Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    33

    Lightbulb 330Ci Headlight Loose/Dropping + Burnt Bowls?

    Hey guys. New Member and first post. Will be posting in New Member section within the week. Proud and mildly obsessed owner of a Mysticblau ZHP for 2 years.

    First of all, I know there are many threads on headlight issues but I cannot find a single updated source of info that explains my issue. Most threads are old with broken links. I believe my issue is rare if not unique.

    The Car:
    2004 330Ci ZHP with Adaptive / Auto-Leveling headlights

    The Issue:
    Poor light output from both headlights
    Driver's Side Headlight too low

    Issue Isolated to:
    The driver's side headlight assembly has become loose/broken internally.
    Likely have burnt bowls. Asking you to confirm.

    Notes:
    brand-spankin-new Osram Nightbreakers installed yesterday and light output is better but still bad.
    Auto Headlight switch LED is solid green.
    Self-leveling test is performed when headlights powered on. Both headlights go up/down without issues so the leveling motor appears to be ok. (Driver headlight still lower than passenger though)
    Adaptive headlights swivel left/right when turning ok.
    Headlight plastic lens faces have been refurbed/sanded with the 3M Headlight Resto kit about 1 year ago.
    No CEL.

    Troubleshooting Videos:
    Video #1: https://youtu.be/zvt87YXIBhA
    Video #2: https://youtu.be/YvrWoPikEvA
    Video #3: https://youtu.be/dym5vH3MK4U

    My Predicament:
    I would gladly buy full replacements if I had $1000+ to spare but I do not. I can spend a few hundees if need be but I can't do 4 figures.
    Ideally I would like to have quality angel eyes installed as well.

    My Questions to you fine people:

    Question #1:
    Once removed, is the headlight assembly easily disassembled
    and
    can the internal light assembly be tightened up or is it likely broken?

    Question #2:
    Can you confirm which OEM made my headlights (AL, ZKW, etc?)
    Can you confirm if I have burnt bowls?

    Question #3:
    What are some quality options for fixing the issue?

    https://www.theretrofitsource.com/al...kw-repair.html

    https://www.retrofitlab.com/en/bmw-3...em-md2s-1.html

    http://www.oemxenonshop.com/BMW-E46-...placement.html

    http://www.khoalty.com/bmw-e46-depo-...eadlights.html


    Can provide more info/pictures upon request.
    Thanks in advance.
    2004 330Ci ZHP Mysticblau
    RIP 1991 E30 325i Cabriolet

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Branford, CT
    Posts
    16,055
    The headlight being aimed too low can either be a bad alignment of the headlight, a broken autoleveling motor, or a broken leveling sensor or connecting arm.

    The coupe headlights do not have bowls that burn out. If it is burned out, it's probably because a previous owner ran 55W HIDs in there and that excessive heat caused the issue. This is pretty unlikely, however.

    As far as output being bad, perhaps the Xenon controllers (ballasts) need replacing. Is one side brighter than the other, or are both sides equally dim? Or, am I misunderstanding entirely and the issue isn't the light being dim, but just bad adjustment?
    BP
    2005 330i ZHP / 6MT
    Imolarot / Naturbraun
    2003 330iT / 6MT
    Orientblau / Naturbraun




    It's not the car you drive, it's how you drive it.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    33
    Quote Originally Posted by az3579 View Post
    The headlight being aimed too low can either be a bad alignment of the headlight, a broken autoleveling motor, or a broken leveling sensor or connecting arm.
    I got under the car and fidgeted with both leveling sensors and confirmed they are both working. both headlights moved when I manually moved both sensor arms. Both sensor arms appear to be physically intact, the connection to the control arm and subframe appear unbroken.

    The autoleveling motor appears to be intact as well, because the autolevel check on startup looks ok. Both headlights raise and lower.

    The coupe headlights do not have bowls that burn out. If it is burned out, it's probably because a previous owner ran 55W HIDs in there and that excessive heat caused the issue. This is pretty unlikely, however.
    I think that is unlikely too. Can you tell by the color of the bowl in Video #3 if it's burnt?


