How to Bimmercode VLD and Anti-Dazzle (GFHB) with your adaptive LED headlights

[rockyfeller]

If you research the threads on the forum, the general consensus seems to be that you just can't code in VLD (Variable Light Distribution) or anti-dazzle (GFHB - Glare Free High Beam) on our US market cars. Or that you have to pay someone to code it for you. I think most people don't realize the real answer is YES!! You can code it in! So I think it warranted a new thread that can be searched and found more clearly from now on.

As many of you know, these features are activated on BMWs in many parts of the world. Here in the US, it's been intentionally coded out due to weird government regulations. There are so many threads on this subject, so it took a lot of time to find the answer. It was buried deep in the pages of our forums. I tried out the coding a year ago and come to find out it works like a charm! (yes I know, I should have posted this thread a LONG time ago. Just didn't get to it, don't kill me!) So over the last year, I've tested it quite a bit under all kinds of conditions. It's pure genius. Headlights work so seamlessly and everything is automatic; I never even think about it. I've never been flashed by oncoming traffic even once. Visibility, can't ask for more.

So first of all, you'll need Bimmercode, of course! Next, you will require an FLA/KAFAS camera on your car by the rearview mirror. If you have regular HID Xenon lights ONLY the VLD function will work for you. VLD will also work if you have adaptive LED headlights. It only works on your LOW BEAMS to move your headlights and position the beams on the road depending on steering angle and vehicle speed. Variable Light Distribution has several different modes of operation (this text is copied from another car platform, so not every detail mentioned will apply to the M5):

1 - City Light: Shallow and Very Wide Beam Pattern active from 0 - 50kph (30MPH) (Both Headlamps are Panned outwards 12 horizontal from center and 0.7 lowered vertically)

2 - Standard Light: Same Basic Beam Pattern as if the Headlamp Switch Set to Auto. Active from 50 - 110kph (30MPH - 68MPH)

3 - Guiding Fog Light - Shallow and Wider Beam Pattern Enabled with the Front Fog Lamps On and Headlamp Switch in Auto and Speed 0 - 110kph (Both headlamps are panned outwards 8 horizontal from center and lowered 0.7 vertically)

4 - Highway Light - Long Throw Pattern illuminating approx. 25% further than Standard Light. Active from 110 to 250kph (68MPH- 155MPH). (Driver's Side Headlamp is panned 3.5 outwards Horizontal from center and lowered 0.25 vertically, while the passenger side headlamp is raised 0.2 vertical)
(thank you to shawnsheridan!)

But if you have an LCI M5 (2014-2016), with the LED adaptive headlights, well now that means you can take full advantage of what you paid for and code in the anti-dazzle, GFHB. This will actively swivel the lights in different axis to avoid oncoming traffic while actually keeping the HIGH BEAMS on! GFHB will ONLY work with adaptive LED headlights, it will NOT work if you have HID Xenon lights.

Not only will this work on the M5 but it should work on any F10, F12, F13, F06, etc. This method may also work for other BMWs as well, but I can't confirm which models, please do your research. I've posted 2 different methods so that you can figure out which method works for you. Please READ CAREFULLY. This procedure does require you to use Bimmercode on Expert Mode. So proceed at your own risk!



Method 1:
Coding for 8S4 (VLD - works for both HID Xenons and LED adaptive lights):

Footwell Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > LUT_FLC_FORWARDLIGHTING_Y > F025_mit_AFS > 0x9C,0x9C,0x9C (check this box)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_FLC_ENA > F025_enable > 0x01 (check this box)


Coding for 5AP (GFHB - works for LED adaptive lights ONLY):

Footwell Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ENA > F025_enable > 0x01 (check this box)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_GRHB_ENA > F025_ Highway_Standby_AFS > 0x01 (check this box)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ADAPT_SHUT_ENA > F025_enable > 0x01 (check this box)

(thanks to drs4life@comcast!)



Method 2:
If for some reason you don't see these parameters on expert mode for your car then try the following alternative method for coding :


Coding for 8S4 (VLD - works for both HID Xenons and LED adaptive lights):

Front Electronic Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > LUT_FLC_FORWARDLIGHTING_Y > 9C,9C,9C (Both)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_AFS_ENA > Enable (Both)


Coding for 5AP (GFHB - works for LED adaptive lights ONLY):

Front Electronic Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ENA > Enable (Both)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_GRHB_ENA > Highway_Standby_AFS

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ADAPT_SHUT_ENA > Enable

(Thanks to the members RobRed and AndrewC1989 from the M2 forum)



Note: You'll see two blue check marks next to some of these. Press the top one. It will uncheck the one below it. Now you can enable one of the two 'enable' options (if there are two). Back out. Go back in. Both correct selections should have the blue checkmark next to them.

Remember to keep your headlights dial in the "Auto" position. HBA (High Beam Assistant) is a feature that our US cars already have. With HBA, the high beams turn off in the presence of oncoming headlights or following taillights of other cars and automatically turns the high beams on if no other cars are present. For some reason, BMW has opted to make HBA operate with manual activation using a button on the turn signal stalk. The next time the car is restarted it resets to off position again. There is a coding parameter on Bimmercode that allows HBA to automatically activate every time you restart the car. Manual operation is still possible in order to turn HBA off for some reason if you'd want. I'd highly recommend coding this in as well.

There has been controversy with some members in the past about whether you should or shouldn't do this so it's up to you. But I don't see why not! You'll wish you did it sooner! Enjoy your car as BMW intended.

Good luck guys, enjoy!

[HeyKC]

Nice write up. This just came up on the M6 site. I will pass this info along. I imagine its similar. I will look into it with Bimmercode this week.

[rockyfeller]

Thanks. Let me know how it works out.

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by HeyKC

Nice write up. This just came up on the M6 site. I will pass this info along. I imagine its similar. I will look into it with Bimmercode this week.

Let me know as well, I just traded my F10 M5 in for an 2016 F13 M6 Comp (LCI). I would love to do this for mine.

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by rockyfeller

Thanks. Let me know how it works out.

I can confirm, just did it to my 2016 F13 M6 comp, works like a charm ***all features*** I have the LCI adaptive LED's Thanks a bunch for your write up.

[HeyKC]

Originally Posted by rockyfeller

Thanks. Let me know how it works out.

Unfortunately this did not work out for me. While the my M6 has the LED adaptive head lights I have a 2014 so my bimmercode options are slightly different. I was able to find the sub options in the footwell module but the selections for my sub options did not appear the same. I am not code savvy or brave enough to start playing with the options I was presented with. Although per DRS it does sound like it will work on the newer M6.

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by HeyKC

Unfortunately this did not work out for me. While the my M6 has the LED adaptive head lights I have a 2014 so my bimmercode options are slightly different. I was able to find the sub options in the footwell module but the selections for my sub options did not appear the same. I am not code savvy or brave enough to start playing with the options I was presented with. Although per DRS it does sound like it will work on the newer M6.

I had to use the Footwell Module also & my options were slightly diff' than the OPs. I'll see if I can get some scn-shots, but I can confirm mine work exactly as in the posted video now. I could literally see the lights creating the tunnels, raising & lowering + I passed at-least 30 cars on my test drive & none of them flashed me & my high beams only turned off under certain conditions I.e bright streetlights or otherwise, well lit road. as a bonus, It also appeared to highlight street signs.

[rockyfeller]

There was an LCI update for M6s with slightly updated headlights. So maybe it works only on the updated LED lights and not the older models?

[jacie6056]

Originally Posted by drs4life@comcast.net

I had to use the Footwell Module also & my options were slightly diff' than the OPs. I'll see if I can get some scn-shots, but I can confirm mine work exactly as in the posted video now. I could literally see the lights creating the tunnels, raising & lowering + I passed at-least 30 cars on my test drive & none of them flashed me & my high beams only turned off under certain conditions I.e bright streetlights or otherwise, well lit road. as a bonus, It also appeared to highlight street signs.

I have 2016 M6 with FRM module too.
Can you share what parameters to change since we don’t have FEM module so I guess it will be slightly different
Thanks

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by rockyfeller

There was an LCI update for M6s with slightly updated headlights. So maybe it works only on the updated LED lights and not the older models?

Ah, got ya, here are my parameters:

[TLK]

This is pretty interesting since there were a bunch of historical post saying it didn't work. This would be a nice coup if it does with this. What was reported in the past was that the tunnel wasn't wide enough or low enough.

Has anyone had a friend drive in another car to report how well the pattern worked?

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by TLK

This is pretty interesting since there were a bunch of historical post saying it didn't work. This would be a nice coup if it does with this. What was reported in the past was that the tunnel wasn't wide enough or low enough.

Has anyone had a friend drive in another car to report how well the pattern worked?

I haven't, but that'd be interesting to try out. I did another run last night & observed the light pattern as much as I could while driving behind several cars & for the most part, the high beams stayed on. on some occasion when I was trailing another vehicle (very rare :-)) & there was oncoming traffic as well, the high beams would disable more frequently. I also noticed that when there are very bright light sources up ahead (illuminating the road/highway), the HB's would disable more often than not. I need to test on a nice dark country road.

[rockyfeller]

I've looked to see if I could get a very clear tunneling effect, and I must say, I haven't been enough situations to clearly test that. Quite a bit of street and highway lights where I live and drive at night. Whenever I'm on a country road, there aren't too many cars around to test it.

I'd say the light beams on my car aren't quite as clearly sharp/defined and cut off as you see in the video. But the video does seems to be enhanced somewhat, to make the feature more pronounced. I doubt that is raw video.

The best way to get an effect that is something close to that video is to wait for a lightly foggy day and follow a car so that you could clearly see the action of the light beams.

That being said, at night on a dark road you will surely see the GFHB in action and constantly adjusting with oncoming traffic. Interesting to see the blue high beam pilot light on the cluster when you are on the highway or following a car. It almost makes you want to reflexively turn it off. But the system is doing the work. It has been well developed and works very well. If you look to the right side of the road all the street signs will be brightly lit and visible. So not only are you not glaring other drivers, but even if THEIR glare is bothering your eyes, this system also allows you to see the right side of the road SO much better. It keeps you safe. You will see a pedestrian or crossing animal much sooner. Hence why I call this system genius. It's what makes the LED headlight package worth every penny.

[plm]

Just coded mine, ready to try this evening if I can. Did anybody else find that 3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_GRHB_ENA > Highway_Standby_AFS was already 0x01 and didn't require any change?

[HeyKC]

Originally Posted by drs4life@comcast.net

Ah, got ya, here are my parameters:

Thank you! I was able to use your screen shots and get them to work on my car. It is also pretty well lit where I drive most often but I did notice the lights doing what they were supposed to.

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by plm

Just coded mine, ready to try this evening if I can. Did anybody else find that 3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_GRHB_ENA > Highway_Standby_AFS was already 0x01 and didn't require any change?

Yes it actually was, unfortunately I forgot to take before & after scn shots.

[drs4life@comcast.net]

Originally Posted by HeyKC

Thank you! I was able to use your screen shots and get them to work on my car. It is also pretty well lit where I drive most often but I did notice the lights doing what they were supposed to.

Glad to help out, Credit goes to RockyFeller for doing all the heavy lifting. I was just fool enough to experiment on my ride & translate it to our setup

[rockyfeller]

Originally Posted by drs4life@comcast.net

Glad to help out, Credit goes to RockyFeller for doing all the heavy lifting. I was just fool enough to experiment on my ride & translate it to our setup

Now that I think of it (it was about a year ago) I could have sworn that I had to modify this coding for my M5 as you did on your M6.....hmmm.

Well at any rate what I did was post an alternative method on the original post for now. If I made a mistake on it, someone let me know.

If any of you F10 M5 guys get this done, let me know which method worked for you. First one or second one?

[mdimbler]

Thank you all for your work on this! I also came across many posts saying it was not possible to code this on the F01 (mine is a 2015 750ix with Adaptive LED headlights). I went ahead and tried method 1 above using Bimmercode, and there was just one difference (**noted below):

Coding for 8S4 (VLD – works for both LED and Xenon):

Footwell Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > LUT_FLC_FORWARDLIGHTING_Y > F025_mit_AFS 0x9C,0x9C,0x9C (select this radio button)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_FLC_ENA > F025_enable 0x01 (select this radio button)


Coding for 5AP (GFHB antidazzle - works for LED adaptive lights ONLY):

Footwell Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ENA > F025_enable 0x01 (select this radio button)

**3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_GRHB_ENA > F025_F25_LCI__F26 0x01 (select this radio button)

*3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ADAPT_SHUT_ENA > F025_enable 0x01 (select this radio button)

*This was already selected in my module, so I left it selected.

**The second option for GFHB was slightly different on my car, but it was the last one on the list, just below what was already selected, and so I tried it and it seems to have worked. I theorized that if the one above was “disable” (as in other sections), the one below it must be “enable.”

I went out on the highways and back roads near my home (combination of city and country areas). I didn’t really notice the VLD in action, but the GFHB seems to be working as advertised. No drivers indicated they were disturbed by the auto high beam, and it looked to me to be working properly in all scenarios, both from behind as well as oncoming traffic. The night after I test drove, I had my wife take our van out as I followed her through about 30 minutes of the same scenarios, both behind her as well as coming at her from different distances, both city and backroad highways. She said she never felt like the lights were on the high beam setting, though she said she could tell when they moved slightly and could see the road lit on her left and right when I was behind her.

All in all, I believe it was successful. Thank you again!

[rockyfeller]

Works on an F01, wow, awesome!! Thanks so much for your input, I'm sure it will help many people out there.

Thanks for the feedback as well. I thought it was about time for a thread like this because it really transforms the headlight performance. It makes you really appreciate BMWs efforts with LED headlight technology as well as aiding safety for you and other drivers.

[autoxautox]

Originally Posted by mdimbler

Thank you all for your work on this! I also came across many posts saying it was not possible to code this on the F01 (mine is a 2015 750ix with Adaptive LED headlights). I went ahead and tried method 1 above using Bimmercode, and there was just one difference (**noted below):

Coding for 8S4 (VLD – works for both LED and Xenon):

Footwell Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > LUT_FLC_FORWARDLIGHTING_Y > F025_mit_AFS 0x9C,0x9C,0x9C (select this radio button)

3073 LaMaster1 > C_FLC_ENA > F025_enable 0x01 (select this radio button)


Coding for 5AP (GFHB antidazzle - works for LED adaptive lights ONLY):

Footwell Module > Expert Mode >

3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ENA > F025_enable 0x01 (select this radio button)

**3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_GRHB_ENA > F025_F25_LCI__F26 0x01 (select this radio button)

*3073 LaMaster1 > C_HBA_ADAPT_SHUT_ENA > F025_enable 0x01 (select this radio button)

*This was already selected in my module, so I left it selected.

**The second option for GFHB was slightly different on my car, but it was the last one on the list, just below what was already selected, and so I tried it and it seems to have worked. I theorized that if the one above was “disable” (as in other sections), the one below it must be “enable.”

I went out on the highways and back roads near my home (combination of city and country areas). I didn’t really notice the VLD in action, but the GFHB seems to be working as advertised. No drivers indicated they were disturbed by the auto high beam, and it looked to me to be working properly in all scenarios, both from behind as well as oncoming traffic. The night after I test drove, I had my wife take our van out as I followed her through about 30 minutes of the same scenarios, both behind her as well as coming at her from different distances, both city and backroad highways. She said she never felt like the lights were on the high beam setting, though she said she could tell when they moved slightly and could see the road lit on her left and right when I was behind her.

All in all, I believe it was successful. Thank you again!

I had a similar experience where the wording was different (F025_F25_LCI__F26) but the second one in the first section was already enabled and the second and third options were also already enabled. I just had to enable the first option in each section.

I haven't had a change to see if it works yet though.

[Doctor_X]

Originally Posted by rockyfeller

Works on an F01, wow, awesome!! Thanks so much for your input, I'm sure it will help many people out there.

Thanks for the feedback as well. I thought it was about time for a thread like this because it really transforms the headlight performance. It makes you really appreciate BMWs efforts with LED headlight technology as well as aiding safety for you and other drivers.

Just wanted to say thanks again. I finally had the opportunity to get out of the city and onto some more desolate roads last night, and watching these features in action is so sick. Takes a little getting used to when approaching oncoming traffic with your brights on - but I wasn’t flashed one time. The lighting intelligence is cool to watch!