Wrong headlamp bulb?

Scania

Scania

Scania

Caporegime
Joined
25 Nov 2004
Posts
26,039
Location
On the road....
One of the headlamp bulbs (dipped beam) blew on the way home from work earlier, when I pulled out the dead bulb, I noticed it was an "H1" where the handbook says it should be an "H5" or "H7" (can't recall which, but regardless it was not the one that I removed anyway! and I cba to go outside to re-check my handbook! :o) anyway, my simple question is am I ok putting another "H1" back in place of the blown one? is the "H5" or whatever it should be the same? I'm guessing not.... :confused:

I'm inclined to simply replace what came out with an identical replacement, i.e, another "H1" but am a bit puzzled by what the handbook says, I don't want to get an "H5" or whatever to find that for whatever reason it won't fit.

I stopped on the way home to buy a replacement but thought the £7.99 my local BP garage wanted was a bit of a mickey take - but being honest I did not have any cash on me - :o Anyway, I am sure I'll find a cheaper option whilst delivering to one of Tesco's "Extra" stores later when I'm back at work..... :D


Talking of work, I'd better goto bed!:o I'll check back later.

Cheers.

Oh, its a 1996 BMW e36. :)
 
Last edited:
If you took and H1 out and it was fitted properly, then you need to put an H1 back in. An H5 or H7 will most certainly not fit a lamp designed for an H1.
 
Dogbreath said:
If you took and H1 out and it was fitted properly, then you need to put an H1 back in. An H5 or H7 will most certainly not fit a lamp designed for an H1.
Click to expand...

Got another H1 today (yesterday now!) which indeed fits fine and works again.

I've checked the N/Side lamp and thats an H1 also yet my Handbook definitely states I need an H7.

Bloody Germans! :rolleyes::p:D
 
Last edited:
Glad the site was of help!

One of my rear lights went not too long ago, so as i was passing ahlfrauds i thought i would pick up a bulb in there, checked their little book, told me which one i needed, paid, went to change it in car park, bulb would not fit, great, so i went back in, this time with the blown bulb and their new one, and eventually found the correct bulb, where no mention of it in their little book. Luckily they were fine to refund the old bulb, as it was their mistake.

My car is a Mondeo, as far as im aware, all of the rear lights stayed the same from 2000 - 2007 as it was a tail\brake light and for all the different versions of the mondeo halfrauds had the wrong bulb in their list.
 
chrislusty said:
Glad the site was of help!

One of my rear lights went not too long ago, so as i was passing ahlfrauds i thought i would pick up a bulb in there, checked their little book, told me which one i needed, paid, went to change it in car park, bulb would not fit, great, so i went back in, this time with the blown bulb and their new one, and eventually found the correct bulb, where no mention of it in their little book.
Click to expand...

I've often found those little books in Halfrauds to be as truthful as a Politician - I recall getting some wiper blades for my old 7 Series that were clearly way too short for the car after assuming the book was telling me the correct info.... :o

Anyway, whats really odd is the book I refer to in my OP is the BMW 3 Series Owners Handbook - you'd think the manufacturers would know which was the correct bulb and get it right in the cars handbook!
 
Maybe the UK cars get different light clusters since we have that thing going on where the left hand edge of the beam flicks upwards.

Then they just translated the manual and forgot to change it?

Though given BMW are supposed to be all about quality, you'd think they'd issue a recall on the handbook or something. :)
 
Biohazard said:
^was it halfords own? the wiper length on them compaired to say bosch (same part numbers) are a fair bit shorter.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure it was Halfrauds own book rather than the Bosch one, tbh it was a couple of years back and I can't remember... :o

Lum said:
Maybe the UK cars get different light clusters since we have that thing going on where the left hand edge of the beam flicks upwards.

Then they just translated the manual and forgot to change it?

Though given BMW are supposed to be all about quality, you'd think they'd issue a recall on the handbook or something. :)
Click to expand...

I think your on the money Lum, finally checked my handbook and it says it should be an H7!
DSC00183.jpg

DSC00182.jpg

Page 134, BMW e36 3 Series Owner's Handbook. ^ - apologies for my dire camera phone quality... :o
Unless H1 & H7 are one in the same (which I doubt) Ze Germans lose again! :p:D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom