How To Replace Headlights On BMW

How to replace headlights on BMW

BMW is one of the World’s biggest and most profitable luxury car manufacturers. The business is a member of the German “Big Three,” which also includes Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Beyond Europe, the Bavarian automaker has proven its supremacy in the United States, where it has been the best-selling premium brand five times since 2011.

The BMW is widely regarded as the pinnacle of automobile design: luxurious, sporty, dependable, and safe. It also has a fantastic driving experience with a powerful car advanced headlight system, a ton of fun features, and a fantastic body and dashboard design. It’s no doubt that the engineers for the BMW brand always take their time to ensure the cars produced are impeccable. 

Fun facts about BMW

  • BMW originally didn’t manufacture cars

Founded back in 1916 with the aim of manufacturing four-cylinder aircraft engines – especially for German pilots during world war one, the BMW didn’t start with car production. 

  • Before BMW manufactured cars it built motorcycles 

In 1928 BMW built its first car but that was five years after they’d built their first motorcycle. BMW also built its first motorcycle engine in 1919. 

  • BMW’s electric cars date back to 1972

While BMW remains at the forefront of the industry for electric cars, it has been developing the concept for over 44 years. As of 1972 BMW 1602e cars travel 37 miles with a mere 42 horsepower engine while today, BMW i3 travels 100 miles on a single charge with 170 horsepower engine.  

  • BMW only started car manufacturing because the war ended

After the war, the Treaty of Versailles forbade German companies from building aircraft and banned Germany from having an air force. To remain in business, BMW started designing engines for other companies and building replacement parts for American jeeps. 

BMW headlight replacement

BMW Headlight Replacement

Factory headlight bulbs in standard BMW cars are HID (high-intensity discharge) headlights. These bulbs are known for their powerful illumination and high performance as compared to halogen bulbs. HID bulbs emit about 4,000 to 12,000 bright beams covering 500ft from the driver. However, most BMW cars make use of about 8,000 to 10,000 beams. while the HID build is undoubtedly a superior bulb, it consumes excessive energy and doesn’t last as much as expected. This has given rise to headlight conversions from BMW HID bulbs to LED bulbs which are also bright, consume less energy, are durable, and are very affordable. 

Prices of BMW Headlight Conversions Bulbs by Vehicle Model 

Prices of BMW Headlight Conversions Bulbs by Vehicle Model

From Halogen, HID, LED, and Laser headlight bulbs, there are various headlight technologies that the BMW car features in its vehicles. However, if your BMW car uses either a Halogen Bulb or an HID headlight and you would like to convert it to LED but you are not sure which headlight bulb fits your vehicle, here are the different BMW headlight conversion bulbs according to types, price, and model.   

BMW car modelCar typeApplicationBulb sizeProductPrice
BMW 1 Series
BMW 1 Series Convertible 2008 (08)
Main Headlight Beam
H7H7 Philips Ultinon Pro9000 LED Headlights
$158.93 – $170

BMW 1 Series Convertible 2009 (09)
Main Headlight Beam 
H7H7 Twenty20 Impact LED 12V 477 Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$94.17 – $110

BMW 1 Series Convertible 2010
Main Headlight Beam
H7H7 Twenty20 Projector LED Headlight Bulbs (Pair)

H7 Twenty20 Projector LED Headlight Bulbs (Pair)

BMW 1 Series Convertible 2011
Main Headlight Beam
H7
H7 Twenty20 Precision LED 12V 477 Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$100 – $114.5

BMW 1 Series Convertible 2012
Main Headlight Beam 
H7H7 OSRAM LEDriving HL 12V/24V Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$100 -$110

BMW 1 Series Convertible 2013
Main Headlight Beam
H7
H7 Twenty20 Compact LED Headlight Bulb
$29.43 – $50

BMW 2 SERIES
BMW 2 Series Convertible 2018 – 2017
Main Headlight Beam
H15Vision & StyleLong LifeAdd to CompareH15 Twenty20 Fanless LED Headlight Bulb
$47.08 – $70

BMW 2 Series Convertible 2017 – 2016
Main Headlight Beam 
H15
H15 Twenty20 Impact LED 12V Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$100- $120.3

BMW 2 Series Convertible  2016 – 2015
Main Headlight Beam
H15
H15 Twenty20 Compact LED Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$88.29 – $100

BMW 3 SERIES
BMW i3 Hatchback 2018
Main Headlight Beam
H11
H8/9/11/16 Twenty20 Compact LED Headlight Bulb
$58.8 – $60.2

BMW i3 Hatchback 2018
Main Headlight Beam
H11
H8/H9/H11/H16 Twenty20 Precision LED 12V Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$105.94 – $120

BMW i3 Hatchback 2018
Main Headlight Beam
H11
H11/H8/H16 Twenty20 Impact LED 12V Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$94.17 – $100

BMW i3 Hatchback 2018
Main Headlight Beam
H11
H8/H11/H16 Philips LED X-treme Ultinon Gen2 Pair
$140 – $160.20

BMW i3 Hatchback 2018
Main Headlight Beam
H11
H11 Philips Ultinon Pro9000 LED Headlights (Pair)
$158.93 – $178

BMW X2 SUV
BMW X2 SUV 2018
Main Headlight Beam
H7H7 Philips Ultinon Pro9000 LED Headlights
$158.93 – $180

BMW X2 SUV 2017
Main Headlight Beam
H7
H7 Twenty20 Precision LED 12V 477 Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$105.94 – $120

BMW X2 SUV 2014-2015
Main Headlight Beam 
H7
H7 Twenty20 Impact LED 12V 477 Headlight Bulbs (Pair)
$94.17 – $130

Step by Step to replace a BMW car headlight 

How to replace a BMW car headlight
  • Open the hood of your BMW car

To replace your HID headlights with a convertible LED, the first thing you will do is to open your car’s hood. To do this, locate the hood release switch near the door frame or below the dashboard and pull backward to open your car hood. 

  • Disconnect your car battery

Before beginning any electrical work on your car, it’s always recommended that you disconnect your car battery so your car doesn’t lock with your keys inside. 

  • Locate the HID power connector 

Disconnect the HID headlight power connector located at the back of the HID ballistic which is situated at the back of the headlight housing. 

  • Remove the clip holding the headlight wire 

Using a tweezer, remove the dust cover from the back of the headlight assembly and disengage the clip to gain access to the headlight bulb. 

  • Pullout the factory BMW headlight bulb

Twist the headlight cape counterclockwise ¼ turn and remove the bulb out of the headlight housing. ensure you check if you have a burnout socket before reinstalling the new stock to LED conversions

  • Reinstall the LED replacement bulb 

Slide the new LED replacement headlight bulb into the headlight housing and turn clockwise for it to be fitted. Before reinstalling a new bulb, ensure they match the model of your car and that of your headlight housing. 

After reinstalling your new LED headlight replacement bulb, alight your car headlights using a headlight adjustment screw. Once you are done with that, reconnect the head of your car battery, close the hood, and test your car in front of a plain or white wall to test the power of your headlight beam. 

Conclusion 

BMW car headlight assembly can cost anywhere between $985 to $1,200 excluding its accessories while LED bulbs as we have seen can range from $100 for headlights to almost $400 for brake lights. This can weigh down on your finances if you decide to replace your BMW car headlights each time they become foggy or oxidized. However, if your car headlights aren’t damaged but can’t illuminate further due to oxidized headlight lenses, you can simply buy headlight restoration kits, which you can find at most auto repair stores around you or online. To buy your headlight restoration kit online and have it delivered to you wherever you are, click here

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