E36 sidelight bulb replacement - how?

[MitchT]

I need to replace a sidelight bulb on my E36 (1999).

The main and dipped beam ones are easy to do - you just pull a little metal frame out of the way and the bulb is released and is then easy to remove. However, the sidelight bulb, which is under the same cover as the main beam bulb and residing just below it, won't budge. I'm under the impression it should just pull out - someone on YouTube does this - but I can't get it to move.

Any ideas?

[mike9009]

I had a similar issue with an Alfa 156. Took me ages and scraped knuckles trying to get the headlight bulb out and changed.

Eventually gave up and took it to Halfords and paid a fiver.

Disappointed with myself but I just couldn't get it to move....

[soad]

They charge more than a fiver now...

[MitchT]

I'm struggling to understand how anyone at Halfords would work it out if I can't.

The manual says "Press in the upper tab of the bulb holder to release and remove."

This doesn't even make sense based on what there is to press or get hold of.

[E-bmw]

IIRC there is a small tab that clicks in to hold it in place, this need to be pressed as per the instruction to release the holder.

[MitchT]

Well, I've tried pressing, squeezing and pulling the black plastic bulb holder, but it still won't budge. Here's a photo I took with my phone. The sidelight is the one I'm trying to remove...

[E-bmw]

In that pic, the top of the black plastic bit is a tab that must be pressed down to release it.

[MitchT]

Do you men the little notch "A" or the larger lip "B"?



So little of notch A is reachable that I can't apply any pressure to it, except with the end of my nail, and certainly not enough pressure to provoke any meaningful movement.

I could, potentially, press down on the lip B with quite a lot of pressure but it feels as though, if I did, I'd break the shell of the tube that the black plastic holder is inside.

[E-bmw]

A.

[g3org3y]

I must admit I can't remember (and I've owned 3x E36s).

Rotate 90 degrees (and pull)?

[TWOKWACKS]

Just pull it ! It will come straight out

[RUSSELLM]

Is this the correct item ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182686836671?hash=item2...1sAAOSw~AVYv9kP

If so, the two tags at the lamp end, would suggest ‘twist and pull’

Then the release tab A in your picture, would be to disconnect the wires from the lamp holder. Which you probably done need/want to do.

I could be talking complete rubbish though

[MitchT]

E-bmw said:

A.

I can't believe it's A - it's a tiny little triangular tab that you can barely even touch, never mind manipulate in a useful way. B is more like a wide "lip" with grooves on the inside that might be there to aid grip if pulling the part off, except pulling it has no effect. Here's a lightened close up...

[MitchT]

TWOKWACKS said:

Just pull it ! It will come straight out

No it won't - it won't budge!

RUSSELLM said:

Is this the correct item ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182686836671?hash=item2...1sAAOSw~AVYv9kP

If so, the two tags at the lamp end, would suggest ‘twist and pull’

Then the release tab A in your picture, would be to disconnect the wires from the lamp holder. Which you probably done need/want to do.

I could be talking complete rubbish though

No, that's an E46 one. There's a YouTube video in which someone removes an E36 one and it looks very different to that. It doesn't help though as the guy in the video appears to just pull it straight out.

Also, I've tried twisting it to various positions thinking that this might release it, but to no avail.

[MarkwG]

MitchT said:

E-bmw said:

A.

I can't believe it's A - it's a tiny little triangular tab that you can barely even touch, never mind manipulate in a useful way. B is more like a wide "lip" with grooves on the inside that might be there to aid grip if pulling the part off, except pulling it has no effect. Here's a lightened close up...

Looks to me like the retainer clip has broken off & it's been either rammed in hard, or super glued in, instead. There looks to be a fracture line on the side 10 o'clock from the brown wires.

[RUSSELLM]

I’d agree with that. It looks like the connector’s locking tab has broken off.

That said…. OP, have you had a look at your other headlight ?

[RUSSELLM]

There’s this on YouTube, apparently an E36, but his lamp holder is nothing like yours…

https://youtu.be/q91UQAka-ZQ

Edit… we were always taught not to touch the new lamps with our hands

Edited by RUSSELLM on Monday 3rd January 01:10

[MitchT]

RUSSELLM said:

That said…. OP, have you had a look at your other headlight ?

The other one is exactly the same.

RUSSELLM said:

There’s this on YouTube, apparently an E36, but his lamp holder is nothing like yours…

https://youtu.be/q91UQAka-ZQ

Yes, saw that. It's a pre-facelift E36 with different covers behind the lights. If you pause the film in the right place you can get a decent look at the lamp holder. It looks a bit different to mine.

Edited by MitchT on Monday 3rd January 09:48

[MarkwG]

Might be easier just to pop the headlamp out: from memory, unclip the indicator & four 10mm & it's free. You'll be able to get a decent look at it.

[4rephill]

According to MY bmw e36 owners manual:



As I recall from doing mine "way back yonder", the "bulb cover" is the large plastic cover that covers the entire rear side of the headlight.

(If I remember correctly, the lower section of the cover has pegs that locate into slots in a cross-member below the headlight, and the tab at the top of the cover locates into a slot above the headlight to hold it against the headlight [waits to be corrected on that one - It's been a while] )

The bulb holder (3) should just pull straight back - No pressing anything, no twisting - It just wedges into the the back of the headlight.