BMW 328SE - Low beam failure

"Terry Pinnell" wrote

AFAIK, unless it's a Xenon, both the high and low beams are H7 bulbs. Why don't you replace it yourself?

Floyd

If you actually read the driver's handbook it gives details on bulb replacement. In many countries you are required to carry spares for 'important' bulbs like this so they must be replaceable at the roadside by the driver.

The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:

Does that include those models for which the bumper has to be removed to change the bulb?

I would guess so, as I believe Germany is one of the countries that requires that you carry spare bulbs!

Dodgy.

You can replace the bulbs your self. DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS, AS THIS CAN CAUSE IT TO BREAK DUE TO THE HEAT. If you happen to touch the glass, then you should clean it with a cotton pad dipped in rubbing alcohol.

You can take the car to a garage to replace the bulb, or you can open the hood and reach in and take the bulb out yourself.

Or let the spotty teenager at Halfrauds do it for you :-)

For a headlamp bulb?

If so, give the make and model, Guy, so we all know to avoid it.

I know this is what's stated, but I work in the film/TV industry and the sparks never bother with this when replacing halogen bubbles. The protective cardboard sleeves get removed along with the box. And given they'd rather sleep in a corner than work it seems surprising. ;-)

But your advice can't do any harm.

Dave Plowman (News) ( snipped-for-privacy@davenoise.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Almost anything relatively current requires a fair amount of dismantling to get the bulbs changed, it seems.

volvos don't. I remember my spacewagon had to have the battery removed to get to one front light set. The A class is a nightmare, washer bottle has to come off to do the nearside, coolant expansion tank to do the offside...

Name one

Thanks all. Will check out the user manual (which I now realise I should have done at the outset), and if it's a relatively easy task I'll do it myself.

I've now remembered the likely cause of my apprehension. A fog lamp cracked a year or two ago. I was dismayed that they couldn't simply replace the glass. And at the cost to replace the entire lamp!

The message from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:

I can't remember which - but I've heard of some that need it.

The outside glass is a different matter, it IS the entire lamp. The inside glass is the bulb, and can easily be replaced.

Do you know of any specific models where the bumper has to come off to replace the light bulb? The light bulb easily comes out from the back of the head lamp.

Bullshit!

You reach in from behind the bulb and unplug it, give a twist to remove it, and reverse the steps to put the new one in.

Jeff Strickland ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

You're funny. Or clueless. Or have fingers like ET.

Which is it?

Well, my BMW gets new lamps that way. My wife's MPV gets lamps that way. And my daughter's Tacoma gets lamps that way. I have a kid here with an Audi, want me to check it or will you be happy with the suggestion that that is how one replaces lamps.

You may have a water bottle in the way, but there is no need to remove the bumper, as was originally stated. I am not aware of any car that requires the bumper to be removed to gain access to the head lamps.

Jeff Strickland ( snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Good for you. I don't even need to open the bonnet to change the headlight bulbs on some of my cars, nor do I even need any tools. About four seconds flat has the bulb out.

The very briefest of Googles of just this group returns :-

Carlton - Clio - Tigra - Laguna -

I've also heard that the TiT requires a dealer-only special tool to get to the bulbs - how true that is, I don't know.