X3 - Failure - Headlight Vertical Aim Control Failure

[PLV]

Hey guys,

Would appreciate some thoughts on this one before I start digging around and possibly making things worse...

I occasionally get this failure message on the X3 (2010 xDrive 35i). It is intermittent, but seems to be getting a bit more as of late.

Is this something that has an easy fix and done DIY, or is this something likely to be bigger and needs the pro's to look into?

Thanks for the guidance as always...

Pete

 

[PLV]

Respectfully... no more "did you try turning it off and on again" 's please... LOL!

:YesNo:

 

[gavsadler]

I assume you have xenon lights?

If so, sounds like a faulty adjustor motor, or possibly a bad connection.

 

[PLV]

Thanks. Yes, may be the connection or something. I have played around now, and the lights seem ok for now. Will see, as I mentioned it's somewhat occasional and erratic, so should see soon enough if playing around with the wires sorted out a loose connection...

Actually, it's normal halogen... :thumbdo:

Thanks!

 

[PLV]

So far it hasn't happened again. So perhaps it was a loose connection or something restricting the servo motors movement. Who said fiddling around yourself doesn't help...

Happy days, no $$ for this fix so far! :coolShake:

 

[zaleonardz]

Diagnostics..

There is a controller module in the headlight called the TMS module which runs on the Lin Bus

It will give you that fault if you lost comms to the module, or if the module generated a fault such as a servo being over-current.

most likely, a bit of dirt, or moisture..

 

[gavsadler]

Do the halogen headlights also adjust? If so then today I learnt something new.

 

[PLV]

Yes, it's a normal H7 bulb, but the light assembly self levels on start up...

 

[SMN325]

I used to have a problem with my E46 where the lights would not adjust due to a faulty actuator (leveling mechanism). It was also intermittent in the beginning, stopped for a while, and then suddenly failed.

There is a module behind the bulb that may need replacement

 

[PLV]

Thanks Suren. It seems to be sorted at the moment. Think it was a loose connection or something to the module. So far it hasn't happened again.

 

[PLV]

Bugger... started happening again. Will need to have it properly checked... ugh...

:smashScreen:

 

[96328i]

Maybe try some electrical contact spray first..

 

[KingKeith]

Do the halogen headlights also adjust? If so then today I learnt something new.

Same here, I thought only Xenon self-leveled and Halogen was manually controlled.

 

[PLV]

Maybe try some electrical contact spray first..

Thanks, good idea. I'll give this a try!

 

[clarapeter]

I have had similar issue with my headlights sometime ago, my mechanic has replaced tms headlight driver module and it has fixed this failure, i can't find correct part but it looks like this one very similar https://xenons4u.co.uk/bmw-tms-headlight-driver-module-7269494-7269531-7316208-7279625-7274400.html

 

[PLV]

Thanks so much man!

I tried a bit of electrical spray on some of the connectors and it seems to have been behaving ok for a while now.

I don’t doubt that at some stage the Driver might pack in and need replacing.

Thanks!