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Do-It-Yourself Garage
DIY - Replacing E39 headlight adjusters WITHOUT opening the headlight
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<blockquote data-quote="haywire" data-source="post: 25995" data-attributes="member: 16474"><p>2003 Sealed Headlights Adjuster Replacement (no cutting)Copy paste from here:<a href="http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=21609941" target="_blank">http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=21609941</a> I have a 2003 530i and my headlights are sealed with the glue that can't be baked open. I wanted to replace the broken adjusters in my headlights myself in order to avoid paying somebody $$$ to fix it. It seemed that nobody knew how to replace the adjusters without cutting into the housing except for a special few. These people who know have decided to keep it a secret. Since it obviously could be done I decided to figure it out. After playing/poking around on a couple separate occasions I was able to come up with the following solution.You will need a reasonably long Number 15 Torx Screwdriver and your obvious sockets, wrenches, etc. I used a Craftsman Professional Torx Screwdriver. No need for any special handmade tools. You will also need to have pretty crafty sized hands. . . people with big hands/fingers probably wont be able to do this.Remove the headlight from the car and remove the fragile/crumbly trim piece on the top. You will also want to remove all bulbs and the xenon power supply. You should be about here at this point.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%281%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Next step is removing the auto leveling unit. You will remove the 3 torx screws. Once the screws are removed you will pull the loose headlight piece inside the housing towards you (assuming your adjusters are broken). Then you will try to slide the auto leveling unit to the right. The pictures below of the unit removed should help you see how this thing works. It doesn't pull straight out.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%282%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%283%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Now that you have everything removed we start removing the adjusters. Starting on the low beam side (easy side) you can see the holder for the adjuster has a torx screw holding it in place. You need to remove this piece. See below.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%284%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Once this piece is removed you can then remove the actual adjuster by just turning the adjusting screw until the adjuster falls out. Note that the old adjuster may be in several pieces so make sure you get it all out. I also did all my turning with a socket wrench on the back part of the adjusting screw instead of using a philips screwdriver on the top part. (The back part is a lot stronger).Now it is time for the other side (high beam). This is the harder side by far. You will be going through the exact same process as the low beam side but access to the adjuster holder and torx screw is much more difficult. One of my headlights was a lot easier than the other. The pictures below are of the harder one. You will access this side through the angel eye bulb hole. You will have to move the inside headlight piece inside the housing until everything lines up. The cables running from the angel eye piece may be blocking your view of the torx screw so you may have to move some of the cables to gain access. Don't be too forceful or you may break the lines. I am not really sure how flexible they are. I was able to move mine just far enough to get access.You can see in the picture below that after some moving of my angel eye cables you can just barely see the torx screw that needs to be removed. Remove this torx screw and the adjuster holder.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%286%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /><img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%285%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />After you get the torx screw removed you can then remove the adjuster the same way you did on the other side. Here are my adjusters removed.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%287%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Then you will need to take the broken pieces out of the adjuster holders. Take a look at how they are held into place and you can figure out how to remove it. These are kinda a PITA. You should end up looking like this.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%288%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />You will want to snap the high beam adjuster into the holder before putting it back into the assembly but leave the screw out . . . you will put this in later. Leave the low beam side separated. You will reinstall pretty much in the opposite order. Starting with the low beam side, you will put the adjuster in first and then put the holder in second. It is easier to put in the adjuster with the entire assembly upside down. Here is a picture. . . not sure how much it will help you.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%289%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Once you get the adjuster lined up and on its screw you will need to back it up all the way so that it it isn't in the way for when you put in the holder. Make sure not to over tighten so you don't break anything. Put the holder back in its place and tighten the torx screw back down. You should look like this.<img src="http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%2810%29.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Don't snap these together yet. Now moving on to the other side. You will have the adjuster and the holder already snapped together. Once you get the adjuster in place and back on its screw you will need to back it up almost all the way. You may need to tweak this as needed in order to get the right position so that you can get the holder to sit securely on its post. (This will make more sense once you are in there working on it.) Once the holder is on the post you will need to get everything lined up again through the angel eye hole and replace the torx screw. I don't have pictures for this since the space is so tight and difficult to photograph. (Be patient)I used some plastic bag on the end of the screw driver to hold the screw in place.http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%2811%29.jpgYou may want to tape the plastic to the screw driver so you don't lose the piece of plastic inside the housing. . . ask me how i know. Once you get the torx screw in place you are ready to snap in the low beam adjuster into its holder. You may need to adjust the low beam adjuster so that it can reach the holder.Once both sides are snapped in you are pretty much finished. . . you may want to back up both adjusters all the way in order to ease the re-installation of the auto leveling unit. Put everything else back together and you should be good to go! Don't forget to aim your headlights when you are finished.Good Luck!