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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
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How to replace the H7 high beam bulbs?
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11-19-2006, 05:44 PM | #45 |
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11-19-2006, 09:24 PM | #47 | |
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10-28-2007, 10:16 PM | #48 |
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so I had a lot of free time today and decided to give this DRL bulb change a try. I had been putting it off for months after reading all the posts here about how much of PITA it is to perform if you have the Xenons which I do. You guys were absolutely right
I was able to get the passenger side High Beam bulb off by pushing it up as one of the posts here suggested (great advice, thanks!). Then I thought, hm this isn't so bad. Then I move on to the driver side... The damn bulb will not come out even if I try pushing up. I don't even remember how many times I accidentally pulled off the black stalk attachment and then subsequently spent 30 mins each time just to get it attached back onto the bulb. For some reason my driver side is a lot harder to get off. I couldn't figure it out. I even got desperate and ran back into the house to get my digital camera to take some pictures so I could try to see what the hell was going on. In the end, it started getting dark and I wasn't able to change the bulb on the driver side. If anyone has anymore suggestions on how the hell to get that piece of crap bulb out, it will be extremely welcomed. I have attached an image of the bulb compartment and you can see why it's so damn hard to get out. There's a clip like device at the top, and two on the bottom near the sides. Why did BMW make it so damn hard just to change a light bulb...
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06-30-2008, 01:18 PM | #49 |
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Reviving the thread yet again.
I had a list of mods I wanted to complete this weekend, and only finished 2 of them. While I was changing the AEs I wanted to change these bulbs too, but ran into the same frustration as everyone else here. To add to the headache, my car is so low I can't get a jack underneath, so I had to do a two jack system just to get it up... PITA! Once up, it's annoying to have to take the wheel and liner off to get back there. Had I known about the "pry up" tactic to release the bulb, I might have been able to swap bulbs, but as it was I just gave up. I might give it another shot this week, but if I can't make any headway in the first 15 min, I'm gonna wait til I can get easier access. I don't have the patience to take the wheels and liner off again after the frustration I experienced on Saturday. Bleh! |
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07-13-2008, 10:51 AM | #50 |
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I dont get it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am very frustrated with these stupid high beams! I have halogen projectors, and one bulb burnt so I had to remove all the liner to replace it, and a week later I notice my high beam bulb is off! I dont have the patience to remove all the liner again and I am unable to change it from the top. I dont understand why it is soooo hard, all my other cars were so simple to change, would buy bulb, get back home, open hood, and boom! done! Anyways... Hope we can figure out an easier way! |
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05-07-2009, 02:12 PM | #51 |
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I did not know that a similar earlier thread existed for the H7 bulb change (yes I had searched for it!). I had started a new thread on it a few weeks ago and finally found out the way to change it the hard way and wrote a little summary. I am posting a link to that here so that it will probably help others. There seems to be two sorts of H7 bulb holder/bracket in BMW 3 series, one with a clip (easier sort) and the other where the H7 actually wedges in the bracket and can only be dislodged by pushing the connector upwards (and in some stuck cases by jiggling it sideways). I'll post the link here any way.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250374 |
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10-13-2012, 05:20 PM | #52 |
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I spent all morning trying to research how to change this bulb before I finally came across this thread. I tried pushing up on the clip but the clip would eventually come off the contacts with the bulb still securely fastened. With the clip off, I took a flat tip screw driver and gently pushed up on the metal tab at the 12 o’clock position and the bulb fell right out without even having to pull. I then reached in with a pair of needle nose pliers and picked it up. |
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12-16-2012, 08:57 PM | #53 |
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Jesus, Mary and Joseph - what the Christ were those Engineers thinking?! "Take Your Kids To Work Day" Indeed!!
"OK KIDS, TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DESIGN A BMW HHHHEEADLIIIIGHT SYSTEM FOR OUR E9x CHASSIS!! Doesn't that sound exciting?!" Good christ, what a train wreck that High Beam (H7) is!! So, thanks to your collective posts and pics, and several of my own (pics, so I could see down the light socket where my head wouldn't fit) and about 4 hours of patience trying to figure it out - I finally managed to change the two H7's in my E91. W. T. H. I felt like I needed a friggin laparascope and a team of assistants to operate on that damn thing!! What a reeeedonkulous setup. WHAT WORKED FOR ME - for the benefit of anyone else stumbling across this thread: DRIVER'S SIDE:
PASSENGER SIDE was FAR easier, mostly because I now knew how it worked. This time I did the same thing, but blind. I guided the screwdriver to the metal base by feel and EVER SO GENTLY crow-bar style pumped the screwdriver handle like I was jacking up a very small car until the two bottom retaining springs finally gave up. REPLACING it, I was somehow able to firmly grab the black-tab-handle thing with LONG needle nose pliers and gently press the bulb directly back into place. Looking directly into the housing from the bumper side will help you guide the bulb back into place of course. WATERTIGHT COVER: Yes, this is ALSO a total train wreck, as they have successfully developed a plastic VAULT sufficiently resilient so as to protect against both water AND small arms fire. As shown in the pics (XENON BULB STYLE ENCLOSURE), there are 4 tabs at the corners. I defeated them again with a flat screwdriver by gently popping the two I could reach on the bottom, then speaking firmly and using my words to eventually convince the top two to un-hinge themselves. Replacing it requires only a firm press and quick double-check you got them all (or 3 out of 4 anyway - the 4th one is of course buried out of sight. Of course.) Hopefully the pics help. I refused to give up, but good god it was looking like a pretty good option after a few hours of trying. EDIT: Sorry I gave props to Hercnhawk... I think GEOFF posted it first... Last edited by BmerMeUp; 12-16-2012 at 09:03 PM.. |
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12-21-2012, 01:28 PM | #54 |
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Oh balls, i just fitted oem xenons to my e90, and now i want to change the halogen bulbs!
Wish i'd known this before i fitted the lights into the car!! The method for removing the headlights is also ridiculous! Having to remove the very fiddly bumper is a real PITA! In e46's you just opened the bonnet, un-bolted the headlights and took them out! I might just leave the yellow halogens! |
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02-03-2013, 10:18 AM | #55 |
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My 2009 e90 does not look like this. And I do have halogen lights.
I just want to unhook myhighbeam lights because they stay on as running lights And I don't want them on. Please advise. Thanks
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02-21-2013, 05:48 PM | #56 |
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Umm... I was going to change my high beams as I changed my AEs this weekend... After looking at this post... NAH. Wayy too much work, especially for the sidewalk. Times like these I wish I had a garage.
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10-21-2013, 02:45 PM | #57 |
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2006 E93 Daytime Running Light (DRL) Bulb Swap
So, this is probably the stupidest question for this post, but, I need to replace the DRL on my 2009 E93 (see pic). I can see that they are "yellow" so I don't think they are Xeons (correct?). Does this thread address this year's model b/c I see that the original poster has a 2006.
Also, how do I determine exactly what replacement bulb I need? Finally, I'm a bit unnerved that everyone says this is such a pain to do. I remember replacing my wife's VW New Beetle headlights which was kind of a pain b/c you had to learn to turn the entire lighting housing as you pushed it in or pulled it out. Then there's our Tahoe on the other side of the spectum. Talk about simple! Grab the two (2) easily accessible pins and pull. Done. The engineers over a BMW must work hand-n-glove with the accountants to make it so you almost have to take it into the repair shop to get them replaced. Jack your car to replace headlights, WTF? Last edited by Grimes_MG; 10-21-2013 at 02:49 PM.. Reason: picture too large |
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02-22-2014, 09:21 PM | #58 | |
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Replacing these bulbs sucked
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For everyone else... I have a 2006 330xi and both bulbs on the passenger side were out... the Xenon low beam and H7 hi beam. Neglecting to pay the BMW dealer $370, I bought the bulbs online for approximately $130 combined and decided to do this myself today. I put aside 1 hour for the job. What an under estimate that was ! After watching various YouTube videos, I set to task. My first mistake was not borrowing a friends heated garage. It is like 25 degrees F outside today, but I only though this job was going to take 15 minutes to 1 hour. Some painful things I learned 1. You can not replace these bulbs from under the hood, looking down 2. Getting around a sharply turned wheel, just doesn't work. The car had to be jacked up and the wheel came off. 3. That small wheel well access panel did not give me enough room. I removed the entire wheel well cover. 4. That damned spring loaded retainer holding in the low beam can be a bear. It did not help following the advice of some Asian guy named James Yuan on YouTube. He does not know the difference between left and right and screwed me up for a while. If anyone is curious, push the spring down/inward against the bulb unit and simultaneously push OUTWARD towards the turn signal bulb to release the spring. 5. After getting the low beam bulb removed, I looked for a way to remove the H7. I was stumped and was very nervous about breaking something as the space was so small. I searched and searched the Internet with no luck on help until finding this post. Finally, after freezing cold, bloodied knuckles, sore knees, and 4 hours later, my job was done. If there is a next time, it will certainly be easier now that I have been through this. However, I really want to avoid a next time. I have been driving with my lights off day and night. I figure I would rather pay the price of police tickets that face this project again. BMW really screwed this one up. All of this work to replace an f'ing bulb. http://www.e90post.com/forums/images...es/mad0259.gif |
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04-12-2014, 12:05 PM | #59 |
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Guys, I cannot believe this. I am a way above average mechanic and I just can't believe this. Incredibly pissed off in Atlanta.
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04-14-2014, 09:04 PM | #60 |
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Best H7 Bulb
The best h7 bulb is a Phillips Diamond Vision hands down. It is the only bulb out there that is 5000k without having to go to LED.
These bulbs are 55w just like OEM but eat brighter and really a white light to be honest. You twist and pull to get the old ones out. They are held in there by tabs. |
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04-21-2014, 06:04 PM | #61 | |
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08-13-2014, 01:51 PM | #62 |
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Sorry for reviving a semi-old thread, but wanted to express my appreciation for such helpful thread and pictures.
Recently one of my drl died, and had to replace it, but couldn't believe how hard this was going to be, specially since i had to work on pure "feel & touch". Got the zxe h7 from sylvania, and couldn't be happier. |
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10-25-2016, 03:13 PM | #63 | |
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I struggled and I realized my mistake after 3-4 tries to get the new bulb back in. Instead of tap pointing up, i had it pointing down, and instead of pressing on downward angle, i was going on a upward. I just did one side, figure I save the other side (drivers) for thanksgiving weekend when I put my winter wheels on. Cheers! |
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02-19-2017, 09:43 PM | #64 | |
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U couldn't even touch the bulb it sit so dip, but I had a feeling that this black plastic part should be used to get the bulb out and back in. |
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04-07-2017, 11:50 PM | #65 | |
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05-10-2019, 04:32 AM | #66 |
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Resurrecting an old thread but it might be helpful for someone as I've just struggled with changing the high beam bulb, and for my brain (which was yearning to fire up the gas axe before sense persuaded me to remove the wheel liner) the explanation I've found are hard to follow.
The top of the wire clip is around a sort of hook. The trick is to push the top of the wire clip forward and outwards (I.e. towards the indicator) , hold it outwards and then fold it down. Removing the mud guard is actually totally unnecessary but makes it a lot easier to see if you still don't understand it! |
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