BMW 5 Series: Lamp and bulb replacement
General information
Lamps and bulbs make an essential contribution to vehicle safety.
The manufacturer of the vehicle recommends that you entrust corresponding procedures to the service center if you are unfamiliar with them or they are not described here.
You can obtain a selection of replacement bulbs at the service center.
Danger of burns
Only change bulbs when they are cool;
otherwise, there is the danger of getting
burned.◀
Working on the lighting system
When working on the lighting system, you
should always switch off the lights affected to
prevent short circuits.
To avoid possible injury or equipment damage when replacing bulbs, observe any instructions provided by the bulb manufacturer.◀
Do not perform work/bulb replacement on
xenon headlamps
Have any work on the xenon lighting system, including
bulb replacement, performed only by a
service center. Due to the high voltage present
in the system, there is the danger of fatal injuries
if work is carried out improperly.◀
Do not touch the bulbs
Do not touch the glass of new bulbs with
your bare hands, as even minute amounts of
contamination will burn into the bulb's surface
and reduce its service life.
Use a clean tissue, cloth or something similar, or hold the bulb by its base.◀
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
Light-emitting diodes installed behind a cover serve as the light source for controls, display elements and other equipment.
These light-emitting diodes, which are related to conventional lasers, are officially designated as Class 1 light-emitting diodes.
Do not remove the covers
Do not remove the covers, and never stare
into the unfiltered light for several hours; otherwise,
irritation of the retina could result.◀
Headlamp glass
Condensation can form on the inside of the external lamps in cool or humid weather. When driving with the light switched on, the condensation evaporates after a short time. The headlamp glasses do not need to be changed.
If the headlamps do not dim despite driving with the light switched on, increasing humidity forms, e. g. water droplets in the light, have the service center check this.
Replacing components
Vehicle equipment
All standard, country-specific and optional
equipment that is offered in the model series is
described in this chapter. Therefore, equipment
is also described that is not avai ...
Front lamps, bulb replacement
Halogen headlamps
At a glance
1. High beams
2. Parking lamps
3. Low beams
4. Turn signal
Parking lamps and roadside parking lamps,
lateral turn signal lamp
Follow the general instructions o ...
See also:
Hazard warning flasher
The hazard warning flasher should be used whenever you find it necessary to stop
the car in a hazardous location. When you must make such an emergency stop, always
pull off the road as far as po ...
Carbon Monoxide Hazard
Your vehicle’s exhaust contains
carbon monoxide gas. Carbon
monoxide should not enter the
vehicle in normal driving if you
maintain your vehicle properly and
follow the information on this ...
Sound settings
Call volume
Call volume can be only be adjusted during a call. Use the buttons in the steering
wheel keypad or the infotainment system’s VOL control.
Infotainment system volume
If no phone call ...