Jaipe

My iDrive is giving me this notce "Front left parking light failure". I was wondering if it's true that you shouln't change the parking lamps if you have Xenon's?

Because the manual says this for normal lights: "Parking and standing lamp: 1.Turn the cover cap for low beams or high beams to the left and remove 2 Pull the bulb holder out 3.Remove and replace the bulb". But for the Xenon's: "Parking and standing lamp:
Please contact a BMW center in case of a malfunction."

Has somebody changed the parking lamp yourself in Xenon system?

EBMCS03

Humm I thought you still can access the parking lamps with xenons... but I never had to change anything and never looked...

Jaipe

OK, thanks. As a matter of fact when I looked, both of the left angels eyes were down. Anyways, I called the local BMW service and the guy who answered me said that in xenon system there is probably only one lamp (in the halogen department) that connect's (illuminates) to both left lamps (xenon and halogen). I haven't tried to change it yet because the outside temp is -18 c and with bare hands.... I'll look at when the weather gets warmer.

or_550i

My Xenon headlamps have two individual parking lamps. They are an absolute pain in the ass to get to. If the dealer will change them for you [for free] - let them. Unless you have small hands. Then you could do it.

I could get my parking lamps out but I couldn't get them back in with out taking the whole headlight assembly out to get the right grip on the bulb and cover.

Anzafin

The service guy is right.

My car is pre-LCI (2004) with xenons (not bi-xenons) and there's one bulb for the both angel eyes in one headlight. You can change it yourself, the bulb is just a pain in the ass to reach.

mag75

DIY...very easy to change the angel eyes.

My recommendation would be to upgrade to mtech v2 and swap out the old ones.

I followed this video and had no problem. A lot of people try to swap out the lights without removing the headlight....which is a pain in the @ss...

Jaipe

Thanks for the help and the video! I just went out ("only" -10 c) to look how to change it and it really seems there is an extra lamp under the halogen H7 lamp. It's very low and almost impossible to get into even if you take out the H7. And this video confirmed it. So anyways according to this video I've even bought the wrong lamps for them also. Well, considering the weather I think I'm going to go to the bmw service and let them change it (I don't like the iDrive nagging constantly) Interesting to see how much It'll cost.

Jaipe

To anybody interested:

Now it's done. I was at the bmw service (fast/straight service without appointment). It wasn't necessary to take out the whole headlight unit, but it was a very narrow place for a hand. I was there whole the time with the service guy and he took out the bulb in 3 minutes. Put a new one back in 5 minutes. The H7 should be removed first and the park light (for angel eye) was below it. And I did have a wrong lamp for it so I had to take theirs. The lamp cost 28 eur and the work 18,75 eur (add a bit more for dollars). Next time I'll try it myself.

Franko

I was interested! Thanks for your direct, simple instructions (the youtube videos all suck)!

1. Remove the round cap on the back of the headlight assembly.
2. Twist to remove the "H7" lamp and pull out of the way.
3. Remove the lower halogen bulb for the parking lights / angel eyes -- super huge pain in the ass. Jam your hand down in there and twist with all you've got while ignoring the jabbing, scraping pain that all the sharp little bits down in there will inflict upon your hand.
4. Pull the connector off of the back of the bulb housing.
5. Replace the connector on the back of the new bulb housing.
6. Place the bulb back in the original slot aligning it just as it was before you removed it.
7. Put your hand back into the jaws of hell and twist clockwise with all you've got, once again paying no attention to the massive, unfathomable amount of pain that this bitch can inflict.
8. Replace the "H7" lamp and twist to secure.
9. Replace the round cover on the back of your headlight assembly.

Open favorite beverage and enjoy.

bimmerboy1993

I have an issue with my 525i, halos don't glow, idrive reads right and left parking malfunction, I changed the light and still nothing,