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Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Discuss anything to do with the (E83) BMW X3 here
(Older F25 discussion within will ideally to be moved to F25 Sub section below)
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D3NO_L
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Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by D3NO_L » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:22 pm

Evening All!

I am the new owner of a 2004 BMW E83 X3... Its got a fully Aerodynamic Kit on and I have NO idea on how to replace the Full beam headlights, Side lights and Fog Light bulbs??

It's got factory Xenons fitted so the main beams are fine, but really want to upgrade the other bulbls...  I have looked under the engine bay and I cannot see an "easy" access way of replaciong a single bulb?

Please see below photos... Any Assistance would be greatly aprpeciated!!

Many Thanks.
Dean
Image

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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by D3NO_L » Tue Oct 25, 2016 9:24 pm

Image

jagr
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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by jagr » Wed Oct 26, 2016 8:29 pm

Nice looking X3 and good colour.

Drivers side, low beam, main beam and side:
 
1, Remove the screw from the washer fluid reservoir.
2, Pull the washer fluid reservoir out of the holder from above and wedge it out of place.
3, Two cover caps are located on the rear headlight housing. The outside one for the low beam, the inner cap
for the high beam and side light.
4, Use a screwdriver to push the "snap-fixing" of the respective cap upwards and pull off the cap to the rear.
5, Remove the bulb from the plug and replace.


Fog lights are different depending on kit.

On yours I believe (but go carefully as I have not done it) if you turn your steering wheel to full lock on each side and look inside the bumper you will see a flap on either side. I think you remove them and you will see the bulb.

Or

Another option would be to remove the under tray and reach up and pull bulb.


On mine I have replaced all with LED lights and they are very bright:

Image

Image

Image
2011 BMW X3 30d M Sport

D3NO_L
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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by D3NO_L » Thu Oct 27, 2016 9:23 am

Thanks Jagr!
Yes! Yours is exactly the look I want to suit the Xenon’s (the standard yellow bulbs look so dull in comparison)... Looks like you have the later E83 MSport kit, mine is the Aerodynamic kit, but I would think the fog lights would remove in the same way?
Also what LED bulbs did you get??

Dean :)

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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by jagr » Thu Oct 27, 2016 10:57 am

[quote="D3NO_L"]
Thanks Jagr!
Yes! Yours is exactly the look I want to suit the Xenon’s (the standard yellow bulbs look so dull in comparison)... Looks like you have the later E83 MSport kit, mine is the Aerodynamic kit, but I would think the fog lights would remove in the same way?
Also what LED bulbs did you get??

Dean :)
[/quote]

The Aerodynamic kit fogs are totally different. On mine you just clip the surround off and unscrew 2 screws and then change the bulb.
My friend had this but sold it before we changed his fogs

Image

I bought 2 sets of these for main and dipped (I paid around £80 for both pairs from them so if interested question them)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xenon-CANBUS- ... SwNSxUylbX

Fog bulbs I have these but remember you need a plug in resistor or you will get bulb failure messages:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01 ... UTF8&psc=1

Resistors

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1
2011 BMW X3 30d M Sport

D3NO_L
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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by D3NO_L » Fri Oct 28, 2016 2:08 pm

Great Thanks Jagr!BMW really didn't want to make it easy to change bulbs!!

Do you know if you can replace the standard W5W side lights bulbs with LED versions or will it bring up an error light on the dash? The one's I am looking at getting say they are "Error Free Canbus" 12SMD LED. 

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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by jagr » Fri Oct 28, 2016 8:14 pm

Yes I fitted these

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... UTF8&psc=1

They are a bit bluer than I like but better than the standard yellowish:

Image
Last edited by jagr on Fri Oct 28, 2016 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2011 BMW X3 30d M Sport

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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by D3NO_L » Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:46 am

Thanks Jagr - I have bought some LED w5w bulbs this weekend based on your info! I am having the car serviced today, so I have asked my mechanic to fit them - I will let you know how we get on and post some pix if they work! :)

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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by D3NO_L » Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:44 pm

Update... Unfortunately the LED w5w sidelight bulbs didn't work on my 2004 X3, well they worked but the dash 'bulb out' warning light came on! This is frustrating as they are advertised and sold that they are "Error Free" Canbus bulbs... So others please bear this in mind if you are thinking of doing the same, especially as it is a serious effort to change the bulbs in the first place!

I have therefore replaced my standard 'yellowish' w5w with these; http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/Acces ... 8177013B&0

And the High beam H7 bulbs with these; http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-a ... &0&cc5_847

While they are not new LED bright, they certainly compliment my factory Xenon headlights well enough to give it a "modern car" look.

Also a little tip, if you register with Eurocarparts you will get emailed a 30% dicsount code most weekends on all car parts, so this can make a huge cost saving!

......... Now I just need to try and work out how to get to the fog bulbs!  :))
Last edited by D3NO_L on Thu Nov 03, 2016 1:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

XK8
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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by XK8 » Fri Nov 04, 2016 5:16 pm

Jagr, what is the trick to getting the plastic mesh around the fog lights out, I also have the m-sport with angle eyes and xenon head lights and would like to replicate the look of the led lamps you fitted.
Current Garage
2007 BMW X3 3.0sd M-Sport
2004 Jaguar XK8
2010 BMW 330i coupe
1978 Yamaha XT500

jagr
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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by jagr » Sat Nov 05, 2016 5:06 pm

[quote="XK8"]
Jagr, what is the trick to getting the plastic mesh around the fog lights out, I also have the m-sport with angle eyes and xenon head lights and would like to replicate the look of the led lamps you fitted.
[/quote]

If yours has these fog lights

Image

The covers are just clipped in. I pull from the top first.
The fog light then just has 2 bolts hiding the unit in.
2011 BMW X3 30d M Sport

XK8
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Re: Assistance Please - Replacing Head/Side/Fog light bulbs on E83 X3

Post by XK8 » Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:59 pm

Cheers jagr, I'll have a go tomorrow.
Current Garage
2007 BMW X3 3.0sd M-Sport
2004 Jaguar XK8
2010 BMW 330i coupe
1978 Yamaha XT500

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