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="haywire, post: 25995, member: 16474"] 2003 Sealed Headlights Adjuster Replacement (no cutting)Copy paste from here:[URL="http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=21609941"]http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=21609941[/URL] I have a 2003 530i and my headlights are sealed with the glue that can't be baked open. I wanted to replace the broken adjusters in my headlights myself in order to avoid paying somebody $$$ to fix it. It seemed that nobody knew how to replace the adjusters without cutting into the housing except for a special few. These people who know have decided to keep it a secret. Since it obviously could be done I decided to figure it out. After playing/poking around on a couple separate occasions I was able to come up with the following solution.You will need a reasonably long Number 15 Torx Screwdriver and your obvious sockets, wrenches, etc. I used a Craftsman Professional Torx Screwdriver. No need for any special handmade tools. You will also need to have pretty crafty sized hands. . . people with big hands/fingers probably wont be able to do this.Remove the headlight from the car and remove the fragile/crumbly trim piece on the top. You will also want to remove all bulbs and the xenon power supply. You should be about here at this point.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%281%29.jpg[/IMG]Next step is removing the auto leveling unit. You will remove the 3 torx screws. Once the screws are removed you will pull the loose headlight piece inside the housing towards you (assuming your adjusters are broken). Then you will try to slide the auto leveling unit to the right. The pictures below of the unit removed should help you see how this thing works. It doesn't pull straight out.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%282%29.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%283%29.jpg[/IMG]Now that you have everything removed we start removing the adjusters. Starting on the low beam side (easy side) you can see the holder for the adjuster has a torx screw holding it in place. You need to remove this piece. See below.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%284%29.jpg[/IMG]Once this piece is removed you can then remove the actual adjuster by just turning the adjusting screw until the adjuster falls out. Note that the old adjuster may be in several pieces so make sure you get it all out. I also did all my turning with a socket wrench on the back part of the adjusting screw instead of using a philips screwdriver on the top part. (The back part is a lot stronger).Now it is time for the other side (high beam). This is the harder side by far. You will be going through the exact same process as the low beam side but access to the adjuster holder and torx screw is much more difficult. One of my headlights was a lot easier than the other. The pictures below are of the harder one. You will access this side through the angel eye bulb hole. You will have to move the inside headlight piece inside the housing until everything lines up. The cables running from the angel eye piece may be blocking your view of the torx screw so you may have to move some of the cables to gain access. Don't be too forceful or you may break the lines. I am not really sure how flexible they are. I was able to move mine just far enough to get access.You can see in the picture below that after some moving of my angel eye cables you can just barely see the torx screw that needs to be removed. Remove this torx screw and the adjuster holder.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%286%29.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%285%29.jpg[/IMG]After you get the torx screw removed you can then remove the adjuster the same way you did on the other side. Here are my adjusters removed.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%287%29.jpg[/IMG]Then you will need to take the broken pieces out of the adjuster holders. Take a look at how they are held into place and you can figure out how to remove it. These are kinda a PITA. You should end up looking like this.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%288%29.jpg[/IMG]You will want to snap the high beam adjuster into the holder before putting it back into the assembly but leave the screw out . . . you will put this in later. Leave the low beam side separated. You will reinstall pretty much in the opposite order. Starting with the low beam side, you will put the adjuster in first and then put the holder in second. It is easier to put in the adjuster with the entire assembly upside down. Here is a picture. . . not sure how much it will help you.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%289%29.jpg[/IMG]Once you get the adjuster lined up and on its screw you will need to back it up all the way so that it it isn't in the way for when you put in the holder. Make sure not to over tighten so you don't break anything. Put the holder back in its place and tighten the torx screw back down. You should look like this.[IMG]http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%2810%29.jpg[/IMG]Don't snap these together yet. Now moving on to the other side. You will have the adjuster and the holder already snapped together. Once you get the adjuster in place and back on its screw you will need to back it up almost all the way. You may need to tweak this as needed in order to get the right position so that you can get the holder to sit securely on its post. (This will make more sense once you are in there working on it.) Once the holder is on the post you will need to get everything lined up again through the angel eye hole and replace the torx screw. I don't have pictures for this since the space is so tight and difficult to photograph. (Be patient)I used some plastic bag on the end of the screw driver to hold the screw in place.http://www.jasonandkariann.com/bmw/2003-Headlight-Adjusters%20%2811%29.jpgYou may want to tape the plastic to the screw driver so you don't lose the piece of plastic inside the housing. . . ask me how i know. Once you get the torx screw in place you are ready to snap in the low beam adjuster into its holder. You may need to adjust the low beam adjuster so that it can reach the holder.Once both sides are snapped in you are pretty much finished. . . you may want to back up both adjusters all the way in order to ease the re-installation of the auto leveling unit. Put everything else back together and you should be good to go! Don't forget to aim your headlights when you are finished.Good Luck! [/QUOTE]
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