pantherfan69

I have a 2006 530i with the adaptive xenon HID lights. I have a warning that the left front parking lamp is malfunctioning and notice that the "angel eye ring" is not working now on that side. I would like to just replace the bulb with the same thing, but all I can find are upgrades like the Umnitza or Predator's. Is this some special bulb that doesnt exist in the aftermarket except as a 200-300$ upgrade?

I ordered an 11" long nose plier set just so I could replace the thing based on searches on this excellent forum, but I have yet to see an answer to the "is this a simple bulb i can go buy" question. I even have the TIS and it shows what appears to be an assembly instead of a bulb.

If my only option is the expensive mod so be it (wife is gonna kill me since we recently bought new rims+tires), but if i can get just a bulb and do this myself I would prefer that option.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Gene

I believe it's a standard H7 bulb...you could always just price check your local bmw service/parts department if you just want to keep the same style/stock brightness....

pantherfan69

Thanks, thats what I was hoping to hear. Once i get my 11" pliers in I will give it a go, i couldnt quite get to that bulb with my 6" pliers. I REALLY dont want to take the headlights out hehe.

luigi524td

Are any other small lamps out on that side of the car? It may be a fuse and not a bulb!

BTW, removing the headlamp assembly is really not that difficult (check the Angel Eye installation posts) and makes access to bulbs and such much easier.

pantherfan69

No, only the angel eye ring on that side is out, the rest of the lights seem to be fine. I was wanting to do this without remving the headlight cause i just KNOW i will scratch the darn bumper hehe

pantherfan69

It turns out it is not an h7 bulb but some kind of bayonnet base bulb inside that special BMW housing. The make it so the bulb is nearly impossible to get out of the reflector housing (the bayonnet prongs are larger than the exit hole) but a set of pliers gets it out . You can get a close replacement (its 5w instead of 10w) at NAPA auto parts, but you will have to file the prongs down a bit to get it into the reflector housing.

After all was said and done, the bulb alone was $9.95, realoem.com shows the bulb+housing as ~ $21, the stealer probably wants 2x that. If i ever have to do it again i will probably order just the bmw housing+bulb for $21 online for posterity.

raimac_56

I had the same thing happen yesterday, so I took the car to the stealers this morning unfortunately they told me that the bulbs were'nt covered under my extended warranty and wanted to charge me $175 to change it. I just went around to the parts counter and bought the replacement assembly for $30 and it took me 15 mins to change it.....with no tools.

pantherfan69

Wow I could barely get my hands through the access hole, and it was a TIGHT fit hehe, I dont know how you managed it, you must have a surgeons touch hehe. I ended up slicing the crap out of my hands trying to do it, the hard part was putting the new one in.

raimac_56

Yeah I got a couple of scraps too, but I have slim hands and once I got it in I just felt my way around. Yeah you're right, getting the new one to line up was a pain

JayArras

Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I have the same issue, except it's the right side parking lamp malfunction in my case.

Has anyone gone through this that has some pics to share? Also, I'm not clear, should the headlamp assembly come off?