ZGERMAN

Hi,
To prepare for my AE upgrade, I've been studying the installation guides in this Forum, on YouTube, in the Bentley manual etc etc., but when I just pulled my headlight to replace the existing bulb with my new 5W AEs from Motorcepts, the existing bulb looks nowhere near what is shown on YouTube. Instead, I'm looking at a tiny 12V/10W bulb in an ugly orange housing... What's wrong with this picture? Where's the AE I want to replace? I don't seem to be able to find it...

I recently was involved in an accident and got my headlight unit replaced. Could it be that the Body Shop screwed me and gave me some old/incorrect headlight assembly instead?
I tried to identify my headlight assembly using the BMW part number search on www.realoem.com - but I don't seem to find a valid BMW part number on the stickers or on the headlight housing itself.

Check out the pics, and you may understand my confusion:

This is where I pulled the existing bulb+socket:




And this is how the existing light looks like:



Quite different from the AEs I purchased from John/Motorcepts...and also from what's shown on YouTube:



Anybody has an idea what's going on (wrong) with this? Feels like I'm in the wrong movie...
HELP! HELP! ...HILFE !!! ...Please...

Do I have an older/wrong headlight?
Am I not looking in the correct spot?
What's wrong with this picture?
...??...

Thanks for your input, it's much appreciated!

ZGERMAN

Where does the "old" AE lamp actually show in this diagram?
The thing I pulled looks like the parking light.

As per RealOEM:

I cannot see the AE module in this frickin' diagram anywhere.... --- Which number is it supposed to be, please?



As per YouTube:


...and this is mine. Quite different, huh?



ANYONE has an idea what's wrong with this??
Thanks...

skeeter

The brown light fixture are your stock angel eyes...You just replace them with the new ones...It's very easy!

ZGERMAN

Hi skeeter,
Appreciate your response. However... things do seem to be a bit different, for whatever reason.
I expected that I'd just have to replace the existing AE - but there is nothing in my headlight assembly that looks remotely like it fits the AEs I have. And there is no "brown light fixture", as far as I can tell.

Checking out the exploded drawing in my 2nd post... there is nothing that resembles the upgrade AEs. If there were something like the dude in the YouTube video is pulling out of the headlight/replacing, then it would be easy...

Don't see it, skeeter. Which number does the part have I need to replace (see post above)?

Thanks.

ZGERMAN

These two don't have the same connectors nor size, and they don't "look alike" at all either:







Left: Ugrade(?) AE / Right: OEM Parking Light


None of you actually have a clue???
-- Geez.... I find that hard to believe!

Is this "Headlight Assembly" actually an E60 pre-LCI (for 2007 model)?


Where/what is the BMW part number, so I can check and confirm it at RealOEM.com?
BTW, 1630780021259084 is not it, I've tried it.. and 1EL 163 078-00 drew a blank, too. Looks like those are the Hella part numbers anyway, which would explain why nothing comes up doing the BMW part number search...

As I mentioned before, this headlight has recently been replaced (due to accident), and that's probably why the manufacturing date(?) is "15.07.10" (=July 15, 2010).
Is this maybe an LCI unit? It doesn't look like it judging by what I could pull up at realoem.com

???????

ZGERMAN

So, none of you has a clue, huh?
I thought you are modding your cars... e.g. with AEs? I guess not. Looks like you let your $tealership or Body Shop do it, because otherwise you'd have some advice to share...

Real disappointing.

Ehssan

i'm sorry to say you have the wrong AE LED kit ... return it back

nomis_nehc

Simple enough, your headlights are pre-LCI, and the AE bulb upgrade is incorrect. That is all. No need to freak out dude.

ZGERMAN

Easy for you to say, nomis!


I got that bad suspicion that my Body Shop had screwed me on the recent headlight replacement, and that would have caused a whole bunch of issues for me - which I really can't use right now.
Besides, I didn't gain any clarity from the parts catalog drawings - and I've checked LCI drawings too, to find out if I may have an LCI AE bulb - nor forum response... and it's raining like sh*t outside all day. Needless to say, it's tough to get a headlight installed in darkness or pouring rain, especially if you don't have a garage. And that's what I was up against.
Hence, the "freak factor" multiplied....

Anyways,
I very much appreciate two people actually responding with helpful advice... THANK YOU, Esshan and nomis!!


[ :cooling down again now: ]

tonyscoots84

john to the rescue ....