Little Knob Hanging Under E39 530i

[lucas999]

Hi,

I have been bugged for a few weeks now after I looked under my car and noticed a little metal knob-ish thing hanging down. It appears to have a hinge and can swing in two directions. This picture was taken from right behind the passenger-side wheel facing the towards the front of the car:

E39 530i Thing Hanging under car.jpg

I hope it is nothing too important, but it looks like something that should definitely be attached to something else. Does anyone know what it could be?

On another note, my mom keeps bringing it to my attention that there is a plastic strip underneath my front bumper that is lower on one side... Argh... Anyways, do you think that it would have any negative effects if I removed it? It seems like it has kissed a few curbs in its lifetime.

E39 530i Plastic Strip Under Bumper.jpg

Thanks in advance.

-Lucas in Maine

[IndyJoe1977]

That's a sway bar link. Should replace them.

[BimmerBreaker]

I dont think thats a swaybar link, looks like the self adjusting headlight sensor arm.

[jclausen]

Headlight adjuster link

[lucas999]

I dont think thats a swaybar link, looks like the self adjusting headlight sensor arm.

I hope that it is! I was thinking that the adjusters in both headlights are broken as they point at the ground and I have a 2003 so it would be a pain in the a## to replace them, but hopefully it is just the sensor arm.

- - - Updated - - -

Headlight adjuster link

Thanks. Can I push on the link and see of the headlights move to make sure that it is the sensor arm that is broken and not my adjusters? My headlights have been pointing at the ground and I always assumed it was the adjusters.

[BimmerBreaker]

Just fix it... it is not a very expensive part and not having properly aimed headlights is very dangerous at night. The underpanel under the bumper is not an issue, but this could be. Surprised it hasnt been ripped off yet...

[lucas999]

Just fix it... it is not a very expensive part and not having properly aimed headlights is very dangerous at night. The underpanel under the bumper is not an issue, but this could be. Surprised it hasnt been ripped off yet...

Thanks. I am going to fix it. I found the replacement part on Bavauto. I will order the part right away. It seems really simple to install. Thanks for the help!

[IndyJoe1977]

Sorry for the bad info...at first glance, it looked like a sway bar end link, and I didn't look further to notice that I was wrong. Apologies.

[lucas999]

Sorry for the bad info...at first glance, it looked like a sway bar end link, and I didn't look further to notice that I was wrong. Apologies.

No worries. I looked up the sway bar end links for the E39 and they look VERY similar to the headlight level sensor arm.