E39 Xenon headlamp levelling

[FlyingTomato]

Hi all!

Just checking if anyone recognises the cause of these specific symptoms on my E39:

- engine on
- turn on headlamps
- both headlamps adjust to their lowest positions, in unison
- then both raise to what I think is mid level of the possible vertical travel
- then both raise to the highest level, again in unison

I’m assuming headlamps adjusters are all fine, so presume it’s one or both of the level sensors or the sensor arms or the LCM…

Yet to get the car raised up to check front/rear level sensors/arms.

Thanks for any clues/tips!

[Marc p]

I may be wrong, but I think they should be in the highest setting under normal use. The headlights only adjust down when you have a trailer or rear passengers/cargo that is squatting the rear end down and need to be lower to stop them pointing upwards and blinding oncoming cars.

[d_a_n1979]

FlyingTomato said:

Hi all!

Just checking if anyone recognises the cause of these specific symptoms on my E39:

- engine on
- turn on headlamps
- both headlamps adjust to their lowest positions, in unison
- then both raise to what I think is mid level of the possible vertical travel
- then both raise to the highest level, again in unison

I’m assuming headlamps adjusters are all fine, so presume it’s one or both of the level sensors or the sensor arms or the LCM…

Yet to get the car raised up to check front/rear level sensors/arms.

Thanks for any clues/tips!

As above; they should do their 'dance' and then level off at the high setting and they'll self adjust when the rear of the car is loaded...

However, they'll still do their 'dance' when the adjusters are fubar; it depends on which have failed as there are 2 in each...

Easiest and best way to check is to open the bonnet and 'wobble' the bulb holder section where the rubber boots are; if they move a lot, the adjusters are toast. If they move but only slightly and feel stiff, then the adjusters are fine

[FlyingTomato]

Thanks, guys. Makes sense that top position is default, at low rear loading!

Just checked both headlamps for wobble, by grabbing rear of the outboard, Xenon lamp. Right hand seems fairly snug, not too much vertical movement; left hand is properly wobbly!

It appears that I’ve late lamps on an early car - it’s a January 2000 car with late angel eyes and some ‘interesting’ wiring to enable angels…

Next question: which adjuster part numbers will likely need replacing?

Thanks all!

[d_a_n1979]

FlyingTomato said:

Thanks, guys. Makes sense that top position is default, at low rear loading!

Just checked both headlamps for wobble, by grabbing rear of the outboard, Xenon lamp. Right hand seems fairly snug, not too much vertical movement; left hand is properly wobbly!

It appears that I’ve late lamps on an early car - it’s a January 2000 car with late angel eyes and some ‘interesting’ wiring to enable angels…

Next question: which adjuster part numbers will likely need replacing?

Thanks all!

Yup; adjusters are toast unfortunately...

It's a faffy job and if you've not done it before, there are a few folk that do the refurbs and upgrade the headlights too... If you want their details send me an email via my profile on here and I'll send their details on

Interesting wiring shouldn't be there unless you've got LEDs in the angel eye sockets and then that wiring will just be to their resistors etc

Can you upload a pic at all so we can see what's what

Re the parts; pick your posion

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_t...

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Tuesday 27th December 12:16

[Marc p]

FlyingTomato said:

Thanks, guys. Makes sense that top position is default, at low rear loading!

Just checked both headlamps for wobble, by grabbing rear of the outboard, Xenon lamp. Right hand seems fairly snug, not too much vertical movement; left hand is properly wobbly!

It appears that I’ve late lamps on an early car - it’s a January 2000 car with late angel eyes and some ‘interesting’ wiring to enable angels…

Next question: which adjuster part numbers will likely need replacing?

Thanks all!

They are a little fiddly to replace but if you fancy replacing your lenses at the same time, then they are nice and easy to replace at the same time.

Many say that the facelift lenses can’t be replaced due to the sealant they used, however, although you can’t split the headlights like the pre-facelift cars, you can replace them easily enough, I spent an afternoon doing mine and rebuilding them with new headlight adjusters.
I’ll see if I can find the ‘how to’ thread I used.

ETA: the wiring is probably for uprated angel eye LED’s, mine has this for brighter blue/white angel eyes.

Edited by Marc p on Tuesday 27th December 12:39

[d_a_n1979]

Marc p said:

FlyingTomato said:

Thanks, guys. Makes sense that top position is default, at low rear loading!

Just checked both headlamps for wobble, by grabbing rear of the outboard, Xenon lamp. Right hand seems fairly snug, not too much vertical movement; left hand is properly wobbly!

It appears that I’ve late lamps on an early car - it’s a January 2000 car with late angel eyes and some ‘interesting’ wiring to enable angels…

Next question: which adjuster part numbers will likely need replacing?

Thanks all!

They are a little fiddly to replace but if you fancy replacing your lenses at the same time, then they are nice and easy to replace at the same time.

Many say that the facelift lenses can’t be replaced due to the sealant they used, however, although you can’t split the headlights like the pre-facelift cars, you can replace them easily enough, I spent an afternoon doing mine and rebuilding them with new headlight adjusters.
I’ll see if I can find the ‘how to’ thread I used.

ETA: the wiring is probably for uprated angel eye LED’s, mine has this for brighter blue/white angel eyes.

Edited by Marc p on Tuesday 27th December 12:39

The later E39s, so mid 2002 onwards, used the much harder to remove sealant, before that they're generally easy to bake apart etc

However, due to the age of the headlights; generally the reflector surfaces behind the projectors is done for and no matter what new adjusters or lenses you fit; the headlights will still be crap

This is why its an ideal time to upgrade the projectors; or bite the bullet and buy new Hella headlights

[Marc p]

d_a_n1979 said:

The later E39s, so mid 2002 onwards, used the much harder to remove sealant, before that they're generally easy to bake apart etc

However, due to the age of the headlights; generally the reflector surfaces behind the projectors is done for and no matter what new adjusters or lenses you fit; the headlights will still be crap

This is why its an ideal time to upgrade the projectors; or bite the bullet and buy new Hella headlights

Ahh yeah, forgot the earlier facelifts didn’t have the sealant issue, but for reference I used this guide on mine(2003 car):

https://www.m5board.com/threads/replacing-headlamp...

Looked like new after:

[tonyinbrighton]

E39s are well known for weedy night-time illumination: try the E39 Club UK F/book page and you find at least a couple of headlight renovation specialists, one on the south coast and one I think in the midlands...

[d_a_n1979]

tonyinbrighton said:

E39s are well known for weedy night-time illumination: try the E39 Club UK F/book page and you find at least a couple of headlight renovation specialists, one on the south coast and one I think in the midlands...

Darren Foden in St Helen's too

[FlyingTomato]

Update time…

So, the adjusters have been replaced (thanks Pete!) and it appears that the levelling system is still a bit variable - sometimes settles mid travel, sometimes raises up even further. Thinking that one or both of the axle sensors is/are playing up.

Time to get the car on a ramp and get hold of something like INPA…