640d....adaptive LED headlight issue....

640d....adaptive LED headlight issue....

Author
Discussion

turboman786

Original Poster:

1,053 posts

186 months

Friday 9th December 2016
quotequote all
I've got a 640d 2012 with the hitherto brilliant LED adaptive lights

The front headlight on one side only stops working intermittently.....initially I thought it was just in need of a new bulb but I'm told by a local specialist that these are sealed units and there is no bulb to change

Has anyone any experience of fixing these lights or am I stuck with a (hugely expensive I suspect) new unit from BMW?

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

155 months

Friday 9th December 2016
quotequote all
turboman786 said:
I've got a 640d 2012 with the hitherto brilliant LED adaptive lights

The front headlight on one side only stops working intermittently.....initially I thought it was just in need of a new bulb but I'm told by a local specialist that these are sealed units and there is no bulb to change

Has anyone any experience of fixing these lights or am I stuck with a (hugely expensive I suspect) new unit from BMW?
Presumably still under warranty/extended warranty?

Lights are covered - you will get a replacement unit for £0 installed.

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 9th December 2016
quotequote all
Even if out of warranty, if there's a good BMWSH they will make a major contribution, one would hope.

I got 70% of a major bill paid for on a 6.5 year old car without warranty.

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Saturday 10th December 2016
quotequote all
turboman786 said:
I've got a 640d 2012 with the hitherto brilliant LED adaptive lights

The front headlight on one side only stops working intermittently.....initially I thought it was just in need of a new bulb but I'm told by a local specialist that these are sealed units and there is no bulb to change

Has anyone any experience of fixing these lights or am I stuck with a (hugely expensive I suspect) new unit from BMW?
The specialist is correct - The headlights are not designed to have their bulbs replaced and so you have to buy the entire headlamp unit.

Brace yourself - They're priced somewhere @ £1900~£2000 each IIRC!

dave_s13

13,813 posts

268 months

Saturday 10th December 2016
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eek fookin eck!

Surely someone has come up with a send it way, refurb service for these?

Monty Python

4,812 posts

196 months

Saturday 10th December 2016
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Ninja59

3,691 posts

111 months

Saturday 10th December 2016
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It is worth testing to see if any parts from one like the led module are the problem.

The price quoted above for replacement led headlight is someway off leebmann show then for 3799 euro or £3100 each, discounted from just over 4000 euro or £3500 each roughly speaking...

Jon912lancer

4 posts

87 months

Sunday 11th December 2016
quotequote all
I have a similar issue? my local dealer can't give me an answer. I've got a 61 plate BMW 640d, with adaptive LED headlights. When I set my lights to auto and the lights are on, after a couple of minutes I get a warning (dip beam left failure), however all headlights are still working. If my lights are turned on normally not set to auto I never get this warning. I've had this problem for over a year now.
To overcome it I turn my lights on manually the old fashioned way, when it's dark. My main dealer had it in for an afternoon and couldn't find anything wrong, hence the reason I've left it so long. Anyone with adaptive LED headlights had any similar problems, I'd love to hear from you thanks in advance.

eatontrifles

1,442 posts

233 months

Sunday 11th December 2016
quotequote all
Jon912lancer said:
I have a similar issue? my local dealer can't give me an answer. I've got a 61 plate BMW 640d, with adaptive LED headlights. When I set my lights to auto and the lights are on, after a couple of minutes I get a warning (dip beam left failure), however all headlights are still working. If my lights are turned on normally not set to auto I never get this warning. I've had this problem for over a year now.
To overcome it I turn my lights on manually the old fashioned way, when it's dark. My main dealer had it in for an afternoon and couldn't find anything wrong, hence the reason I've left it so long. Anyone with adaptive LED headlights had any similar problems, I'd love to hear from you thanks in advance.
Slightly different problem, but on my E91 I was getting random door open warnings while driving - different doors, all definitely shut.
I did an error code scan & it came back as a fault in the adaptive headlight stepper motor (Xenons in mine, not LEDs) - but again, all actually working fine. Apparently the doors and lights are controlled by the FRM module so something wasn't quite right in there.
I spoke to my local specialist and they said to do an ECU reset by disconnecting the battery & leaving for an hour or more, I was sceptical but did it anyway and the problem went away. Maybe worth a try?

Spuffington

1,203 posts

167 months

Monday 12th December 2016
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I have a similar issue with the rear LED light cluster on my F25 X3 - it's currently under AUC warranty and going in tomorrow to BMW Elms. I've been told that lights aren't covered, but I had always understood this to be bulbs. The whole idea of LEDs is that they are supposed to have a longer lifespan than filament bulbs, therefore I'll be arguing my case on the basis of this and the AUC warranty.

A quote for the rear light cluster was nearly 300quid, part only.

4rephill

5,040 posts

177 months

Monday 12th December 2016
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Spuffington said:
.......The whole idea of LEDs is that they are supposed to have a longer lifespan than filament bulbs..........
You'll probably find that your LED's are fine - It's everything else in the lamp unit that attaches to the LED's that is faulty! wink

Charlie Croker mk2

280 posts

99 months

Tuesday 13th December 2016
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FAO Spuffington

have a look at post number 30 , it shows you how to fix faulty x3 rear light assembly !
http://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117...

Spuffington

1,203 posts

167 months

Wednesday 14th December 2016
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Thanks chaps.

Just heard from Elms BMW that it's being replaced under AUC warranty. Turns out it was the LED itself which was faulty - according to them, anyway. No fight about it but presume there was a batch of faulty ones around 2011/12 as I've seen a few threads on it in the US.


turboman786

Original Poster:

1,053 posts

186 months

Thursday 15th December 2016
quotequote all
Many thanks for the replies...it appears I'm not alone with led adaptive woes

BMW want £190 to diagnose the fault....but then they say the headlight cannot be repaired so I'm not sure what diagnosis will achieve

Car is unfortunately out of warranty so I'm going to keep researching these forus as I'm confident this is just a sensor issue

The light works until I go around a corner and then I get the dreaded *dipped beam left failure*

The fact that the parts can be bought separately certainly indicates that it's repairable...

JonV8V

7,178 posts

123 months

Thursday 15th December 2016
quotequote all
turboman786 said:
Many thanks for the replies...it appears I'm not alone with led adaptive woes

BMW want £190 to diagnose the fault....but then they say the headlight cannot be repaired so I'm not sure what diagnosis will achieve

Car is unfortunately out of warranty so I'm going to keep researching these forus as I'm confident this is just a sensor issue

The light works until I go around a corner and then I get the dreaded *dipped beam left failure*

The fact that the parts can be bought separately certainly indicates that it's repairable...
You may be able to get someone to code out the adaptive bit. I sold my 640D GC with the LED lights a year ago but I recall there is a physical bit that moves for cornering, if that's stuck/faulty it might be the cause.

Charlie Croker mk2

280 posts

99 months

Thursday 15th December 2016
quotequote all
op have you tried putting the headlights on "manual" as opposed to auto via the main light switch , or just turn the fog lights on as this will also disable the auto feature ?

shopper150

1,576 posts

193 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
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I have the same issue. $tealer is looking at it today, but has warned me to expect a bill. Certainly don't expect adaptive LED lights to fail so quickly.

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

155 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
quotequote all
Spuffington said:
Thanks chaps.

Just heard from Elms BMW that it's being replaced under AUC warranty. Turns out it was the LED itself which was faulty - according to them, anyway. No fight about it but presume there was a batch of faulty ones around 2011/12 as I've seen a few threads on it in the US.
Great news - these cars are all still fairly new, and expensive so guess most still running under warranty, either extended or as an AUC?

Andehh

7,107 posts

205 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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REALIST123 said:
Even if out of warranty, if there's a good BMWSH they will make a major contribution, one would hope.

I got 70% of a major bill paid for on a 6.5 year old car without warranty.
Out of curiosity, what is the story behind this? My 530D is now 6 years old, and I am weighing up the extra £150-200 cost for BMW to service the vehicle vs move to an indie, one of the reasons being the potential good will from BMW for sticking with them.

Cheib

23,113 posts

174 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
quotequote all
Eye watering repair costs! One of the things I suppose about the latest tech in these cars is that its friggin expensive if something goes wrong.

I was reading on a US forum the other day about a bloke whose Panoramic Roof had jammed open on his Cayenne. $10k replacement needed.....