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      04-28-2014, 10:13 AM   #1
Philipangoo
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Lowered my car, had to adjust headlights?

I recently installed H&R sport springs and Bilstein B8 shocks on my car. As a result my 13 M Sport has a much nicer stance and feels much tighter. I did the suspension installation myself and I was careful to put all the sensors along the wheel wells back in place. I assumed that those sensors were for ride height so that the headlights would automatically adjust.

After finishing I noticed my headlights were aimed very high. Lighting up highway signs. I manually adjusted my headlights to point back down but I was wondering.. did all of you who installed springs and suspensions have to do this ? Or did your headlights automatically adjust?
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      04-28-2014, 10:36 AM   #2
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Yeah mine was the same after lowering it. Had to get them both adjusted.

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      04-28-2014, 07:34 PM   #3
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I lowered mine on H&R Sport Springs (DHP suspension) but did not notice a difference in light levels
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      04-28-2014, 10:46 PM   #4
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That's odd that your headlights are aiming higher. You would think they would be aiming slightly lower. Do you have a reverse rake going on? (Rear lower than the front)
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      04-29-2014, 12:43 AM   #5
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Nothing noticeable to the eye. My rear actually has more wheel gap at least it seems so. Meh
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      04-03-2015, 11:27 AM   #6
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YUP !

I got 19" wheels, then had to install Eibach springs to my F30 lowered 0.59" on front and 0.39" on the back, my headlights became aiming high and ppl started cursing me in the street! and the fog lights became a lil' bit aiming higher but in a good way, anyhow gonna fix my headlights level tonight but should find an appropriate flat head screwdriver first with a long shank and medium sized head.
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      04-03-2015, 05:17 PM   #7
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I did mine 2 days ago and I don't notice a difference with the lights. You unhooked the level sensors when you were installing?
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      04-03-2015, 08:48 PM   #8
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I dunno a random mechanic did it for me, maybe he's not experienced with BMW and messed it up X_x I didn't know that headlights sensors r attached to suspension until I read that here in the forum.

I couldn't fix it by manual leveling as even after I lowered it to the max it's still too high, if the problem persists I might take it to the dealer, I hope it won't cost much there to check on the level sensors.

Q: How many level sensors r there? r they only at front?
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      04-03-2015, 11:45 PM   #9
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If you guys have
-Adaptive headlights
-Lowered the car and the headlights now aim super high.

It's likely to be your rear headlight level sensor located in the rear driver side. Refer to part 2, 6, and 7 from the diagram below.



The sensor attaches to the lower camber arm, which is also where the spring sits on. This sensor can be seated wrong during reinstallation which causes the car to think the rear is sitting very high compared to the front, therefore aims the headlight up like crazy.

The follow images are based off the E90 M3 but it is identical to our F30.

The Wrong Way


The Right Way


The Fix:
- Jack up the driver rear side
- Undo the bolt that holds the rear sensor to the lower camber arm.
- Reseat the leveling rod to the correct orientation
- Redo the bolt.
- Put your car back down and try the headlights now.
- If it doesn't work, your rear sensor is probably broken.

Hope this helps guys! Good luck!
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      04-04-2015, 02:45 AM   #10
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What a cool post HenryX. Providing answers to our mysteries is good stuff. Lowering my car didn't seem to affect the headlights, so I surmise that my technician installed the leveling sensor properly. Thanks much!
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      05-21-2015, 11:22 AM   #11
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Oh boy...been driving around for months with the headlights hitting rear view mirrors and overhead signs after installing HR springs. I checked the sensors, but as I had not removed them, didn't notice anything wrong. I even asked the dealer to adjust, but they just said there was "nothing they could do".

I'm getting the car back today and I bet this is the problem. I guess if you have the car jacked up during install, even without removing the sensor, the arm can flip around and cause this
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      05-25-2015, 06:49 PM   #12
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~ mine actually seem too low now.
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      06-05-2015, 12:57 PM   #13
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Make sure you didn't mess with the rod that connects to the level sensor.

Mine pointed way up but I left them like that lol
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      06-10-2015, 03:37 PM   #14
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Sure enough, even though I didn't remove the level sensor, on the back it somehow flipped around the wrong way. I just carefully snapped off the arm, reversed the whole assembly per HenryX's photos, and I'm no longer lighting up overhead trees and signs LOL.

Thanks Henry, that really helped me.

PS- don't bother asking the dealer, they told me "the headlights are non-adjustable" LOL...
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      06-12-2015, 11:55 AM   #15
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Nice post Henry X, did solve the issue.
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      07-14-2015, 12:30 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hevykevy420 View Post
Sure enough, even though I didn't remove the level sensor, on the back it somehow flipped around the wrong way. I just carefully snapped off the arm, reversed the whole assembly per HenryX's photos, and I'm no longer lighting up overhead trees and signs LOL.

Thanks Henry, that really helped me.

PS- don't bother asking the dealer, they told me "the headlights are non-adjustable" LOL...
Did you have to unbolt it as per Henry's post? Or does it just unclip? Also, did you have to remove your wheel for easier access?

Going to attempt this tonight.
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      04-05-2016, 12:37 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crono06 View Post
Did you have to unbolt it as per Henry's post? Or does it just unclip? Also, did you have to remove your wheel for easier access?

Going to attempt this tonight.
Old thread bump but... just did this as well, mine was flipped.

I just pushed the plastic out of the metal ball joint thing and forced it back in. not easy however put a little WD40 on it to get it back on. Tight fit.
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      01-21-2017, 01:07 PM   #18
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Sorry to revive an extremely old thread, but I got up underneath my car after having lowered it about 1.5-1.75 inches and there's absolutely no way I can get the lever to be in the "correct" position. As it is, the middle component (part 6 in schematics) is causing the upper (part 2 in schematics) to be pushed up like a clock arm pointing at the 10 o'clock position.

Has anyone else encountered this when lowering their car on coilovers?
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      04-02-2018, 09:05 PM   #19
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Thought I'd add some photos that show the angle going in. Will shave off 2 minutes of your search if you do it. It is very easy. This is from an e92, assuming its similar f series.
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      04-02-2018, 09:46 PM   #20
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Not sure why you can't raise and lower headlights in iDrive, since they are auto leveling.
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      03-26-2019, 08:46 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HenryX View Post
If you guys have
-Adaptive headlights
-Lowered the car and the headlights now aim super high.

It's likely to be your rear headlight level sensor located in the rear driver side. Refer to part 2, 6, and 7 from the diagram below.



The sensor attaches to the lower camber arm, which is also where the spring sits on. This sensor can be seated wrong during reinstallation which causes the car to think the rear is sitting very high compared to the front, therefore aims the headlight up like crazy.

The follow images are based off the E90 M3 but it is identical to our F30.

The Wrong Way


The Right Way


The Fix:
- Jack up the driver rear side
- Undo the bolt that holds the rear sensor to the lower camber arm.
- Reseat the leveling rod to the correct orientation
- Redo the bolt.
- Put your car back down and try the headlights now.
- If it doesn't work, your rear sensor is probably broken.

Hope this helps guys! Good luck!
Thanks for this, I had exactly the same issue as the OP but this has sorted it. Gotta love the interweb lol
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      03-27-2019, 07:37 AM   #22
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Why not just adjust the headlight using the aiming/focus screw up front?

The ride height sensor also does other things besides aiming headlights like DSC and traction control, and maybe even dabbles with DHP system. May not be wise to play with that...


Quote:
Originally Posted by Roony02 View Post
Thanks for this, I had exactly the same issue as the OP but this has sorted it. Gotta love the interweb lol
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