BMWs are known for their exceptional performance and smooth driving experience. However, your vehicle’s performance may be compromised if you do not ensure that your adaptive headlights are in good working condition. As an owner of a BMW, it is crucial that you understand the importance of your adaptive headlights and how if not properly serviced they can malfunction and affect your drive.

What is an adaptive headlight?

Adaptive headlights are headlights that respond to your vehicle’s movements and changes in your surrounding conditions. They improve your safety when driving at night or in low-light conditions, such as rain, tunnels, and fog.

Adaptive headlights turn on automatically as the conditions change, and are able to automatically switch between low and high beams in response to oncoming traffic to prevent blinding other drivers.

In addition, adaptive headlights are able to turn the light projector left or right in response to the direction of your vehicle. This allows the light to be projected on the part of the road you are turning towards rather than the road directly ahead, reducing blind spots in low-light conditions.

What May Cause Your Adaptive Headlight To Fail and How to Prevent It

One of the main reasons your vehicle’s adaptive headlights may fail is the presence of water or condensation within your headlight. This is a common problem that can be caused by water entering the headlight through a crack or the headlight access door and damaging the adaptive headlight module. However, water is not the only way a vehicle’s adaptive headlight may fail.

Sometimes the headlights can fail due to a worn out or damaged part within the headlight. Due to their importance to driving safety, consider the following reasons your adaptive headlights might fail and how you can try to prevent it from occurring:

• Failed Adaptive Headlight Module/Stepper Motor Controller: The stepper motor controller, otherwise known as the adaptive headlight module, is located at the lowest point of the headlight. If you drive your vehicle through heavy rains, flooding, or a car wash, water may get into the headlight and go straight down to the stepper motor controller. Water shortens the module and damages it. This triggers an adaptive function error message on your vehicle’s dashboard.
• Cracked Headlight: A broken or cracked headlight is more likely to let water into the headlight, causing damage to the adaptive headlight module. It is important to regularly check your headlights to make sure there is no damage. If you notice a crack in your vehicle’s headlight, you should take it to a shop to have it replaced.
• Loose Headlight Access Door: The access door behind the vehicle’s headlight has a seal meant to keep water out of the headlight. If the access door is not sealed correctly after replacing the bulb, or the seal has become damaged, water will get into the headlight. Be sure your vehicle’s headlight access door is sealed properly, and inspect the seal for any damages.
• Malfunctioning Adaptive Stepper Motor: The adaptive stepper motor is also located in the headlight and is responsible for turning the low/high beam projector right or left. This motor can become loose or damaged and malfunction or its link to the low/high beam projector can fail.

Signs Your Adaptive Headlight is Malfunctioning

If your vehicle’s adaptive headlights are malfunctioning you will need to have your vehicle inspected and serviced immediately to ensure the safety of yourself and other drivers. Keep an eye out for the following signs that your vehicle’s adaptive headlights may be malfunctioning:

• the adaptive headlight will only turn right
• the adaptive headlight will only turn left
• there is a control malfunction message and warning light alerting you to an issue with the adaptive headlight
• the low-beam of the adaptive headlight is stuck in an off-center position
• there is a green light flashing by the switch for the headlight

Rowlett Motorwerks

BMWs are dynamic vehicles. They need to be serviced by experts who are qualified to recognize any vehicular problems and provide excellent maintenance as needed. At Rowlett Motorwerks, we have expert technicians that are dedicated to providing you and your vehicle with excellent service.

Rowlett Motorwerks serves Garland, Rockwall, Sachse, Wylie, and Rowlett, TX. If your vehicle is showing any signs of issues with the adaptive headlights, bring it to Rowlett Motorwerks and we will get you back on the road driving safely.

* BMW M4 image credit goes to: Chiradech.