Took 3 hours to change the headlight bulbs

MOB · 12-30-2007, 05:15 PM

Well, kind of

I bought some Phillips Extreme headlight bulbs for my E90 325d, and decided to fit them today. A bit fiddley but not too bad, but then I decided to also fit some bluevision sidelight bulbs while I was at it.

Quite a bit more fiddley.......and when I put the new one back in........plunk, it fell out of the holder and into the headlight unit

OK, so all I have to do is remove the headlight.........so checked on here, oh dear the bumper has to be removed

To be fair it wasn't too bad a job, especially with assistance from some info of of this forum, but my hands are scuffed to bits

Looks nice though

Z4 Beemer · 12-30-2007, 05:18 PM

I actually thought on the E90 that the wheels had to be removed... but the bumper... yikes!

ShereKhan · 12-30-2007, 05:18 PM

How on earth did you manage to drop the bulb into the unit?

I thought that was virtually impossible unless you ramed it in.

MOB · 12-30-2007, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShereKhan

How on earth did you manage to drop the bulb into the unit?

I thought that was virtually impossible unless you ramed it in.

It was one of the little sidelight (parking light?) bulbs that you just push into a holder, and that in turn pushes into the hole.

It just fell out of the holder and into the unit

mjh93sa · 12-30-2007, 05:29 PM

Oh boy! I hope you don't change your mind now.

Makes me glad I've got Xenons.

Z4 Beemer · 12-30-2007, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mjh93sa

Oh boy! I hope you don't change your mind now.

Makes me glad I've got Xenons.

As long as a xenon bulb doesn't fail.

mjh93sa · 12-30-2007, 05:40 PM

Fair comment. Though as a sealed unit there should be less chance of dropping bits of it.

Z4 Beemer · 12-30-2007, 05:47 PM

I wonder if a xenon bulb failed within the cars 3 year warranty whether the dealer would replace it free of charge? The manual says something about it being highly unlikely that a xenon bulb should fail.

mjh93sa · 12-30-2007, 06:07 PM

I do wonder. Xenons are supposed to have a long lifetime and really be more effected by the number of cycles that they are put through. In simplistic terms they are a bit like a flourescent tube, in that they take a hideous voltage to strike and they don't consume that much power.

I don't know of real world lifetime figures, but you see far less Xenon equipped cars with a failed bulb. Though there are of course far fewer of them on the roads. What I can find suggests a lifetime of 5-6 times that of an incandescent bulb.

G33 · 12-30-2007, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z4 Beemer

I wonder if a xenon bulb failed within the cars 3 year warranty whether the dealer would replace it free of charge? The manual says something about it being highly unlikely that a xenon bulb should fail.

nope they wont

xenon bulbs aint cheap!

they are more prone to fail if u turn them on and off a lot of the time. happens quite a lot if u leave lights on in auto specially with dodgy uk weather!

ShereKhan · 12-30-2007, 07:55 PM

I would have thought xenon's have a naturally high MTBF than halogen so less likely to go in 3yrs. If they failed it would be more likely that the electrical unit is faulty

ChrisMWard · 12-31-2007, 01:04 AM

On our last e46 both Xenons failed at different times within the warranty period. At first the nearside light unit would blink intermittently and then it failed altogether. We contacted our local dealer who looked at the car and couldn't repair the fault. They told us the unit would need replacement but they didn't carry the part and it had to be ordered from Germany. It took about a week to arrive. In the meantime however the light started working again. They changed the unit FOC and when the offside light started blinking, they ordered the part without us even taking the car in to be looked at. That was changed under warranty as well. Both times the invoices showed around £500 for the parts and labour.

Regards

Chris

DervFan · 12-31-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOB

Well, kind of

I bought some Phillips Extreme headlight bulbs for my E90 325d, and decided to fit them today. A bit fiddley but not too bad, but then I decided to also fit some bluevision sidelight bulbs while I was at it.

Quite a bit more fiddley.......and when I put the new one back in........plunk, it fell out of the holder and into the headlight unit

OK, so all I have to do is remove the headlight.........so checked on here, oh dear the bumper has to be removed

To be fair it wasn't too bad a job, especially with assistance from some info of of this forum, but my hands are scuffed to bits

Looks nice though

Any chance of posting pics with the new bulbs fitted and illuminated?
I was thinking of changing the bulbs myself as well, but would like to see the difference first to see if it's worth the hassle.

- Paul - · 12-31-2007, 08:20 AM

Its worth it - not hard either imo. Took about 15 mins ish

Steer wheels to one side - pop cover replace bulb, steer wheels to other side - pop cover, replace bulb.