    As far as output being bad, perhaps the Xenon controllers (ballasts) need replacing. Is one side brighter than the other, or are both sides equally dim? Or, am I misunderstanding entirely and the issue isn't the light being dim, but just bad adjustment?
    Both sides are equally dim. It appears to be 2 different issues. Lighting is dim on both headlights AND the left headlight is misaligned. The looseness in the left headlight noted in the troubleshooting videos is non-existent in the right headlight.

    I can hear a low-volume buzzing sound from the engine bay when the lights are on, if that's relevant.
    2004 330Ci ZHP Mysticblau
    RIP 1991 E30 325i Cabriolet

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    88
    Have you tried re-aligning / re-aiming the droopy headlight with the set screws?


    07 BMW X5 4.8i Sport - current
    05 BMW 330CIC ZHP - current
    05 Porsche 911 C2S - current
    11 BMW Z4 35is - sold
    02 BMW 330i ZSP - totaled
    02 BMW M3 - sold
    01 BMW X5 - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    33
    Quote Originally Posted by SWO Daddy View Post
    Have you tried re-aligning / re-aiming the droopy headlight with the set screws?
    I have not. I was not aware there were set screws. Can you provide a link or keywords to search for that? That's basically what I was asking, if they can be adjusted.
    2004 330Ci ZHP Mysticblau
    RIP 1991 E30 325i Cabriolet

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    88


    07 BMW X5 4.8i Sport - current
    05 BMW 330CIC ZHP - current
    05 Porsche 911 C2S - current
    11 BMW Z4 35is - sold
    02 BMW 330i ZSP - totaled
    02 BMW M3 - sold
    01 BMW X5 - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    33

    Lightbulb

    Quote Originally Posted by SWO Daddy View Post
    Have you tried re-aligning / re-aiming the droopy headlight with the set screws?
    I found the set screws and adjusted both. Left headlight was all the way down, right headlight was adjusted alittle bit. Noticable improvement but still not the best.

    I found the culprit of the drooping headlight.
    The plastic housing that attaches the light to the height adjuster has sheared.
    Picture:
    Name:  lighthousing.png
Views: 578
Size:  860.3 KB

    Video:
    https://youtu.be/Vafby5N7Z_8
    2004 330Ci ZHP Mysticblau
    RIP 1991 E30 325i Cabriolet

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    88
    Hard to get to but maybe a little epoxy will fix you right up.


    07 BMW X5 4.8i Sport - current
    05 BMW 330CIC ZHP - current
    05 Porsche 911 C2S - current
    11 BMW Z4 35is - sold
    02 BMW 330i ZSP - totaled
    02 BMW M3 - sold
    01 BMW X5 - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Posts
    33
    Quote Originally Posted by SWO Daddy View Post
    Hard to get to but maybe a little epoxy will fix you right up.
    I was thinking that too. Which brings me to my previous question: Can this headlight assembly be opened up easily once it's out of the car? I'm also thinking maybe the focal lenses are tarnished in some way because they have look "frosted" and the left one has an uneven pattern in the frosting. Can those be replaced easily?
    2004 330Ci ZHP Mysticblau
    RIP 1991 E30 325i Cabriolet

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    San Diego
    Posts
    88
    I'm not an expert, but the only way I know to get into the headlight housing is to bake in the oven to soften the adhesive holding the clear headlight cover to the housing. It's the same technique used to mount halos to coupe / cabrio headlights. Search on youtube.

    I much prefer the sedan headlights where the clear covers are sealed with a gasket vice glue.


    07 BMW X5 4.8i Sport - current
    05 BMW 330CIC ZHP - current
    05 Porsche 911 C2S - current
    11 BMW Z4 35is - sold
    02 BMW 330i ZSP - totaled
    02 BMW M3 - sold
    01 BMW X5 - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold
    99 BMW 323i - sold

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