PLEASE HELP! Headlight leveling not wokring..

I have an 01 325i from Munich.It has stock Xenon headlamps. Bought the car from my cousin (original owner) and I remember the headlights tilting up/down EVERY time you put the key in.

I noticed a noise ONE time I started the car. Sounded like one of the level motor was jammed?

IDK if my cousin knew of the problem (probably did ) and just re adjusted them from facing down so he wouldnt have to buy new level sensors or motors, whatever the problem may be..


I read the car has TWO headlight level sensors (front/rear) and one motor behind each headlight..


does ANYONE have ANY ideas about where I should start trouble shooting? Motors or sensors? I dont even know the exact location of the sensors.

Does anyone have a DIY on this subject?


PLEASE REPLY, help me out...

The leveling sensors are on the control arm and rear wishbone. Look to see if the sensors arm is broken(not uncommon). If it is it will not adjust other than the setting the sensor was broken at. You can glue the arm back together and some have even zip tied it. You can even move the arm to level it out.

Now if it's the headlamp motors that's another story.

Well, get under the car and make sure the level sensors are there and the little plastic arms are intact and not snapped. The front one is on the passenger side lower control arm. The rear one is on the driver's side upper control arm.

FWIW, mine don't aim every time the car turns on. I believe it depends on the attitude of the car the last time it was turned off when the headlights were on.

If the sensors are intact, you can check the leveling motors by putting the car on ramps, disconnecting the little plastic arms from the sensors where they bolt to the control arms, and moving the position then turning the lights on. Or, find some uneven ground to park on and use that. Whatever's easiest.

honestly i had the same issue on my last 02 i had and i just unplugged the one connector on the back of each of the headlights that went to the leveling motor, i just readjusted them to the correct height and went on with my life with no money spend on that... and the headlights still worked properly just didnt auto adjust... big deal.

Awesome, thanks guys. Ill check it out tomorrow morning.

Ill put my car on the ramps and get under it. If those are in good condition Ill have to check the motors?


@afstud. they work fine now but on hills they dont adjust (thats why the feature was created). I made the compromise of selling my 2007 Chevy for this 2001 because I am to this day impressed by all of the features (including this one). A lot of the newer cars dont even have features like this, dynamic stabilitiy control, etc.

I just want to get everything fully functional. Call me a perfectionist or just obsessive compulsive

Originally Posted by Bimmerboye46

@afstud. they work fine now but on hills they dont adjust (thats why the feature was created). I made the compromise of selling my 2007 Chevy for this 2001 because I am to this day impressed by all of the features (including this one).

Its not for hills, its for when you have really fat people in the backseat. Also, the levelling isn't really a "feature", its a legal requirement in Europe. All cars with HID headlights must self-adjust/be easily adjustable by the driver.

Even halogen headlamps come with the dial to raise and lower the beam, its standard and required like ptrcd003 said.... here its just for when you have the extra weight in the back seats... the only ones that adjust when going up and down hills are like 2010 and up models...and i still dont think bmw uses that... my gmas RX does that though.... but i find the auto level silly and when it fails is more useless money spent.... so i make sure there aimed correctly and just unplug the motor on the back of the headlight... no warning lights either.

Originally Posted by afstud

Even halogen headlamps come with the dial to raise and lower the beam, its standard and required like ptrcd003 said.... here its just for when you have the extra weight in the back seats... the only ones that adjust when going up and down hills are like 2010 and up models...and i still dont think bmw uses that... my gmas RX does that though.... but i find the auto level silly and when it fails is more useless money spent.... so i make sure there aimed correctly and just unplug the motor on the back of the headlight... no warning lights either.

that's not correct. the xenons will self adjust when the car is at a different angle. it doesn't do it at the exact moment the car's level has changed. but will adjust in short time. they do this so it's not bouncing the cut-off up and down for every dip and valley. but if you go down a curb and stop for a moment, the lights will adjust up.
so yes if you go down a hill it will adjust the cut-off so the lights aren't in oncoming traffic. and yes this will also adjust the headlamps if the back is weighed down and nose is up.

Point is, thats an impressive FEATURE my Chevy did NOT have. Pointless or not I want the headlights to function properly.

I appreciate everyones help.