £112 + VAT, that the lights on my gear selector are a serious safety issue needing urgent attention, and will again 'investigate' for £112+ VAT. The clincher though is that the 'technician' couldn't/wouldn't hear the clunk but did hear creaky door seals so suggested replacing all the window runners for £978+VAT. You've gotta love dealers...I'm being quickly reminded why I sacked off having garages work on my cars 500k miles ago!

Does anyone know if a sensor is one of the things that need coded to the car, or would it just be plug & play to replace?

Is this a Comprehensive BMW Insured Warranty, ie the top level one? Sounds ridiculous if these things are not covered by that.

I have the Mini equivalent of this warranty and wasn't impressed when they did their best to wriggle out of paying for sorting out the carbon build-up in my Cooper D Hatch. After some persuasion - reminding them it was bought from Mini, serviced entirely by Mini and had the top level Mini warranty, they fixed it under 'goodwill'. Cheeky bastards.

[Ennoch]

Originally Posted by 3-GT

Can't understand why this sensor or the horn wouldn't be covered though.

Horn is easy to replace.

Front sensor is very similar to the rear.

Brilliant, thanks again for that, very helpful. Their parts dept priced up the sensor and loom repair kit at £95 inc VAT which I'm okay with if I need to do it as it's less than the excess on the warranty and easier than losing the car for a day.

With the knock, to be fair to them the service manager came out in the car with me yesterday when I went to pick it up and I couldn't get it to make the noise. I think it gets worse with heat so it may be the case that I need to go and give it a hard run and then get him to jump in with me as it's definitely worse when hot. It's irritating but not terrible so may just leave it until it gets worse. I may also look at some of the solid bush arms like the Meyle HD things to help firm up the front end while still looking OEM, and just DIY it.

With the horn I just wasn't interested in getting them to do it given it's water ingress and likely the same issue. That, and with another £100 excess I may as well just do the investigation and replacement myself as it would probably be cheaper! Also not that bothered about it tbh, it still makes a noise.

With the sensor I spoke to the warranty guys directly and they hadn't even had a claim put through as the dealer had just decided it wouldn't get paid so hadn't bothered. The warranty guy didn't give a guarantee that it would be paid out on but said that I could appeal [I[if[/I] they did decline it. So the dealership is putting in the paperwork for the claim so we'll see how that is. I've ordered up another tube of dialectric grease though so will get it up in the air tomorrow and see if I can't clean up the contacts to make it work properly. Like I said though, if they decline it given the cost and the alleged lack of coding/setup required I may just go down the DIY route.

Originally Posted by SkyJawa

Stealers through and through. Gotta love em. The horn is a joke, its a known weak spot and fail all the time, mine was done under warranty.

Yup! They love to charge top whack for everything, and replace at great cost rather than repair. I have no doubt that there are some very good mechanics in there but most are glorified fitters and those who are good still end up having the 'just replace it' mindset.

Originally Posted by JD6

Is this a Comprehensive BMW Insured Warranty, ie the top level one? Sounds ridiculous if these things are not covered by that.

I have the Mini equivalent of this warranty and wasn't impressed when they did their best to wriggle out of paying for sorting out the carbon build-up in my Cooper D Hatch. After some persuasion - reminding them it was bought from Mini, serviced entirely by Mini and had the top level Mini warranty, they fixed it under 'goodwill'. Cheeky bastards.

It is indeed. They pointed to the clause which said:

"This warranty will not cover where repair or replacement is required due to ... corrosion"

Which to me is acceptable, i.e a part rusting through. This though is corroded because the connector has failed, rather than the other way round. They then point out that seals aren't covered under the warranty but the only ref I could find to that was 'Weather strips and seals', but whether that refers to door seals etc, or every single seal in the car I have no idea. The next level down makes specific exclusion to oil leaks etc whereas mine doesn't so my assumption would be that it refers to door/window seals. A connector has an integral seal in its design in much the way a gearbox has, which is covered, so there is definitely an argument to be had there. Either way I'll be pulling all the connectors apart elsewhere and putting the grease into them to ensure they're properly protected.

[Ennoch]

Well I got an email this morning saying that the warranty claim has been accepted, so that's a result. Sadly there was no mention of the mechanic having had a swift kick up the arse for in effect pre-declining me. I shall be having words about that though as it's not up to them to decline the claim but the warranty company. However, that saves me some faff and just leaves me with the job of packing all the other connectors with dielectric grease to prevent a repeat down the line as warranty or not, it's wasteful to be replacing parts where preventative measures would mean they didn't need to be. Less faff than trips to the dealer too!

[J60nyn]

Originally Posted by gelogelo

Hi mate, I had same problem with you on my f30 last year and also right now as i type this up.

after a few hours of research turns out that the wiring for the front headlights are prone to corrosion or rubbing as they are practically just between the front wheel arches and the back of the headlights, this can cause the vertical aim control failure warning to pop up on your dash.

I took mine to the nearest garage they couldn't find any fault on their computer system when hooked up, I told them it could be down to the wiring as I found similar cases on google. Turns out it was and they fixed the wiring and only charged me £35 for the work

Haven't had an error ever since and only now after 16 months I am getting the same error again so i will get the wiring checked again.

Hope this helps

Hi was it a particular side the wiring was damaged ? mine has failed also I don't know which side to check first ?
thanks
Jon