Adaptive headlight issue?

aicpjim

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So I was out at bike night at my local bar, and there was an R18 Bagger rider there. He came over to have a peek at my TC and he said "Hey, did you know your headlight is broken?" I was like 'Uhh, no, what do you mean?" He pointed out that the middle LED bar, which is for the adaptive headlight function, was off-center by a centimeter or so, leaning left... He said that's a common problem with the R18's, and that I should get it fixed under warranty. Happened to his bagger too, but he said he took it in to his local dealership and they had it for 4 MONTHS, and STILL couldn't get one shipped in from BMW, backordered or whatever. Finally he told them to put his old headlight back in the bike so he could at least ride it, until the new ones come in. I guess I'll have my dealer order one and just wait until it comes in before taking the bike in... Anyone else facing this right now?
 
Maybe buy direct from Wisconsin.
Unfortunately you cannot buy direct from JWS.
My friend is a product engineer there. He did say that BMW has extremely tight production tolerances and they are the BMW adaptive lights assembled in a clean room.
 
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So I was out at bike night at my local bar, and there was an R18 Bagger rider there. He came over to have a peek at my TC and he said "Hey, did you know your headlight is broken?" I was like 'Uhh, no, what do you mean?" He pointed out that the middle LED bar, which is for the adaptive headlight function, was off-center by a centimeter or so, leaning left... He said that's a common problem with the R18's, and that I should get it fixed under warranty. Happened to his bagger too, but he said he took it in to his local dealership and they had it for 4 MONTHS, and STILL couldn't get one shipped in from BMW, backordered or whatever. Finally he told them to put his old headlight back in the bike so he could at least ride it, until the new ones come in. I guess I'll have my dealer order one and just wait until it comes in before taking the bike in... Anyone else facing this right now?
Would you mind posting a photo of what this damage looks like?
 
My 2022 TC... headlight seems to be working ok, picture taken with bike on sidestand.

2022R18TC_Headlight_001.jpg
 
Hello,
this can only be seen with a video, motorcycle in slow motion, you will accelerate several times and you will see the inside of the headlight moving around. This is what the dealership did to send proof to BMW. Good road.
 
When I talked to my service manager at my local dealer, I was told to have my wife look carefully at the light while the bike was running, and me in neutral, leaning the back left and right, turning the front wheel, etc. The LED bar didn't move AT ALL, so it's stuck in its current off-center position. Told the service manager, and he went ahead and ordered a new one. He said he was told it would be in by mid to late May
 
i noticed the whole low beam assembly cocked to the rider‘s left today. Turned the bike on - but did not start it - and it righted itself to level. But the lower reflector is clearly broken. IMG_0213.jpeg
 
I hate this issue... I keep checking my headlight periodically (even though I'm not 100% sure what I'm looking for); as well as texting friends after riding all day, asking if my headlight seemed jittery...

I feel like it is just a matter of time, which will most likely be a week or 100 miles past the warranty period, when my headlight shits the bed... It looks expensive too..
 
In order to recall them, they need the replacement parts. My headlight - which I assume will be the same part that comes off the bike - is on back order with no ETA known. BMW needs to either design a more durable adaptive low beam assembly, or they need to find a way to fix the significant and noticeable fairing vibration so the headlights don’t break. I’d prefer the latter if I could only have one fix.

I ride the bike with high beams on all the time, lower reflector bouncing around in the housing. It’s not going to hurt anything, but it might be annoying for oncoming traffic at night on those rare instances I’m out after dark.
 
My bike is scheduled to go into the service shop next Saturday, in order to have the adaptive headlight "recalibrated"; since the reflector already started to wear the chrome finish off - I'm expecting the headlight to be replaced under warranty...

More to follow..
 
How is the adaptive headlight designed to operate? Should it switch from low to high beams automatically? If so, how is this accomplished from the bike’s controls?
 
How is the adaptive headlight designed to operate? Should it switch from low to high beams automatically? If so, how is this accomplished from the bike’s controls?
The Adaptive Headlight is supposed too direct light in the direction of the roadway, while the bike is corning; I don't think it automatically switches the Hi/Low beam for oncoming traffic.
 
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