Need Help: Halogen headlights aimed down, dealer wants $500

Deep_Blue · 02-10-2014, 10:31 PM

So my sister who lives out of state is having an issue with her 2009 328xi. Her passenger headlight is aimed well down and to the right. The dealer says she needs to replace the entire headlamp for $500. I can't help because I'm out of state and my car has xenons so I can't look at mine for comparison.

The pictures attached show the passenger lamp (broken one) and the driver lamp (normal). Apparently the big gap at the bottom of the passenger lamp is a result of this reflector it being angled down (the gap with the rest of the assembly is big at the bottom but narrow up top).

Has anyone run into this issue before? I would think it would be a simple headlight adjustment. The dealer is saying something about tabs being broken inside the light, but I'm suspicious given that the car hasn't been wrecked and was bought CPO. Thoughts welcome!

JS82 · 02-11-2014, 01:59 AM

Did she hit any potholes?

fatgrandma · 02-11-2014, 02:11 AM

Dunno about the US spec, but over here there is a screw at the top/back of the headlight to adjust the height of the beam. If that doesn't work it's probably broken.

Deep_Blue · 02-11-2014, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JS82

Did she hit any potholes?

Thats a good question. I'll ask

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatgrandma

Dunno about the US spec, but over here there is a screw at the top/back of the headlight to adjust the height of the beam. If that doesn't work it's probably broken.

There is a screw like that on the US light, but I think it requires a special tool. I told her to get a second opinion from a good indy shop so hopefully that helps.

Delta0311 · 02-11-2014, 08:17 AM

I got a set of halogens from a 07 328. They have maybe 15k miles on them. Install is very simple and the only thing you would have to do is swap out the blinker and highbeam bulbs from your old set. They are in a box so I can ship them if need be.

Deep_Blue · 02-11-2014, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delta0311

I got a set of halogens from a 07 328. They have maybe 15k miles on them. Install is very simple and the only thing you would have to do is swap out the blinker and highbeam bulbs from your old set. They are in a box so I can ship them if need be.

Thanks for the offer. I would take you up on it but her car is LCI and I dont have access to it to perform the install.

I looked on ebay and man are there a lot of broken tab headlights out there! What are people removing them with, sledgehammers?

Agentphish · 02-11-2014, 11:33 AM

yeah. tell her to get a second opinion for sure. that's some strange stuff.

f0xfire021 · 02-11-2014, 12:19 PM

The screw to adjust height is white, and plastic, and is located right behind the light assembly. It uses a regular phillips head screwdriver. If the actual internal assembly is broken not sure that would do much, as it only provides a minimal amount of vertical travel, but worth a shot.

02-10-2014, 10:31 PM	#1
Deep_Blue First Lieutenant 70 Rep 374 Posts Drives: Montego 335i e90 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: internet iTrader: (1)	Need Help: Halogen headlights aimed down, dealer wants $500 So my sister who lives out of state is having an issue with her 2009 328xi. Her passenger headlight is aimed well down and to the right. The dealer says she needs to replace the entire headlamp for $500. I can't help because I'm out of state and my car has xenons so I can't look at mine for comparison. The pictures attached show the passenger lamp (broken one) and the driver lamp (normal). Apparently the big gap at the bottom of the passenger lamp is a result of this reflector it being angled down (the gap with the rest of the assembly is big at the bottom but narrow up top). Has anyone run into this issue before? I would think it would be a simple headlight adjustment. The dealer is saying something about tabs being broken inside the light, but I'm suspicious given that the car hasn't been wrecked and was bought CPO. Thoughts welcome! Attached Images
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02-11-2014, 01:59 AM	#2
JS82 Captain 29 Rep 659 Posts Drives: '08 E92 328i 6MT Jet Black Join Date: May 2010 Location: PA USA iTrader: (12)	Did she hit any potholes?
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02-11-2014, 02:11 AM	#3
fatgrandma Captain 75 Rep 609 Posts Drives: E90 320d Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Linz iTrader: (0)	Dunno about the US spec, but over here there is a screw at the top/back of the headlight to adjust the height of the beam. If that doesn't work it's probably broken. __________________
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02-11-2014, 08:17 AM	#5
Delta0311 Banned 7478 Rep 10,120 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 335xi E92 2016 228xi Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NJ iTrader: (1)	I got a set of halogens from a 07 328. They have maybe 15k miles on them. Install is very simple and the only thing you would have to do is swap out the blinker and highbeam bulbs from your old set. They are in a box so I can ship them if need be.
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02-11-2014, 11:33 AM	#7
Agentphish Major 129 Rep 1,052 Posts Drives: '08 328i Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: SF Bay Area iTrader: (2)	yeah. tell her to get a second opinion for sure. that's some strange stuff. __________________ '08 328i \| TiAg \| 6MT \| CDV Mod \| RevMotoring Silicon Intake Tube \| AG M310 \| Cold \| Premium \| HiFi \| V1 Hardwire \| AirPlay - FiiO DAC '15 Golf SE Sport \| Pure White
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02-11-2014, 12:19 PM	#8
f0xfire021 Private 8 Rep 86 Posts Drives: '09 e91 328xiT \| 6mt Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: North iTrader: (0)	The screw to adjust height is white, and plastic, and is located right behind the light assembly. It uses a regular phillips head screwdriver. If the actual internal assembly is broken not sure that would do much, as it only provides a minimal amount of vertical travel, but worth a shot.
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