BMW E46 H7 headlight problem

inogen

inogen

inogen

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Bit odd this (I think it's odd anyway, might be perfectly normal!)

Red headlight warning came on the dash. Drivers side headlight doesn't work in position 1. Does work in position 2. All the other lights work (though in position 1, car is cleverly using the indicator as a light...)

Looking at the headlights, there's only two bulbs, the lowbeam and the fullbeam. So the lowbeam bulb that doesn't work on position 1, works on position 2.

I've ordered some new bulbs, is this likely to fix the problem or is it likely there's more to it? (in which case I'll take is somewhere rather than fiddling about myself)
 
The headlights don't come on when the key is turned to position 1, chances are you've got a sidelight out (501 bulb)
 
Atari said:
The headlights don't come on when the key is turned to position 1, chances are you've got a sidelight out (501 bulb)
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Nah, sorry, probably didn't explain it well, don't mean position 1 with the key. I mean with the headlight switch. Clockwise, 0, 1, 2.

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I call that "sidelights" - but having spoken to people at a couple of parts shops today, they keep referring to lowbeams and highbeams and sidelights being 5W sidelights, not the 55W H7s, which come on when I put "sidelights" on.
 
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Ah sorry, my fault, skim read it while making a coffee :p AFAIK the dipped beam doesn't come on until you've got the switch to position two, at position one, you should just have sidelights come on.
 
Right :) So just to be sure...

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(not my car, mine has no xenon / projectors / halos)

There are 4 H7 bulbs. 2 in each headlight... Where are the W5Ws?

In position 1, currently, the passenger side outer bulb lights fine, but the drivers indicator is on. In pos. 2, both outer bulbs light fine. Seems to me like there's only a problem in position 1, but both position 1 and 2 use the same (outer) H7 bulb? :confused:
 
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You might be better posting a picture of a car that actually has your type of headlight fitted rather than a completely different one!
 
They'll be in the section where the high beam bulb is, at the top - should be able to see it if you look at it at eye level, it'll be at the top.
 
[TW]Fox;25374262 said:
You might be better posting a picture of a car that actually has your type of headlight fitted rather than a completely different one!
Click to expand...

Ha! Okay...

g3b4f886a.jpg


So, all 4 bulbs work... but drivers outer bulb doesn't work in position 1. Position 2, it works fine.
 
Definitely sounds like a sidelight has gone, apparently the front indicator illuminates itself when this happens too (can't remember if it did when mine went pop) and it will also trigger a warning on the dash like you have when this happens. New bulb should be a pretty easy job to do.


Slightly OT, does anyone know if anything ever occupied the space to the right of the dash light dimmer control? Even in my Sport spec 330 there's a blank space and can't think of any options that might occupy it :confused:
 
Good lord, is it really that complicated? The first position is sidelights, the symbol kind of gives it away. This is the same in every car, really is the basics.
 
Voxination said:
Definitely sounds like a sidelight has gone, apparently the front indicator illuminates itself when this happens too (can't remember if it did when mine went pop) and it will also trigger a warning on the dash like you have when this happens. New bulb should be a pretty easy job to do.


Slightly OT, does anyone know if anything ever occupied the space to the right of the dash light dimmer control? Even in my Sport spec 330 there's a blank space and can't think of any options that might occupy it :confused:
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The beam height adjuster, Xenon equipped cars won't have this as it's automated.
 
Clarkey said:
Good lord, is it really that complicated? The first position is sidelights, the symbol kind of gives it away. This is the same in every car, really is the basics.
Click to expand...

Well I thought not. But looking at the car, there seems to be 2 bulbs in the headlight, two H7s, making 4 in total. And an indicator each side. Yet there seems to be a consensus that there's W5W sidelights somewhere or other. (Including BMW). And I can't see a bulb anywhere on either side that I can't make light up, with different switch positions.
 
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Yeah, mine has the beam height adjuster.

It is a Compact... I know that makes the lights different. Perhaps it doesn't have W5W "sidelights"? I told the dealers it what it was and gave them my lic. plate number. They seem to think it has them. Though they're not very apparent if so :)
 
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I can't believe I'm about to say this....but go to halfords, tell them you've a bulb out, let the guy check which one, watch what he puts in it for you and how he does it.

Its about 3 quid for them to fit it, sounds like it would be worthwhile. Keeps things simple too - don't confuse them with all this position 1 position 2 gobbledygook either
 
rodenal said:
I can't believe I'm about to say this....but go to halfords, tell them you've a bulb out, let the guy check which one, watch what he puts in it for you and how he does it.

Its about 3 quid for them to fit it, sounds like it would be worthwhile. Keeps things simple too - don't confuse them with all this position 1 position 2 gobbledygook either
Click to expand...

Ha ha. Yes.

I think I'm just going to replace the outer H7 bulbs. I've ordered some nice Osram Night Breaker Unlimited. Hopefully, it's just the car seeing a faulty bulb when the sidelights are on, but not when the headlights are on. Maybe it's about to go, but hasn't quite yet.
 
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