BMW F32 LCI headlight problem

[hotponyshoes]

someone on here had a problem with a Citroen DRL light
no parts had to be new headlamp £700 + vat comes to mind

I can't think of any makes where parts for sealed headlights are available separately..

I wouldn't be paying £000's for a replacement though. Most mot testers are happy enough if it's showing a 'white light to front'

 

[gerrymoore]

Surely a white light to front wouldn't pass as an indicator??
but interesting regarding permanent live with switched earth never heard of that ... feel a bit happier though

 

[gerrymoore]

Just an update .. back from a very hot week in Portugal!! Tried everything to get the lens off to see if I could change the LED module but just couldn't bring myself to put the headlight in the oven so no luck with the lens. Went to a couple of places just got the usual.. 'buy a new one' 'Can't fix them mate' If you buy a BMW what do you expect??' all very helpful then. So, rather than pay over a grand for a 'new one' I've sent it to a guy who will open it up, fit a new LED module and reseal with a 3 year warranty against condensation for .... a lot less!! Hoping once it's back to get it re-coded to the car and enjoy driving again.... I'll let you know.

 

[northwest]

Hearing stories like this just demonstrate to me the reason many, many people go for personal contract when getting a car and they get a new one because if it goes wrong it isn't their problem. There is a lot to be said for going for a marque that offers a long warranty.
Okay, I can see they won't cover brake pads and "light bulbs" as a consumable but a grand for a headlight! Clucking Bell!

 

[gerrymoore]

Ok another update. I've had the headlight back from the specialist repairer. He removed the lens (difficult!!) replaced the LED module fitted a new lens with a 3 year warranty against condensation and returned the unit back by special delivery in 2 days. Total cost so far £300. Now, I have refitted the headlight ...then a visit to the eye hospital to remove sh$t from my eye that got in while I was refitting the large wheel arch cover back on under the car. I can now see again although still in pain as I scratched my eyeball
Of course the headlight does not work at all as it needs to be recoded to the car via ESYS or Protool programming. I have had no luck finding anybody local who can do this. There is a place in Blackburn that I need to contact on Monday but at least I can use the car in daylight hours!! The right door mirror and rear indicators are working but no lights at all on the repaired headlight. Iv'e posted pics of the LED module (can't find these for sale anywhere!! and the headlight with it's brand new lens!! If anyone knows anyone who can recode this to my car give me a shout.......

 

[Morris]

I don't get this. Headlights are a basic requirement for driving at night. Switch them on and they should light up. What the hell does having them coded to the vehicle bring to the party?

 

[Blobber]

I think I saw somewhere that if you didn't pay £200 odd a year BMW would turn your adaptive headlights off so just reverting to standard headlights, don't know if that was Internet scaremongering but nothing would surprise me

 

[carbon]

I'm looking at the functions on my thinktool pros some of the options for an F32 from 2020 are "Initialise headlight driver module and teach in led's in headlight" and "Initialise new headlight driver module and teach in turn indicator"

I'm assuming that as the headlight was removed the system has detected a fault with one side of the vehicle and disabled the driver module to prevent any issues. I could be completely wrong about that as I don't really work with vehicles for a living

 

[gerrymoore]

Hi carbon yes, because the headlight was disconnected from the car it now needs to be recoded ... I have the Launch diagnostic tool and it throws up a fault with the offside headlight but can't help me to recode it. I've emailed a few people but so far no replies Where are you based??

 

[keithski122]

Now if it was clever it would detect that the fault has been fixed without the need for recoding.
German cars are the same for airbag faults, disconnect the seat and the airbag light comes on, reconnect it and the airbag light still stays on until its been switched off with diagnostics. Japanese car same scenario and once fixed the ecu detects it and switches of the light without codes needing to be reset.

 

[carbon]

I'm North of Bristol so a bit to far away. I haven't tried to do this with my thinktool so not sure if it would actually do it or not, it was just listed in the available features. Do launch have the list of options potentially available either on the tool itself or on there website. Its listed as a special function for me

 

[gerrymoore]

No Launch is purely diagnostic... I can download protool for about £80 then I need a Bluetooth old connector for another £40 in theory I could then recode the light... I'll see if anyone comes back to me but in the end I trust myself more than others....

 

[carbon]

I'll see if anyone comes back to me but in the end I trust myself more than others

Exactly why I purchased the thinktool, it allows me to check and install sensors etc on my own vehicles without main dealers. I also have vcds(have vw vans) but now prefer the thinktool for ease of use.

 

[gerrymoore]

I've never heard of thinktool I'll take a look..... thanks Gerry

 

[Wozzaaah]

Try this chap, he seems to have a good reputation on the BMW forum.

BIMMER-REMOTE - BMW Apple CarPlay Activations / Fullscreen / Firmware

BIMMER-REMOTE provides BMW Apple CarPlay Activation / BMW CarPlay Fullscreen / Coding Services / Maps / FSC Codes / GTS PERFORMANCE FLASH and more. BMW and MINI Coding Services / BMW Apple Carplay Retrofit and Coding.

bimmer-remote.com

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks Woz will do

 

[dobbslc]

@gerrymoore
Did the guy find a fault in the old light?
If he did at least you'll know it was the light and not the car loom.
Recoding a headlight!
Madness.

 

[AVI_8]

No Launch is purely diagnostic... I can download protool for about £80 then I need a Bluetooth old connector for another £40 in theory I could then recode the light... I'll see if anyone comes back to me but in the end I trust myself more than others....

Are you sure that your Launch tablet can’t code it? My Topdon does, uses the same software as Launch I believe, also I recently bought an F30 3 series with crash damage from Copart, it needed a headlight which I bought second hand, £250 for a used part!!
I was fully expecting it to need coding but it worked straight away, there are 4 modules on these cars, here is a picture of the damaged headlight I removed

The one on the left is the ballast for the Bi Xenon’s, there’s another above it which is the controller for all of the modules, it’s missing as it was damaged, the two other alloy ones I believe are for the led’s don’t quote me on that though as I’m not totally sure, if any of these parts are of any use to you I’d happily send them to you as they appear to be interchangeable without coding, bear in mind my car is an F30 3 series.

As far as coding goes surely any auto electrician can do that for you, or any accident repair centre as changing headlights is commonplace.
Edited to say I presume that there are no fault codes relating to the footwell module.

 

[gerrymoore]

Thanks guys. ... no I'm not completely sure the led module was faulty and I can't see a way of testing it ( to be honest I don't want to know ) . I did attach a.normal led to the led connection at the headlight and it flashed Ok My Launch does have some memory of my cars coding but I don't want to risk bricking my car I'm waiting on replies from 3 coders but no-one works weekends
I'll keep the thread updated when any news ...... thanks for all the help guys

 

[gerrymoore]

Quick update ..found a guy in Birmingham who seems pretty competent with my problem but full up for a couple of weeks. Meantime I ran the diagnostic's again and it says low voltage on the RH headlight module. I've checked the fuses and all OK so it may be a break in the main power to the light. I've booked it in but in the meantime I'll take off the wheel and blooming underwing cover thingy (technical eh!!) and see what voltage I'm getting to the module....