BMW 8 Series Headlight Malfunction: Repair Tips Needed

Hey there! I had the exact same issue with my 2018 BMW 5 Series diesel. The servomotor in the headlight adjustment system failed completely while I was driving at night. The warning light came on, and the beam pattern was completely off. Took it to a BMW certified shop last month. The mechanic found that the servomotor was indeed defective and needed replacement. It wasn't just a simple adjustment, the entire headlight leveling motor had to be changed. The repair itself wasn't super complicated, but it required specific diagnostic equipment to properly calibrate the new servomotor with the car's systems. Not a critical safety issue if fixed promptly, but definitely not something you want to ignore, especially for night driving. The whole thing took about 3 hours to fix. Make sure whoever works on it has experience with BMW's dynamic lighting systems. These aren't your regular headlights, and proper calibration is crucial after the repair. Best of luck with the fix.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful since it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, has everything been working smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other quirks with the headlights? Would be great to know if I should expect any follow-up issues.

Hey again! Happy to give you an update! The repair ended up costing me 1040 € for everything, parts, labor, and calibration. I know it's not cheap, but it was worth every penny. Since getting it fixed last month, the headlights have been working absolutely perfectly. The Headlight range control fault warning disappeared completely after they replaced the defective servomotor, and the beam alignment is spot-on now. No quirks or issues at all since the repair, it's like having a brand new system. I can actually see properly at night again, which is a massive relief! The calibration they did really made a difference, the auto-leveling is smooth and responsive now. I was a bit worried at first about spending that much, but considering how important proper lighting is, especially for these high-end cars, I'm glad I got it sorted properly. And honestly, it's better than dealing with ongoing issues or risking a dodgy repair job. Let me know if you need any other info about the repair. Always happy to help a fellow BMW owner!

Thanks for the detailed response! I actually just got back from getting mine fixed. Went ahead and took your advice about finding someone who really knows BMW systems. The repair was pretty similar to yours, ended up being the servomotor like you mentioned. Cost me a bit more at 1200 € but they did a full system check while they were at it. The whole process took about 4 hours, but I'm really happy with the result. The headlights are working perfectly now, no more weird beam patterns or warning lights. The mechanic showed me exactly what was wrong with the old servomotor, which was nice. They even took the time to explain how the whole system works. You were right about the calibration being crucial. They used some fancy diagnostic equipment to get everything lined up just right. It's amazing how much better nighttime driving is now, didn't realize how bad it had gotten until it was fixed properly. Really appreciate your help in pointing me in the right direction. Sometimes it's worth paying a bit more to get things done right the first time!