BMW M4 Air Suspension Causing Uneven Ride & Beam Issues

Had a similar issue with my 2014 BMW M3 last year. The control rod sensor was acting up, causing the same symptoms, uneven ride height and misaligned headlights. The warning lights started showing up out of nowhere at first, then became constant. Took it to a BMW specialist because my previous mechanic couldn't properly diagnose it. The control rod sensor was completely defective and had to be replaced, along with recalibrating the entire height control system. They also found some wear on the connecting components, which needed attention. It wasn't just a quick fix, the car was at the shop for a couple of days as they needed to run multiple tests after the replacement to ensure everything was working correctly. The headlight alignment issue cleared up once the new sensor was in place. While it's definitely not a catastrophic problem, I wouldn't recommend driving too long with these symptoms as it can affect other suspension components and your overall driving safety. You should probably get it checked by a certified BMW specialist who has experience with M models.

Thanks for sharing your experience! It does sound exactly like what I'm dealing with. I might take your advice and look for a BMW specialist rather than a regular mechanic. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much the whole repair cost you? Also, has everything been working smoothly since the fix, or have you noticed any other issues pop up?

Hey there! Just wanted to follow up since you asked, after getting the control rod sensor fixed, everything's been running perfectly smooth. The whole height control system is working like a charm now. No more warning lights or weird headlight alignments! The total bill came to 110 € for fixing that defective control rod sensor. Pretty reasonable considering how much better the car handles now. They did a thorough job with the calibration too, and I haven't had a single issue since. I know I mentioned finding a BMW specialist in my first reply, and I'm really glad I did, they knew exactly what they were doing. If you're still on the fence about where to take yours, I'd definitely recommend going with someone who really knows these M models inside and out. The regular mechanics just don't have the same level of expertise with these systems. Let me know how it goes when you get yours sorted!

Thanks for all the details! I bit the bullet and took my car to a certified BMW specialist yesterday. You were right, they spotted the issue right away. My control rod sensor was shot, just like yours was. The repair wasn't as painful as I expected. Ended up paying a bit more than you did, but worth every penny. The car's sitting perfectly level now, and those annoying warning lights are finally gone. Headlights are pointing where they should be too. They even caught a few minor issues I hadn't noticed and fixed those while they had it in. The whole experience was way better than my last mechanic visit. Car's driving like new again, feels like I got my M4 back! Really glad I asked here before trying another unusual shop. Sometimes paying a bit more for someone who knows what they're doing saves money in the long run. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!