In an X3 with halogen headlights as standard, the BMW Xenon headlights are not plug-and-play. Electrical wiring is mismatched. Several have…
In This Article...
How to replace your outdated BMW headlights
We depend more and more each day on the headlights on our BMWs as fall approaches and the number of sunshine hours decreases. Changing simply the bulb is a wonderful do-it-yourself update for better and brighter light from your BMW’s existing headlights if it doesn’t have LED or Xenon headlights.
Bavarian Autosport recently shipped me a package of PIAA Xtreme White Plus bulbs for $74.95. Avoiding touching the bulb’s real glass is the most crucial thing to remember when changing headlight bulbs. Even just opening the new headlight package requires caution. When the bulb is inserted and turned on, the oils from your fingers can collect on it and cause them to malfunction.
A little black plastic housing cap is located directly behind the headlight when the engine bay hood is opened. It was a black plastic hexagon-shaped cap in our 2007 X3’s case. The top snaps off to remove it. Lay back the cap, then carefully pry the bulb base and wire from the housing using your fingers. The old light bulb only has to be unplugged to complete the task.
Installation is the opposite of removal, as the Bentley manual is fond of saying. Although that might be the case in the majority of situations, considerable caution must be used when handling the new bulb anyplace else than its plastic base. Reinstalling was a little more difficult as a result. I carefully inserted the new PIAA bulb through the plastic housing after plugging it into the wire harness, taking care not to contact anything with the new light bulb.
Once the bulb was put back into the headlight’s base, I had to check several times to make sure the replacement bulbs weren’t going to pull out again. I checked to make sure it was properly engaged by turning on the headlights. I reinstalled the black hexagon cap over the interior of the headlight on the engine bay side after making sure everything was in order.
I’ve upgraded earlier from a conventional BMW headlight to a xenon headlight by replacing the entire light housings, however this is a much bigger operation and costs a lot more money. Adding these PIAA Xtreme bulbs and checking that your clear lens housing are not fogged up can keep your older BMW lighting up the road due to their low cost and ease of replacement.
Changing the headlight bulbs on an older BMW is a wonderful, affordable update. You can complete it yourself in just an hour with minimal effort and care.
jcatral14
Congratulations on the X3, but as others have noted, there is sadly no practical way to go from halogen to xenon. Selling your X3 and buying a new one is the best and simplest option if you absolutely want it.
fdriller9
The lens is not being changed. Since halogens were only made for sedans and wagons, your housings are permanently sealed, making it impossible to bake them open.
The cheapest course of action for you is to purchase a used xenon housing from eBay. They cost between $250 and $350. Switch all of your components from the damaged housing to the “new” used one after that.
For xenon to halogen, nothing needs to be rewired. But you must know how to code.
You might not get a response because this is an old thread, and you might be restarting an old thread. Consider starting a new thread, please.
a group of BMW owners and enthusiasts on a forum. Come participate in the debate regarding Bimmerfest activities, production figures, performance, customizations, classified ads, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more! bringing together the BMW community.
Can I switch from halogen to xenon headlights?
You cannot simply insert xenon lights into a car that is built to use halogen lamps since they will not fit. Check out the following comparison between a halogen and a xenon HID bulb:
The bases of the bulbs are completely distinct from one another and cannot be used interchangeably, as can be shown by comparing them. Halogen lamps may be plugged straight into a car without having any issues, which explains why. The base of the bulb must be modified in order to suit the gas discharge technique utilized in Xenon HIDs.
Can xenon headlights take the place of standard ones?
Many of our clients have halogen headlights on their cars, but they desire the beauty and flair of xenon HID bulbs.
Can I put HID bulbs on my halogen car? is one of the questions we are asked at PowerBulbs HQ the most frequently. Yes, in a nutshell, but you’ll need a HID Conversion Kit. Halogen-designed areas won’t accommodate xenon HIDs, and vice versa.
To learn more about switching from halogen to xenon headlights, keep reading.
Will xenon headlights fit?
Many people want to replace their ordinary halogen bulbs with brighter xenon units, but doing so is challenging due to a number of legal restrictions. Xenon headlights are legally forbidden in the UK, but if they are also sold in and approved by the EU, new cars may be equipped with them.
It is prohibited to retrofit a xenon bulb into a typical halogen headlight fitting if you want to install xenon headlights on your car. This is because it won’t be feasible to make the proper adjustment, which means some of the road won’t be illuminated and approaching drivers might experience glare as you approach.
Drivers must instead install a brand-new Xenon headlamp unit. As there are a number of specific conditions the fitting must meet before it is recognized legal, this may be a difficult and expensive procedure.
Want a vehicle with the newest security features? View our ranking of the safest vehicles available for purchase.
Can I convert the headlights on my BMW to LEDs?
Similar to this, you can easily switch to LED capsules if your BMW has projector headlights. Should you so want, you may also select for brighter variations or other aftermarket goods. Replace or improve both of your headlights and taillights, not just one.
How can I tell if the headlights on my BMW are halogen or xenon?