12-30-2007, 05:15 PM	#1
MOB Major 56 Rep 1,413 Posts Drives: Alpine White M2 LCI Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northants UK iTrader: (4)	Took 3 hours to change the headlight bulbs Well, kind of I bought some Phillips Extreme headlight bulbs for my E90 325d, and decided to fit them today. A bit fiddley but not too bad, but then I decided to also fit some bluevision sidelight bulbs while I was at it. Quite a bit more fiddley.......and when I put the new one back in........plunk, it fell out of the holder and into the headlight unit OK, so all I have to do is remove the headlight.........so checked on here, oh dear the bumper has to be removed To be fair it wasn't too bad a job, especially with assistance from some info of of this forum, but my hands are scuffed to bits Looks nice though
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12-30-2007, 05:18 PM	#2
Z4 Beemer Colonel 85 Rep 2,353 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E92 [0.00] 2004 Z4 2.2i [8.00]	I actually thought on the E90 that the wheels had to be removed... but the bumper... yikes! __________________ E89 Z4 sDrive 23i... for the more discerning driver
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12-30-2007, 05:18 PM	#3
ShereKhan Major 97 Rep 1,134 Posts Drives: BMW G20 330e M Sport MY20 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bristol, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW 330e [0.00]	How on earth did you manage to drop the bulb into the unit? I thought that was virtually impossible unless you ramed it in. __________________ 20 BMW G20 330e M Sport Portimão Blue/Cognac, Driver Pro, Tech,M+ lumbar, storage packs Long gone -15 Peugeot 308 2.0HDi GT AUTO Magnetic Blue, 10 BMW F10 520D SE Xirallic Imperial blue/Cinnamon Brown, 06 E90 320si - Le Mans Blue - Totally standard specification (Scrapped RIP 12/08/2010), 00 Peugeot 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet, 94 Rover 214 SEi, 91 Fiat Uno 60S Mk2
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12-30-2007, 05:29 PM	#5
mjh93sa Major General 148 Rep 5,080 Posts Drives: 530d Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Gloucestershire iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 BMW M135i [10.00] 2011 Mini Countryma ... [5.50]	Oh boy! I hope you don't change your mind now. Makes me glad I've got Xenons. __________________ Gone: Fiesta - Focus - E46 320dSE - E91 330dMSport - E82 135iMSport - R55 JCW Clubman - M135i Now: 530d
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12-30-2007, 05:40 PM	#7
mjh93sa Major General 148 Rep 5,080 Posts Drives: 530d Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Gloucestershire iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 BMW M135i [10.00] 2011 Mini Countryma ... [5.50]	Fair comment. Though as a sealed unit there should be less chance of dropping bits of it. __________________ Gone: Fiesta - Focus - E46 320dSE - E91 330dMSport - E82 135iMSport - R55 JCW Clubman - M135i Now: 530d
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12-30-2007, 05:47 PM	#8
Z4 Beemer Colonel 85 Rep 2,353 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 sDrive 23i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 E92 [0.00] 2004 Z4 2.2i [8.00]	I wonder if a xenon bulb failed within the cars 3 year warranty whether the dealer would replace it free of charge? The manual says something about it being highly unlikely that a xenon bulb should fail. __________________ E89 Z4 sDrive 23i... for the more discerning driver
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12-30-2007, 06:07 PM	#9
mjh93sa Major General 148 Rep 5,080 Posts Drives: 530d Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Gloucestershire iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 BMW M135i [10.00] 2011 Mini Countryma ... [5.50]	I do wonder. Xenons are supposed to have a long lifetime and really be more effected by the number of cycles that they are put through. In simplistic terms they are a bit like a flourescent tube, in that they take a hideous voltage to strike and they don't consume that much power. I don't know of real world lifetime figures, but you see far less Xenon equipped cars with a failed bulb. Though there are of course far fewer of them on the roads. What I can find suggests a lifetime of 5-6 times that of an incandescent bulb. __________________ Gone: Fiesta - Focus - E46 320dSE - E91 330dMSport - E82 135iMSport - R55 JCW Clubman - M135i Now: 530d
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12-30-2007, 07:55 PM	#11
ShereKhan Major 97 Rep 1,134 Posts Drives: BMW G20 330e M Sport MY20 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bristol, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 BMW 330e [0.00]	I would have thought xenon's have a naturally high MTBF than halogen so less likely to go in 3yrs. If they failed it would be more likely that the electrical unit is faulty __________________ 20 BMW G20 330e M Sport Portimão Blue/Cognac, Driver Pro, Tech,M+ lumbar, storage packs Long gone -15 Peugeot 308 2.0HDi GT AUTO Magnetic Blue, 10 BMW F10 520D SE Xirallic Imperial blue/Cinnamon Brown, 06 E90 320si - Le Mans Blue - Totally standard specification (Scrapped RIP 12/08/2010), 00 Peugeot 306 2.0 SE Cabriolet, 94 Rover 214 SEi, 91 Fiat Uno 60S Mk2
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12-31-2007, 01:04 AM	#12
ChrisMWard Captain 14 Rep 686 Posts Drives: E93 320d M Sport, E81 116d SE Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Epsom UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 120d SE [0.00] 2007 335d A M Sport [0.00] 1998 M3 Evo [0.00] 2002 330d Sport [0.00] 2004 330d Sport [0.00]	On our last e46 both Xenons failed at different times within the warranty period. At first the nearside light unit would blink intermittently and then it failed altogether. We contacted our local dealer who looked at the car and couldn't repair the fault. They told us the unit would need replacement but they didn't carry the part and it had to be ordered from Germany. It took about a week to arrive. In the meantime however the light started working again. They changed the unit FOC and when the offside light started blinking, they ordered the part without us even taking the car in to be looked at. That was changed under warranty as well. Both times the invoices showed around £500 for the parts and labour. Regards Chris __________________ Previously: 2007 335D MSport E90 Le Mans Blue, 2004 330D A Sport Silver Grey, 2002 330D A Sport Saphire Black, 2001 320D SE Touring Titanium Silver, 1998 M3 Evo Techno Violet, 1996 328i Sport Montreal Blue, 1994 325i Coupe Red, 1989 325i Sport 2 door Dolphin Grey,1986 325i SE 4 door Lachs
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12-31-2007, 08:20 AM	#14
- Paul - Major General 707 Rep 7,308 Posts Drives: see above. Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Yorkshire, UK iTrader: (5) Garage List 2005 320D SE [10.00] 2005 645 [9.00]	Its worth it - not hard either imo. Took about 15 mins ish Steer wheels to one side - pop cover replace bulb, steer wheels to other side - pop cover, replace bulb. __________________ My Photos
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