[Bimmer325]

but its much easier if headlamps are off the car!

[nyc3r]

Okay, I pulled on the black piece/stick and it came out but the damn bulb is still in the light and now I can't get the black piece/stick back in to catch the bulb.. arr.. and this is only the first light.

EDIT:
Okay, got the black piece/stick back in and pulled again.. bulb still stuck in light housing. Tried couple times, each time having a hard time getting the plastic stick back in. I think I may need to remove the wheel cover to get better access to the lights. This is pretty BS, changing light bulb shouldn't require tools or take an hour.

Originally Posted by Bimmer325

you're almost there, just pulled the black piece/stick out and the bulb should come off together...in case the bulb sits tight within the housing, you gotta use a longer flat-head plier to take out the bulb...just pull it off with slight force. try it, it works for me.

[SES_D]

okay forreal, BMW made a simple bulb change so damn hard!!
I have halogen's still and i got the black cover off...
but when i reach for the bulb...only the PLUG comes out
and the stupid bulb sits in place. I try to pull it out
with my hands but no luck...its hella firm in place =(.
Anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

Maybe use a plier...but the space is VERY, very small.
I can barely fit my hand in there to reach the damn bulb!

[pokerface]

*sigh*

and you know they're going to make fun of us.

i can see it now.

how many young urban professionals does it take to change a light bulb?

[nyc3r]

Join the club, I have the same problem. I actually tried pliers but the ones I have are too big and the handles bump against the wheel wall/cover. I put everything back for now and awaiting my PBM. Will take the wheel wall off and install both then. I would love to know how others got the bulb to come out with the plug. It's a b*tch to get the plug back on the bulb too..

Originally Posted by xsesxaznx

okay forreal, BMW made a simple bulb change so damn hard!!
I have halogen's still and i got the black cover off...
but when i reach for the bulb...only the PLUG comes out
and the stupid bulb sits in place. I try to pull it out
with my hands but no luck...its hella firm in place =(.
Anyone have any suggestions on what to do?

Maybe use a plier...but the space is VERY, very small.
I can barely fit my hand in there to reach the damn bulb!

[Joker]

I have changed the low beam and high beam H7 bulbs. After removing the black plastic cover, pull the plug out. The bulb is held in place by a steel lock. You can feel it with your fingers. Push the lock on top of the bulb slightly to the right. It should now unlock and fold down (when it unlocks the bulb becomes loose so keep your fingers on it). Changing all four H7 bulbs took me about 20 minutes, so it's not that difficult once you get the hang of it.

[nyc3r]

Sounds like you have halogen headlights. The ones I'm trying to change is the H7 halogen DRL of the Xenon. So I'm not sure if there are metal clips. However, I will look out for them next time I attempt the change. Thanks for the feedback.

Originally Posted by Joker

I have changed the low beam and high beam H7 bulbs. After removing the black plastic cover, pull the plug out. The bulb is held in place by a steel lock. You can feel it with your fingers. Push the lock on top of the bulb slightly to the right. It should now unlock and fold down (when it unlocks the bulb becomes loose so keep your fingers on it). Changing all four H7 bulbs took me about 20 minutes, so it's not that difficult once you get the hang of it.

[obLu]

Reviving dead thread.

Screw pulling the bulb out, how are you guys getting the water seal off?!?! I can get the clips on one side, but can't seem to get the clips on the other?

[WVS007]

Gents, no other way than to access through the wheel arch (this is for halogeen!)
Turn the steering sharp to the left when the doing the right and vice versa
use a coin to unscrew the plastic screws holding the cover in place, almost 180 degree turn and the cover comes off
unhook the little wire on the upper side of the black plastic dome (approx 10cm big) by lifting it up, then the dome will came off
then unplug the wire connection prug from the back of the light (can be sticky)
then unhook the wire clamp holding the lamp by pushing it slightly to the front of the car and then to the middle of the car
clamp swings away, lamp falls out and Bob's your uncle!
replacing is obviously in reverse mode as abovementioned

[obLu]

Thanks, but the problem isn't with the halogens, it's with the xenon housing. That connector that you show, in ours, is a very long plastic stick that you can just baaaarely reach because it's buried way back in the housing. Cutting my fingers I was barely able to touch the bare prongs of the bulb.

That's with the entire fender liner off, not just the access panel.

But thanks for the picture, I'll try to grope around in there and see if the xenons have the same clip system or not. My thoughts are that it doesn't ... otherwise there's no way in hell you'd ever get them recliped if you did happen to have hands small enough to undo the clip.