Turn your car on, turn the high lights on, stand in front of one headlight and stare straight at it for 10 seconds. It is a halogen if you are only half blind. It’s fantastic if you are fully blind.
Do xenon headlights cost a lot?
I recently took my 2016 vehicle to a repair shop because one of the headlights was broken, and when I heard the amount I almost passed out on the spot. When it was all said and done, I had budgeted a maximum of $150-$200, but I ended up spending more than $1,000! My companions claimed that the store must have overcharged me, but after looking around, I discovered that the pricing was reasonable. Today’s cars have much higher headlight costs, as I recently discovered the hard way!
We at EEE Motors strive to educate you briefly on why headlight replacement and/or repair costs are higher on modern automobiles. The owners of newer cars among our friends and clients in Sterling, Virginia will find this information extremely useful.
Generally speaking, LED lighting is only found in expensive luxury vehicles, though it is starting to appear in more reasonably priced models. LED headlights, which were first introduced in the Audi R8 supercar a few years ago, can now be seen on many affordable vehicles as well, such the Acura ILX sedan, which has a starting price of around $30,000.
But while LEDs are built to last the lifetime of a car, halogen and xenon lights do not, and in some situations, replacing these lights can be very expensive.
A burned-out halogen headlight is typically still fixable for a reasonable price. If you want an automotive specialist to change the headlight for you, plan on paying less than $20 for the bulb and roughly the same for the labor. But keep in mind that halogen headlights don’t offer as much overall lighting as xenon lights, which is why some drivers like cars with the more expensive xenon lights.
So how much does it actually cost to replace a xenon headlight? The bulb itself can frequently cost more than $100. The extra cost is due to the fact that xenon headlights are far more powerful than halogen ones and that even while they are made to last much longer than halogen ones, they can still burn out over time.
One thing to keep in mind is that the expenses might increase dramatically if, for instance, the headlight assembly has leaked or been damaged in an accident. A halogen assembly won’t cost more than a few hundred dollars, but a xenon headlight assembly can easily cost over $700, and some go for over $1,000 when all the labor costs are taken into account.
Which headlights—halogen or xenon—perform better?
Xenon headlights, also known as High-Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs, produce a white-blue light that is two to three times brighter than a halogen, have a lifespan of about 2,500 hours, and use less energy.
Do xenon headlights make sense?
Some of the advantages of xenon lights have already been stated, like their increased brightness and longer lifespan. The benefit of safety, however, is by far the greatest.
Because they illuminate far further ahead of your automobile than halogen headlights can, xenon headlights are typically two to three times brighter than halogen headlights. This is crucial at greater speeds, especially when you consider that a car traveling at 70 mph travels 32 meters every second. When driving a car with xenon headlights, the improved sight up ahead may be the difference between spotting and braking for a hazard.
In comparison to halogen lights, xenons not only shine further but also have a more equal distribution of light. This indicates that there are no dark spots in your line of sight up ahead, and the side verges of the road are better lit. The latter may be especially crucial if you reside in a place where at-night walkers, cyclists, or animals may provide a danger.
Is HID equivalent to xenon?
Compared to conventional incandescent or fluorescent lights, high intensity discharge (HID) lamps provide a number of advantages. Depending on the design and the materials used for the bulb, a variety of lighting fixtures, including Xenon, are categorized as HID. Since the noble gas Xenon is included inside the bulb, Xenon bulbs are appropriately named. When high voltage is applied, this gas illuminates.
Compared to conventional fluorescent or incandescent bulbs, HID lights are more effective at creating light, which results in brighter light at a given power rating. They are more suitable for outdoor applications because they are more stable when it comes to temperature changes.
Due to a few reasons, xenon lamps are viewed as a unique sort of HID. In contrast to typical HID bulbs, which dim until they warm up to the proper temperature, Xenon lamps emit brilliant light immediately away. Compared to other HID lamps, xenon lamps replicate daylight more accurately and produce a more natural-looking light.
Although Xenon bulbs provide benefits, there are drawbacks as well. The first is that starting and running a Xenon bulb requires extraordinarily high voltages. To ignite the arc across the bulb’s electrodes, voltages across the terminals can reach up to 30,000 volts. While other HID bulbs do require greater voltages than other conventional light bulbs, they do not require voltages as high as Xenon lamps. When it comes to internal pressure, xenon lamps rank among the best bulbs. These bulbs, which occasionally operate at pressures greater than 100 atmospheres, can pose an explosive risk and inflict damage if their enclosures fail.
Summary:
1. HID is a sort of lighting fixture that produces light that is brighter and lasts longer; Xenon is a subtype of HID that uses Xenon gas in place of other gasses.
2. Unlike other HID lights, Xenon bulbs do not require warm-up time.
3. Xenon lamps produce a warmer light that more closely resembles natural daylight than other HID lamps.
4. Compared to other HID lamps, xenon lamps have the drawback of starting at a significantly greater voltage.
5. Xenon lamps have higher internal pressures than other HID bulb types, which are lower.