Make sure you have the parts needed to begin the job.
-The replacement headlights
-Medium Size Phillips Screwdriver
-Medium Size Standard Screwdriver
1. Find the two screws on the bottom of the grill, one is almost directly under the low beam headlight and the other is right next to the kidney grill. To replace the headlight, you must take off the grill completly. To do this, open the hood and right above the headlight there are black clips holding plastic to metal. Take those off with the standard screwdriver and then the grill will come right off.
2. Once the grill is off, there are 3 screws holding on the bezel of the headlight. Take those off and then the headlight comes straight out. Unplug, then plug in the new one. When putting the bezel back on, make sure all of the holes on the bezel and mount are lined up, since there is a way to put one screw in and not have the others line up.
3. Once the bezel is put back on, replace the grill, clips first, then screws. You will probably have to adjust your lights when your done, so once the lights are all replaced and everything is put back together, go to step 4.
4. Drive up to a wall at night. Stay about 10 feet away and make sure the front of the car is parallel to the wall, so the whole length of the car is perpendicular to the wall. Turn on the low beams and open the hood. Take off the panel that is covering the back of the lights and look for two white knobs that are on only two sides of the light, usually bottom and right. Turn the knobs and I think that turning the bottom knob clockwise will lower the beam. Turning the right knob clockwise will move the beam right. Experiment with them on your own. Once the low beams are adjusted, go to the high beams, they operate in the same way.
5. I wrote this thread because I had nothing better to do, and I felt that you needed to know how to do this. Changing all 4 of my headlights took me only 5 minutes to do, since I knew what I was doing.
6. Have fun, and be careful with the little clips that hold the panel on to the back of the lights. They like to come off and play hide-and-go-seek.
1977 Ford Bronco -- 1983 DMC DeLorean -- 1990 BMW 325i
1970 International Scout 300A -- 1980 Chevy Citation -- 1992 Ford F150 -- 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 -- 2008 Honda Shadow
One quick thing:
Driving up to a wall and shining your lights generally isn't how you adjust them. If you have proper equipment, it can tell you if your lights are misaligned.
Good idea, though. People will find this useful. Post one about the flex disk, too.
Originally Posted by heifetz17
That one would take me three days to type up. That thing sucked, but, reluctantly I will.
1977 Ford Bronco -- 1983 DMC DeLorean -- 1990 BMW 325i
1970 International Scout 300A -- 1980 Chevy Citation -- 1992 Ford F150 -- 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 -- 2008 Honda Shadow
No way. Nothing takes 5 minutes.Originally Posted by JFV1134
Installing a Turbonator takes a screwdriver and 5 minutes.Originally Posted by pyro
5 minutes ace. take it or leave it.Originally Posted by pyro
1977 Ford Bronco -- 1983 DMC DeLorean -- 1990 BMW 325i
1970 International Scout 300A -- 1980 Chevy Citation -- 1992 Ford F150 -- 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 -- 2008 Honda Shadow
With the Ground Control rear shock mounts, I can go from car on the ground to 1 rear shock out in 5 minutes.Originally Posted by pyro
Originally Posted by mjfeeney
Thank you for this posting! BMW Forums has been instrumental in keeping my 1991 325iX on the road! Driver's side light went out today on my way into work and I knew I was going to find the info I needed here. I used to own a 1987 Saab 900Turbo couple. It was a cool car, but when I needed to replace a headlight I quickly learned that I needed proper instructions to do the job. Before that car all I owned was domestics which were easy to work on. NOT the same with imports. So before any job, I always check here first. Thanks again! (Why can't I ever get my image to load up?)
Last edited by jommins; 01-21-2013 at 06:30 PM. Reason: adding picture
As a total wrench noob and first-time E30 owner, thanks for the softball.
For the other noobs who land here:
If you have sealed beam lights, you'll want to buy a H5006 bulb for low beams and H5001 bulb for high beams.
If you have ellipsoid lights, you'll want a replacement bulb (sorry, not sure the model, for that).
What kind of lights do you have?
Based on year:
According to XMon:Source: http://users.rcn.com/nifftylion/head...%20-%20Pub.pdfThe US specification E30 head light wiring circuit utilized 3 different headlight/fog light configurations during its production run. BMW utilized three variants, Figure 1, an early sealed beam system that was utilized between 1984 and 1987, a late sealed beam configuration that was used from 1990 through the end of production, and an ellipsoid system during 1988 and 1989.
Based on appearance:
I believe ellipsoid lights have an dark, empty, circular void in the middle. Looking at this style of light head on, you'll see a small, black circle right in the center.
If you don't have the black circle, you have a sealed beam.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deWmIeaoRbw
Last edited by krazy; 10-18-2014 at 08:21 PM.
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