LED headlight Issue?

[lemetier]

Originally Posted by MSport_Jon

Not quite, i have driven F31 loaners here in Germany that have GFHBA and they do not behave this way.

Not quite what?

VLD does operate this way.

[MSport_Jon]

Originally Posted by mkdan2004

I have full adaptive LED, EURO version, not coded. My headlamps also behave like this. I have to say i am inclined to agree with @lemetier. I have witnessed it myself on another F15. He was driving in the lane right of me at a lower speed and his left headlamp was not "completely lit". Just as i passed by him, he accelerated without changing the lane or direction and his left headlamp lighted fully, i could see it in my mirror.

This is exactly how the European F31 (Germany) looks when its healdights are on.



While on a roll and when activated, the headlights will switch on and off their LED matrix's as they see fit. The problem is that when coded, the non native GFHBA vehicles not light part of their headlights and you can see this while stopped All they have to do is turn on their headlights after coding and they will see that part or one of their headlights is not lit as depicted in the above picture. The problem will remain while on a roll but this is where i am not sure if it ever lights up since since i dont have recording equipment to see them in action. I believe at best, when the high beams are off and under a preset kph.

European F31's do not have this issue or characteristic... The loaner i was give was a Sept built 2017 model

There is a promo video of the 30 Jahre M3. It is a sure bet to assume this car is equipped with GFHBA. it is also a European spec based on the kombi in km/h and not in mph.
FF at the .30 second mark. evenly lit headlights.

[MSport_Jon]

Originally Posted by lemetier

Not quite what?

VLD does operate this way.

Did you bother reading the whole thread? You are missing the point of this discussion... The problem is not what VLD does while on a roll... In fact, the thread has to do with GFHBA. You can have a car equipped with VLD and not HBA. The problem discussed is when a non native equipped GFHBA with HBA car behaves after coding while stopped! just stopped. No even the engine running... just turn on your headlights and look an them. That is the problem being discussed. In reality, the issue is not related to VLD. It has to do with GFHBA. The native GFHBA cars do not have the problem the OP talks about. The cars that do not came equipped with GFHBA but just HBA do not have this problem. They only have this problem after coding GFHBA. Something is causing that specific matrix to not light up unless you place the car in reverse.

[mkdan2004]

Originally Posted by MSport_Jon

This is exactly how the European F31 (Germany) looks when its healdights are on.



While on a roll and when activated, the headlights will switch on and off their LED matrix's as they see fit. The problem is that when coded, the non native GFHBA vehicles not light part of their headlights and you can see this while stopped All they have to do is turn on their headlights after coding and they will see that part or one of their headlights is not lit as depicted in the above picture. The problem will remain while on a roll but this is where i am not sure if it ever lights up since since i dont have recording equipment to see them in action. I believe at best, when the high beams are off and under a preset kph.

European F31's do not have this issue or characteristic... The loaner i was give was a Sept built 2017 model

There is a promo video of the 30 Jahre M3. It is a sure bet to assume this car is equipped with GFHBA. it is also a European spec based on the kombi in km/h and not in mph.
FF at the .30 second mark. evenly lit headlights.

I think the rendering of the F31 is weird. In this rendering (it does not look like an actual picture), the light seems to come from the bottom of the headlights. If you compare it to the video you posted, the light actually comes from the top half of the headlights. The same is with the F15, or at least that is what it looks like. Also, the car in the video is moving at an unknown speed and as i said, after a certain speed, the beams light fully on both sides. It is very "tricky" to look at these LED light "head on" because of the light effects. The most clear i can see my headlights is when i seat in traffic behind some white cars.
I cannot say anything about the coded GFHBA, all i can say is that: if the car is stationary or moving at very low speed, it is normal that the left headlight is not fully lit. It has been my experience with my car since day 1.

[MSport_Jon]

Originally Posted by mkdan2004

I have full adaptive LED, EURO version, not coded. My headlamps also behave like this. I have to say i am inclined to agree with @lemetier. I have witnessed it myself on another F15. He was driving in the lane right of me at a lower speed and his left headlamp was not "completely lit". Just as i passed by him, he accelerated without changing the lane or direction and his left headlamp lighted fully, i could see it in my mirror.

Please.. Do not confuse VLD with GFHBA. The problem reported by the OP only shows up when you code for GFHBA on a car that did not come with it. You do not have to be on a roll to see this. Just turn on your headlights after coding the car, walk to the front and you will see that one of your headlights is not evenly lit. Now place the car in reverse and have your buddy look at the lights or place the car in front of a wall. The lights will be even. This is the way it is supposed to look but for some reason it does not which is why the OP is legitimately concerned. Just an observation. VLD will be VLD while on the move. I dont think anyone is arguing that.


The GFHBA issue is not present on a German f31 that came equipped with HBA. I can assure you! I had one for a month.

[mkdan2004]

I am sorry if i am making a confusion but i just looked at the OP first post, including the pictures. All i am saying is. My car, behaves exactly as his does. And my headlights are not coded and i have observed the same behavior from other cars as well. There is a picture of a blue car/van parked in front of his and you can see the reflection of his LED's and it seems that one part of his driver's side headlight is "off". That is precisely what mine looks like when i am parked behind another vehicle and it seems that this is how it is supposed to work. Again, if misunderstood the actual problem reported by the OP, i apologize for the but it seems to me that there is in fact no problem with his vehicle.

[CatalinP]

There is no problem, that is how GFHBA is supposed to work.

[lemetier]

Originally Posted by MSport_Jon

Did you bother reading the whole thread? You are missing the point of this discussion... The problem is not what VLD does while on a roll... In fact, the thread has to do with GFHBA. You can have a car equipped with VLD and not HBA. The problem discussed is when a non native equipped GFHBA with HBA car behaves after coding while stopped! just stopped. No even the engine running... just turn on your headlights and look an them. That is the problem being discussed. In reality, the issue is not related to VLD. It has to do with GFHBA. The native GFHBA cars do not have the problem the OP talks about. The cars that do not came equipped with GFHBA but just HBA do not have this problem. They only have this problem after coding GFHBA. Something is causing that specific matrix to not light up unless you place the car in reverse.

I did read it and I am not missing the point.

[bbates25]

Tried searching but couldn’t find it on the forum. I’m probably searching like a dummie.

I have the LED package on my 17’ and I am unsure if the the headlights are supposed to look like this. When I had other cars with HIDs (Mercedes/Lexus) the headlights looked like they were straight across the top of the beam. These seem to look sporadic in placement. Is this normal?

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by bbates25

Tried searching but couldn't find it on the forum. I'm probably searching like a dummie.

I have the LED package on my 17' and I am unsure if the the headlights are supposed to look like this. When I had other cars with HIDs (Mercedes/Lexus) the headlights looked like they were straight across the top of the beam. These seem to look sporadic in placement. Is this normal?

This is because BMW doesn't use projectors for there LEDs. It's old school reflectors like halogen. The projector and inner shield makes the flat cut off. Find an F15 with HID and you'll see the difference.

Also, instead of going into reverse to check simply put on your fog lights to see VLD shift from city mode to hwy mode or whatever it's called. You can see the driver side shift from lighting up the far left to moving inline with the rest of the light and slightly moving up higher.

Also, the US DOT Low beam pattern is less offensive to oncoming traffic because of a sharp cutoff across the top of the beam pattern. On the left side of the beam pattern, the cutoff is horizontal. On the right side of the cutoff is also horizontal, but is "stepped" upwards with respect to the left side cutoff). This puts light further down range while not glaring oncoming drivers.

[Almaretto]

Originally Posted by bbates25

Tried searching but couldn’t find it on the forum. I’m probably searching like a dummie.

I have the LED package on my 17’ and I am unsure if the the headlights are supposed to look like this. When I had other cars with HIDs (Mercedes/Lexus) the headlights looked like they were straight across the top of the beam. These seem to look sporadic in placement. Is this normal?

http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...0&postcount=29

[MochiEater]

Originally Posted by mkdan2004

I am sorry if i am making a confusion but i just looked at the OP first post, including the pictures. All i am saying is. My car, behaves exactly as his does. And my headlights are not coded and i have observed the same behavior from other cars as well. There is a picture of a blue car/van parked in front of his and you can see the reflection of his LED's and it seems that one part of his driver's side headlight is "off". That is precisely what mine looks like when i am parked behind another vehicle and it seems that this is how it is supposed to work. Again, if misunderstood the actual problem reported by the OP, i apologize for the but it seems to me that there is in fact no problem with his vehicle.

On the Euro car, when does the left headlight fully light up? When I have VLD and GFHB coded on my USA F15 I never observed the left headlight fully lit. It was always dark like OP's photo. When testing I used another car to observe the F15 headlights and when the F15 was parked or following the other car at 60-70 mph or traveling in opposite directions at 30 mph. In all observed situations the left headlight had 1 LED off. Does that LED only light up when the F15 is at speed and there is no other car either in front or oncoming?

[Maverik259]

Originally Posted by MochiEater

On the Euro car, when does the left headlight fully light up? When I have VLD and GFHB coded on my USA F15 I never observed the left headlight fully lit. It was always dark like OP's photo. When testing I used another car to observe the F15 headlights and when the F15 was parked or following the other car at 60-70 mph or traveling in opposite directions at 30 mph. In all observed situations the left headlight had 1 LED off. Does that LED only light up when the F15 is at speed and there is no other car either in front or oncoming?

It will light up with the dogs on, and above 30 I believe. Nothing to do with other cars as that's the HB.

[iconoclast]

Originally Posted by bbates25

I have the LED package on my 17’ and I am unsure if the the headlights are supposed to look like this. When I had other cars with HIDs (Mercedes/Lexus) the headlights looked like they were straight across the top of the beam. These seem to look sporadic in placement. Is this normal?

If you did not mess with the coding or other areas of the headlight it should look like this close up on a flat surface:



At a distance:


At Night w/ Lo & Hi Beam:


Driving (Coded):

[mkdan2004]

Originally Posted by MochiEater

On the Euro car, when does the left headlight fully light up? When I have VLD and GFHB coded on my USA F15 I never observed the left headlight fully lit. It was always dark like OP's photo. When testing I used another car to observe the F15 headlights and when the F15 was parked or following the other car at 60-70 mph or traveling in opposite directions at 30 mph. In all observed situations the left headlight had 1 LED off. Does that LED only light up when the F15 is at speed and there is no other car either in front or oncoming?

It seems that above 70 km/h which is about 43 mile per hour. Unfortunately the user manual is not very clear on that.

[MochiEater]

Originally Posted by mkdan2004

It seems that above 70 km/h which is about 43 mile per hour. Unfortunately the user manual is not very clear on that.

That is different that what I have seen with VLD on my F15. The left headlight is half dark at highway speeds as observed from the car in front of it. I'm not convinced that the US VLD cars are functioning identically to the Euro VLD cars.

[iconoclast]

I agree. I believe complete functionality of the VLD is in tandem with E-Code headlight hardware to support it. Same with the tail lights. You can buy a switch for rear fog light like the EU/ROW has but it will not work the same way without a Euro Tail light.

[MochiEater]

BTW, do you drive around with the DRL corona lights at 100%? I tried it but at night lot of people would flash me so I stopped.

[iconoclast]

They are coded for 100% intensity and I do not get any high beams flashed at me however I also drive with Automatic Head Lights on with the adaptive setting on (pushing in the A on the stalk).