Removing auto level headlight motor
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 8
From: Los Angeles
2005 E500 AMG Appearance Pkg
Removing auto level headlight motor
How can I remove the self level headlight motor from the xenon headlight housing? It is connected via two ball and socket joints
that I cant afford to break. I have seen them successfully removed from the housing in images but I just searched the w211 forum
and cant find anything explaining how to remove it. Its probably not that hard, but I'm just not seeing it right now. someone plz help.
this is on a 03-06 bi-xenon headlight.
that I cant afford to break. I have seen them successfully removed from the housing in images but I just searched the w211 forum
and cant find anything explaining how to remove it. Its probably not that hard, but I'm just not seeing it right now. someone plz help.
this is on a 03-06 bi-xenon headlight.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 485
Likes: 31
From: Concord, CA
'13 E350 . M276
A couple of months ago, I changed my dead self-leveling motors which I bought from China. Luckily they're now working fine. However, the removal and installation of those motors was a nightmare. In the PDF attached by Konigstiger, in step #4, they refer to a proper tool to unlock the ball head from the female socket. What is that proper tool, I'm not sure. I used a small flat screwdriver and a buddy helped me with it. I could not believe the amount of force needed to separate them, and as we were trying to pry them apart, the entire light mechanism internal assembly started to wobble, so I tried to stabilize that part using screws and a metal bracket to prevent movement while we attempted the prying operation. The problem is you also have virtually no room to work inside that area. The female socket is made of plastic and appeared somewhat flexible but getting the ball out was atrocious, and it was just as complicated to insert the new motor ball in there. The entire process took about 8 hours. While working on it, many times I thought I was going to have to buy new headlights believing I would damage it in my attempts to install the new motors, but I got spared.
The red arrow points to that mechanism where the ball head is hidden inside the female socket. I'm wondering what would happen if you pushed the black tab right at the blue arrow and if that would release it. I did not do that. I just noticed it as I was reviewing the picture.
Last edited by Stuttgarten; Jul 19, 2019 at 12:18 PM. Reason: Adding pic
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 8
From: Los Angeles
2005 E500 AMG Appearance Pkg
Thank you for the PDF Konigstiger per usual most reliable source of information.
Stuttgarten, I know exactly the experience you described in attempting to remove the ball and socket joint.
I also thought I was going to break it any second and just sit there with no one to blame. except this time
i win. well sort of, i didnt break it and actually managed to remove it but shortly thereafter I realized that
in my case it should have and was thenceforward very easy to disassemble. Reason is because I have the
headlight open and did not realize at the moment that somewhere in the middle between the plastic gear
and the enclosed pivot ball joint there is a point where it can be unscrewed and separated into 2 parts. of
course this being an option if you have the headlight lens removed etc.
Reason I am doing this is because this past weekend I have been removing everything inside a pair of xenon
headlights (with broken tabs) into my halogen headlight housings (no broken tabs) and although I wont have
auto level feature I do plan on it and have since bought the module and wiring that goes under the seat, I have
a friend who has an independent shop that installed an arnott coil over conversion kit so since he is familiar with
the airmatic nightmare issues i have had and i hear the two are related I figuered I should also swap the headlight
motor into the halogen housing as well. I have both headlights ready to mount back on the car now so hopefully everything
works out ok.
Stuttgarten, I know exactly the experience you described in attempting to remove the ball and socket joint.
I also thought I was going to break it any second and just sit there with no one to blame. except this time
i win. well sort of, i didnt break it and actually managed to remove it but shortly thereafter I realized that
in my case it should have and was thenceforward very easy to disassemble. Reason is because I have the
headlight open and did not realize at the moment that somewhere in the middle between the plastic gear
and the enclosed pivot ball joint there is a point where it can be unscrewed and separated into 2 parts. of
course this being an option if you have the headlight lens removed etc.
Reason I am doing this is because this past weekend I have been removing everything inside a pair of xenon
headlights (with broken tabs) into my halogen headlight housings (no broken tabs) and although I wont have
auto level feature I do plan on it and have since bought the module and wiring that goes under the seat, I have
a friend who has an independent shop that installed an arnott coil over conversion kit so since he is familiar with
the airmatic nightmare issues i have had and i hear the two are related I figuered I should also swap the headlight
motor into the halogen housing as well. I have both headlights ready to mount back on the car now so hopefully everything
works out ok.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 485
Likes: 31
From: Concord, CA
'13 E350 . M276
Sounds like you have a great project to finish. This is what I love about the W211 is that you could do a lot of work on them yourself. Yes, having the headlight open and apart gives much better access, but if all you have is the rear hatch for access, you literally have no room to work. Good luck on your project, let's know how it turns out!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 101
Likes: 8
From: Los Angeles
2005 E500 AMG Appearance Pkg
I JUST TURNED IT ON EVERYTHING WORKS! OMG IM SO HAPPY
RIGHT NOW. HAHAHA ITS DA BEZZZTTTT
I LOVE IT. AND I HAVE EVERYONE HERE ON THE FORUMS TO THX
FOR TAKING THE TIME TO POST AND INFORM OTHERS. FEEL LIKE
A KID ALL OVER AGAIN. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO INDIRECTLY
HELPED ALONG THE WAY.
MUCH LOVE
EFONZZ
RIGHT NOW. HAHAHA ITS DA BEZZZTTTT
I LOVE IT. AND I HAVE EVERYONE HERE ON THE FORUMS TO THX
FOR TAKING THE TIME TO POST AND INFORM OTHERS. FEEL LIKE
A KID ALL OVER AGAIN. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO INDIRECTLY
HELPED ALONG THE WAY.
MUCH LOVE
EFONZZ
Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: Austin, TX
2005 E55 AMG
UPDATE: I think I found it - Hella 734857-02, right?
Last edited by Tranman; Jul 14, 2019 at 10:18 PM.
Trending Topics
Senior Member
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 485
Likes: 31
From: Concord, CA
'13 E350 . M276
http://www.oemxenonshop.com/Mercedes...placement.html
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 44
From: San Diego
2004 E55
This is the website where I purchased motors and lens covers. Motors are not sold as separate items by MB dealer, you've got to buy entire light assembly.
http://www.oemxenonshop.com/Mercedes...placement.html
http://www.oemxenonshop.com/Mercedes...placement.html
Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: Austin, TX
2005 E55 AMG
This is the website where I purchased motors and lens covers. Motors are not sold as separate items by MB dealer, you've got to buy entire light assembly.
http://www.oemxenonshop.com/Mercedes...placement.html
http://www.oemxenonshop.com/Mercedes...placement.html
Thanks for the link. I found this forum post and seems like it's worth a shot to see if it fixes my issue before I order a new headlight adjustment motor.
https://mbworld.org/forums/cls-coupe...motor-fix.html
