Changing headlight bulbs
- Thread starter Cammy
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2012
- Points
- 178
- Location
- Newport, South Wales,UK
- Model of Z
- Z3 M43 1.8 (1999) and Z4 E85 2.5 (2003)
Z3 Headlamp bulb TIS says turn and pry it out.
Mine are HB3 and HB4, to remove them they rotate about 30 degrees and then just pull out. There are no clips holding them in, it's a bayonet type connector.
Perhaps a photo of the back of your headlight may help us to help you.
Perhaps a photo of the back of your headlight may help us to help you.
Mine are H7 I rotated the holder removed it and pulled the connecting plug of. The bulb won’t come out the holder. Do I need to buy another bulb holder£55 each !!!!
Pictures would help. You can see it, we can't.
Tony.
Tony.
H7s are normally held in with a wire clip arrangement which you unhook then just remove the bulb. You do not rotate a H7, in fact you cant due to the locating lugs on the base of the bulb. We definitely need a piccy
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 208
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
If your bulb looks like this then that is how they come
One is a 9005 hb3 60w main
Other 9006 hb4 55w dip
The 3 prong fit rotates 30 ° or so to remove and refit.
The 3 prongs are one way round only and the 2 bulbs ( dip and main ) have a slightly different 3 prong pattern and are Not interchangeable.
Stephen.
Thanks for the info
Is it possible to upgrade these bulbs or change to h7
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
- Points
- 208
- Location
- Maybole , South Ayrshire
- Model of Z
- Z3 Individual Dakar / Orinoco Individual
No completely different design.
But you can upgrade the bulbs themselves but stick to standard wattage dont be tempted by 80 and 100 watt bulbs yes they will be brighter until your headlights internals and wiring loom start to melt with the excess heat and load.
Another no no is Hid or Led dip bulb set ups both are not road legal and will fail an mot and risk prosecution if caught using on public road.
Your 2 main players in what you need is Phillips and Osram
Either something like Phillips extreme vision or Osram Nightbreaker plus ( what i have ) great upgrade gives a brighter whiter light out of same current draw.
You have to remember by modern car design standard Z3 headlights are mediocre and all you can do with standard units is keep outer lenses clean use osram or similar and thats about as good as your getting on stock units.
Stephen.