Easy⏱ 25 - 45 min6 steps·Original on iFixit ↗

Headlight Bulb Replacement for a 2011 BMW 328i e92

If you happen to own a 2011 e92 328i BMW, then I understand how hard it is to find the right videos and guides on repairs for these cars. I own one of these vehicles myself, and I'd like to share an easy method on a fairly common job needed for fixing these cars up.

In this guide, I will demonstrate how to replace the headlight bulbs on a DS1 AFS Xenon headlight assembly for an LCI e92 2-door coupe.

These headlight bulbs can be a little pricey, ranging anywhere from $50 to upwards of $200 if you purchase OEM bulbs, but can be easily purchased at a local AutoZone, Oreilly's, or online from the highly praised FCP Euro website, or Amazon as well.

Tools (6)

T20 Torx Screwdriver Bit buy ↗
1/4-inch Ratchet buy ↗
1/4-inch drive long socket extension buy ↗
10mm 1/4-inch drive socket buy ↗
8mm 1/4-inch drive socket buy ↗
Screwdriver Torx T20(opt.) buy ↗

Parts (1)

BMW 12V-35W D1S Xenon Headlight Bulb buy ↗

Step-by-step instructions

Turn on your car and position the steering wheel the same direction as the side you are working on.
If you are working on the driver's side headlight, turn steering wheel all the way to the left for maximum room as shown in the picture.
If you are working on the passenger side headlight, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right.
This will provide you with the most room available to easily and comfortably complete your work by first removing the splash guard over the tire.

Remove the 10mm plastic screw located directly above the control arms/steering mechanism.
Turn counterclockwise to remove bolts. (Lefty loosey righty tightey)

Using your 8mm socket, remove the three 8mm bolts located above the tire and two 8mm bolts below the bumper.
These are the last bolts holding the splash guard in place. Once removed, the splash guard can be removed and positioned out of the way.

With the splash guard removed, you have clear and easy access to the entire headlight assembly and headlight cover.
Using your T20 Torx bit, remove the 5 T20 screws holding the plastic cover in place.

You can easily remove the cover with light force, revealing the headlight bulb itself, which will be the silver metallic cube with the yellow warning label as highlighted.
To remove the headlight safely without damaging the wiring, you will need to first disconnect the wiring port itself from the headlight bulb. A light pull downwards will easily unplug the wiring port from the headlight bulb as shown in the second image.
Take note of the exact type of headlight your vehicle is equipped with. The example I have on my own car is a 35W D1S Xenon HID bulb, as clearly labeled on the back of the headlight bulb itself.

With the wiring disconnected, turn the bulb counterclockwise and gently remove the headlight bulb from its spot.

Conclusion

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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