[koch92]

Hi all,

My 2018 bmw i3s led headlight was broken so I bought a used 2021 led headlight replacement, I checked with the seller and he said it should work on mine. I have fitted it with the old 2018 modules (ballasts) of my car but I'm having the below issues:

- Error dash warnings showing dipped and high beam failure
- high beam and strip led work fine
- only dipped beam doesn't work although it does turn on when you play with stalk but turns off immediately.

Any idea what could it be causing this? I have attached the part labels of both headlights, note the part numbers don't match but the rest of numbers do. [IMG][/IMG]

[ovekvam]

There are two types of LED lights. One basic type, and with matrix technology with several sectors that can be controlled by the camera in the car. I guess they communicate differently with the car.

[koch92]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

There are two types of LED lights. One basic type, and with matrix technology with several sectors that can be controlled by the camera in the car. I guess they communicate differently with the car.

Originally Posted by ovekvam

There are two types of LED lights. One basic type, and with matrix technology with several sectors that can be controlled by the camera in the car. I guess they communicate differently with the car.

Can coding solve the communication issue?

[GPVG39]

Originally Posted by koch92

Can coding solve the communication issue?

Did you change both sides? If you only changed one side, and if you are able to code, you will always get an error since one light will always be out of code. But either way, I have been told by my service dealer that you can’t swap one for the other.

[ovekvam]

It is probably not possible to have passive LED on one side, and adaptive LED on the other side. But I guess we don't know for sure which type any of your lights are.

[GPVG39]

Originally Posted by alexpor

so you mean we have to change both? business entity

If you got passive LED, then both need to be passive, if you got adaptive LED, then you need both to be adaptive. Easy way to spot them is the internal of the passive is all black housing, the adaptive one has a chrome ring section around the bulb with black housing. You cannot have one of each, the computer will not work like that! But the other question is also weather you can code adaptive headlights on a car that came with passive headlight, I don’t think you can, but I might be wrong on that.

[koch92]

Originally Posted by GPVG39

If you got passive LED, then both need to be passive, if you got adaptive LED, then you need both to be adaptive. Easy way to spot them is the internal of the passive is all black housing, the adaptive one has a chrome ring section around the bulb with black housing. You cannot have one of each, the computer will not work like that! But the other question is also weather you can code adaptive headlights on a car that came with passive headlight, I don't think you can, but I might be wrong on that.

I'm I wrong to think the adaptive headlights have got "adaptive" engraved inside the headlight and the LEDs, just "LED" engraved? Both of the ones I have, got just "LED" engraved on them. So they both must be passive.

[koch92]

Originally Posted by koch92

I'm I wrong to think the adaptive headlights have got "adaptive" engraved inside the headlight and the LEDs, just the led engraved? Both of the ones I have have got just LED engraved on them. So they both must be passive.

See different types are clearly distinguishable

[koch92]

Originally Posted by rouger_bmw

yes they work completely different. So if you have LED from factory you will need LED and not ADAPTIVE LED. Anyway if you need them, I have a new pair complet and new ones with all control modules included. Mine are LED (passive led).

Where are you based please? They need to be from a right hand car.

[JJBunChu]

I have seen this before with a 2016/2017 version adaptive LED headlight that I tried to use 2014 modules for. It created a voltage alarm and shut down the LED. When I looked at the light bulbs, the 2014 had a fan cooled LED and the 2016 had a passively cooled LED. Probably a different voltage module is needed. There is no information that I could find on what module part number/year are compatible with which lights; other than, "use the same part number". I was able to get a 2015 light with a different part number to work with my 2014 modules...

2021 lights are totally different than 2018 and definitely won't work interchangeably.

[-c-]

So just to add to the confusion I have a 2018 standard LED headlight and the modules used on the standard and the adaptive are the same part number per the dealer. So it must come down to coding. But yes you would need the same headlight of each either way.