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:
Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bag (SAB)
Inflator Units
The Supplemental Seat-Mounted Side Air Bags (SAB) are
designed to activate only in certain side collisions.
The ORC determines if a side collision requires the side
air bags to inflate, based on ...
Low-beam headlamps (halogen
headlamps)
Due to their location, have the bulbs in the
left-hand headlamp changed at a qualified
specialist workshop, e.g. an authorized
Mercedes-Benz Center.
•► Switch off the lights.
•` ...
Cleaning the Video Screen
Use only a clean cloth dampened
with clean water. Use care when
touching or cleaning the screen as
damage could result. ...