[VoyagerDude]

Has anyone figured out how to replace the H7 bulb in the bi-xenon headlight?
This is driving me nuts. Such a stupid system.

[SMOKE EM IF U GOT EM!!]

been told the easiet way is to remove the wheel skirt! which i think is totaly retarded! but hey thats probably y the bulbs have been sittin on my counter for a couple of months!

[VoyagerDude]

Originally Posted by SMOKE EM IF U GOT EM!!

been told the easiet way is to remove the wheel skirt! which i think is totaly retarded! but hey thats probably y the bulbs have been sittin on my counter for a couple of months!

This is completely bizzarre.
What were they thinking

[obLu]

Yeah, I got mine out.

On the passenger side, if you're able to pop the plastic moisture cover off the assembly without having to pull the liner, then you can easily do it from the top. I wasn't able to, I had to use the access hatch. Driver's side is a different story, but once you get the feel for how they come out and go in it'd be possible to do it just from the access hatch.

I pulled the liners because it's easy and I wanted all the room I could get.

Now, to get the bulbs out ... it's tricky but don't worry that you'll mess it up. The only way you can run into trouble is if you just pull the plastic plug stick straight out. Don't do that!

Instead, get your fingers underneath the stick and push/pry upward. You'll feel some resistance, and hear some metal on metal scraping noises. Totally normal, don't worry that you're breaking anything. And then suddenly the H7 is going to pop out. Now that the bulb is free, you can pull the stick plug straight out. Might still get caught up on some wires, but it'll pull out very easily.

Do NOT pull the plug until the bulb has released!

If you do, it'll suck trying to blindly get it seated on the bulb again. Took me almost an hour.

Now, to put the new one in, make sure the tab on the H7 bulb is pointing up. Put it back on the stick plug and press the bulb in at a downward angle. Once you see it pressed forward as far as it'll go from the front (looking at the actual headlight housing) press the stick down and the bulb will lock back in place. Mine didn't lock in as tight as the oem bulbs but they're in there solid.

Sorry, it sounds like it's really difficult but I didn't take pictures. If I did, you'd see how easy it actually is.

The biggest mistake is just trying to pull on the stick plug. This won't work, you've got to pry upwards to release the bulb first.

[VoyagerDude]

Thanks for the info.
I'll see if I can find some H11 bulbs for the fogs as well and then will try to go the wheel well cover removal route.

[VoyagerDude]

Was it ever a PITA!!!
Actually removing the wheel and well-cover was ok, as well as replacing the fogs, but everything to do with the headlight assembly is absolutely retarded:
removal of the moisture cover,
removal of the H7 bulb,
replacement of the H7 bulb
And after all that work I realized that the DRL only get about 5V (12V when flashing) so even the expensive PIAA bulb is still yellow.

Originally Posted by VoyagerDude

Thanks for the info.
I'll see if I can find some H11 bulbs for the fogs as well and then will try to go the wheel well cover removal route.

[g8h3VZ6jFvYc63p7q88s]

Originally Posted by VoyagerDude

And after all that work I realized that the DRL only get about 5V (12V when flashing) so even the expensive PIAA bulb is still yellow.

Can you post a shot of your PIAAs?
Are the new bulbs any less yellow relative to stock?
What K bulbs did you get?

I would like to replace my bulbs too. Yet, if they will still be yellow afterwards, I might as well pass on this PITA exercise.

[VoyagerDude]

I'll make some pics of the PIAAs, they are the Xtreme White Plus at 4000K.
http://piaa.com/Bulbs/Bulbs-H7.html
Side by side they are much less yellow than stock. And are nice and white while flashing.

The fogs (H11) are more noticably whiter from stock.

Originally Posted by dim

Can you post a shot of your PIAAs?
Are the new bulbs any less yellow relative to stock?
What K bulbs did you get?

I would like to replace my bulbs too. Yet, if they will still be yellow afterwards, I might as well pass on this PITA exercise.

[VoyagerDude]

Better later then never: PIAA fogs
Images attached

[nyc3r]

Originally Posted by VoyagerDude

Better later then never: PIAA fogs
Images attached

hey we wanna see pix of the PIAA H7 flashers vs stock.

[g8h3VZ6jFvYc63p7q88s]

Originally Posted by VoyagerDude

Better later then never: PIAA fogs
Images attached

Your fogs match your HIDs nicely. Great job!

If you get a chance, post a pic of your DLRs/Highbeams...

[VoyagerDude]

DLRs and Fogs: