135i adaptive headlight failure aka I suck at closing headlight seals

comtrang · 03-30-2015, 08:36 AM

I did the same damn thing, except it was when the dealership ran it through the car wash. Still, was my fault though.

I bought a Xenon control unit off ebay for I think $40? Didn't pull the bumper off, did it from the driver side wheel well.

My adaptive headlight bit the dust first though and is still not working. So this: http://www.ecstuning.com/ES172035/ is the actual control unit for that? I had no idea it looked like that. What year is your car? I see that on this diagram but I thought that was for the newer models: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/q/i/525.png

sparky1_2007 · 03-30-2015, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by comtrang

I did the same damn thing, except it was when the dealership ran it through the car wash. Still, was my fault though.

I bought a Xenon control unit off ebay for I think $40? Didn't pull the bumper off, did it from the driver side wheel well.

My adaptive headlight bit the dust first though and is still not working. So this: http://www.ecstuning.com/ES172035/ is the actual control unit for that? I had no idea it looked like that. What year is your car? I see that on this diagram but I thought that was for the newer models: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/q/i/525.png

yeah, it is #1 on that parts diagram.

what I found had happened is water was just sitting down in it because it sits on the bottom of the headlight.

I also have an 08 135i. non LCI headlights.

AtlasM · 03-30-2015, 11:18 PM

Yeah those rear covers are really more of a pain to get back on than they need to be.

I found that on the driver's side, there's something dangling right above the space behind the headlight, like maybe a relay or something. It's held on by a couple of bolts and washers, and I just unbolted it and moved it off to the side to get my hands down in there. Made getting the cover back on way easier. (And I reconnected that relay or whatever it is back where it's supposed to be.)

tracer bullet · 03-31-2015, 08:29 AM

I made a poll a while back, you are definitely not alone in thinking the covers are on correctly when in fact they are not!

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ight=headlight

bmwbrad22 · 06-13-2015, 12:39 PM

Yea this is a very bad design flaw as I just recently began to get moisture in my 10 135i and now my low beam is dead and my adaptive headlight code keeps popping up. I'm assuming it has to be the control module at the bottom of the headlight assembly. Has anyone on this thread tried to get the dealer to replace this or would they consider it physical damage even with a CPO? I have read through a lot of threads regulating this and haven't really seen anyone try and get this covered under warranty.

Thanks!

sparky1_2007 · 06-15-2015, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwbrad22

Yea this is a very bad design flaw as I just recently began to get moisture in my 10 135i and now my low beam is dead and my adaptive headlight code keeps popping up. I'm assuming it has to be the control module at the bottom of the headlight assembly. Has anyone on this thread tried to get the dealer to replace this or would they consider it physical damage even with a CPO? I have read through a lot of threads regulating this and haven't really seen anyone try and get this covered under warranty.

Thanks!

Yeah, likely it got down to the control module which sits at the very bottom of the headlight housing.

The ballast and control module both sit down there.

If you have aftermarket angel eye's then the dealer probably won't cover it, but if it's stock then you might be in luck.

bmwbrad22 · 06-18-2015, 09:01 PM

Looking to price the repair out myself does anyone know the part # for the wires that are in the silver casing from the module to the igniter box for the headlight bulb. I'm having trouble finding this.

sparky1_2007 · 06-19-2015, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwbrad22

Looking to price the repair out myself does anyone know the part # for the wires that are in the silver casing from the module to the igniter box for the headlight bulb. I'm having trouble finding this.

idk if you can get those separate. You might need to just purchase a new housing.

if it is possible, you'll be able to find it on http://www.getbmwparts.com/ or a similar site.

maniac33 · 06-29-2015, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwbrad22

Looking to price the repair out myself does anyone know the part # for the wires that are in the silver casing from the module to the igniter box for the headlight bulb. I'm having trouble finding this.

Curious as to why you want to replace the wires, instead of the ballasts and modules? You shouldn't need to replace those unless they were snapped or broken somehow?

ecpoli77 · 07-03-2015, 08:54 PM

im in the same boat as sparky. drivers headlight housing got water in it im assuming. took the car in for repairs at a delaership near me and a week later the whole drivers headlight is out minus the angel eyes and turn signal. adaptive lights on the dash. car is cpo and as i do have aftermarket angel eyes installed, i think im just going to replace them with OE bulbs and try my luck.

maniac33 · 07-16-2015, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ecpoli77

im in the same boat as sparky. drivers headlight housing got water in it im assuming. took the car in for repairs at a delaership near me and a week later the whole drivers headlight is out minus the angel eyes and turn signal. adaptive lights on the dash. car is cpo and as i do have aftermarket angel eyes installed, i think im just going to replace them with OE bulbs and try my luck.

If you're still under warranty, try taking out your aftermarket angel eye bulbs and put the OE's back in. Take it to the dealer and see if they'll fix it for free. Otherwise, you'll need a new ballast and Adaptive module.

iManu · 02-17-2016, 12:29 AM

I got the same problem... Can you shoot a link to where I can buy new backplates? Also, only my drivers side HID is not working. I tried the bulb on the other side and it worked. So I think only my ballast is dead. I only get a error code on my dash for the HID not for the adaptive feature. Does this mean I only have to change the ballast?

03-30-2015, 08:36 AM	#23
comtrang Workin' hard 17 Rep 162 Posts Drives: '08 135i in AW/Terracotta Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Kansas City, MO iTrader: (1)	I did the same damn thing, except it was when the dealership ran it through the car wash. Still, was my fault though. I bought a Xenon control unit off ebay for I think $40? Didn't pull the bumper off, did it from the driver side wheel well. My adaptive headlight bit the dust first though and is still not working. So this: http://www.ecstuning.com/ES172035/ is the actual control unit for that? I had no idea it looked like that. What year is your car? I see that on this diagram but I thought that was for the newer models: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/q/i/525.png
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-30-2015, 11:18 PM	#25
AtlasM Captain 285 Rep 615 Posts Drives: '11 E92 335xi 6MT Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Rockville, MD iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW 335i xDrive [8.00]	Yeah those rear covers are really more of a pain to get back on than they need to be. I found that on the driver's side, there's something dangling right above the space behind the headlight, like maybe a relay or something. It's held on by a couple of bolts and washers, and I just unbolted it and moved it off to the side to get my hands down in there. Made getting the cover back on way easier. (And I reconnected that relay or whatever it is back where it's supposed to be.)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-31-2015, 08:29 AM	#26
tracer bullet Brigadier General 2410 Rep 3,546 Posts Drives: '11 135i , '15 X3 35i Join Date: May 2011 Location: Saint Paul, MN iTrader: (1)	I made a poll a while back, you are definitely not alone in thinking the covers are on correctly when in fact they are not! http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ight=headlight
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-13-2015, 12:39 PM	#27
bmwbrad22 Lieutenant 249 Rep 535 Posts Drives: 18%E2%80%99 M3 Comp Pkg Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW F80 M3 [10.00]	Yea this is a very bad design flaw as I just recently began to get moisture in my 10 135i and now my low beam is dead and my adaptive headlight code keeps popping up. I'm assuming it has to be the control module at the bottom of the headlight assembly. Has anyone on this thread tried to get the dealer to replace this or would they consider it physical damage even with a CPO? I have read through a lot of threads regulating this and haven't really seen anyone try and get this covered under warranty. Thanks!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-18-2015, 09:01 PM	#29
bmwbrad22 Lieutenant 249 Rep 535 Posts Drives: 18%E2%80%99 M3 Comp Pkg Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NJ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW F80 M3 [10.00]	Looking to price the repair out myself does anyone know the part # for the wires that are in the silver casing from the module to the igniter box for the headlight bulb. I'm having trouble finding this.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-03-2015, 08:54 PM	#32
ecpoli77 New Member 0 Rep 26 Posts Drives: 2011 135; 2013 x5d Join Date: May 2015 Location: NJ iTrader: (1)	im in the same boat as sparky. drivers headlight housing got water in it im assuming. took the car in for repairs at a delaership near me and a week later the whole drivers headlight is out minus the angel eyes and turn signal. adaptive lights on the dash. car is cpo and as i do have aftermarket angel eyes installed, i think im just going to replace them with OE bulbs and try my luck.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

02-17-2016, 12:29 AM	#34
iManu First Lieutenant 142 Rep 320 Posts Drives: 2018 X3M40i Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Montreal iTrader: (0)	I got the same problem... Can you shoot a link to where I can buy new backplates? Also, only my drivers side HID is not working. I tried the bulb on the other side and it worked. So I think only my ballast is dead. I only get a error code on my dash for the HID not for the adaptive feature. Does this mean I only have to change the ballast?
	Appreciate 0 Quote