I changed all my bulbs today, here's how. Easy/ish.

[CR51GYR-A8]

Non xenon lights on mine but they have projectors so I wanted to upgrade clearly, my lights were always really good and functioned well I had no complaints over the light output, but that yellow tinge, please ��

So I read a million how to's and opened many stickys, I must say the stickys on here are dreadful. Major update needed. Anyways......

FOG LIGHTS.

We all know what's involved here, I started with the fog lights and they was dead easy, pulled the covers off, removed 3 torque screws and the light was out, I then removed the back cover and pulled the wires off, replaced the bulb and simply replaced in reverse order. Nice and simple, makes a wonderful upgrade.

MAIN HEADLIGHTS.

We all know these are horrible to replace even the side lights and full beam are accessible but still tricky, so airbox off, then everything just pops off..... Covers removed and then you'll see the sidelights and full beam bulbs, sidelights simply pull off and no leds work here, unless you get involved with resistors and that's just annoying, so went with normal bulbs but xenon gas filled and a blue glass so they work a treat. The full beam bulb simply twist and pulls out, I found it pretty tricky to get out but it does come out. Then replace as normal, remembering not to touch the bulbs here, gloves or tissue paper are the best. Then put the cover back on, I used a flat blade to push down and pop the covers off. The other side is exactly the same but you have a power steering black box there. Moving it out the way makes 0 difference like 10mm at best just leave it alone. You can remove the bulbs easily enough with it in.

Now the main bulbs behind the projectors. Drivers side was easy to do as its all accessible so pull and twist like the other bulbs. Again remove the cover and the small torque screw ontop first. Make note of the tab location so it goes back as it came out.

Passenger side is the tricky area as its has everything in the way, I read removing bumper and wheel off, arch liner removing etc etc.... No1 wants the do that so I put it in lift mode, turned the wheel so I could remove the screws on the arch liner, all the obvious ones on the bottom, one push Clip in the middle and two near the very top.... Pull it down enough so you see the back off the bulb..... I used a stubby screwdriver as access on my lowered car is tricky. You normal height guys might get away with a big screwdriver. So it now looks like this.











There's your bulb, twist and pull and pop it up into the engine bay, easier to get the bulb out, wiggle and pull noting the way it came out.

Wiggle it back down into the arch and refit as a reverse.

Job done.



The difference is unreal. I used Phillips diamond vision 5000k on the fog lights and main beam, Phillips ultra vision 130% full beam and w5w wedge gas blue 4600k rated sidelights. All in all a good upgrade. As you can see. Also raised the lights so I can see a tad further as I'm lowered more on the front it dips down.

Any questions feel free to ask.

[Conan_the_Librarian]

Good post, should be a Sticky.

[Architex_mA8tey]

Originally Posted by Conan_the_Librarian

Good post, should be a Sticky.

Added to lights sticky

[Joe2.0E]

Do you have any information on the expected life of the "upgrade" bulbs you have used ?
I have tried several reputable brands in my D3 Dipped Beams over the years like "night breakers", "extreme vision" etc.
On average, they usually only lasted about half the lifetime of conventional H7 Hella bulbs. The manufacturer generally advises to replace them in pairs.
To be fair, they were all noticeably brighter but not worth the grief because of changing them so often.
Sods law usually means it's dark,raining and you need to get somewhere when the bulb out warning light illuminates on the turn of the key !

[ainarssems]

Any high brightness bulbs will have shorter life because they operate in higher temperature, there is no way around it.

There is a bulb that has been on for more than million hours but look how dark it is: http://www.centennialbulb.org/cam.htm

[CR51GYR-A8]

Originally Posted by Joe2.0E

Do you have any information on the expected life of the "upgrade" bulbs you have used ?
I have tried several reputable brands in my D3 Dipped Beams over the years like "night breakers", "extreme vision" etc.
On average, they usually only lasted about half the lifetime of conventional H7 Hella bulbs. The manufacturer generally advises to replace them in pairs.
To be fair, they were all noticeably brighter but not worth the grief because of changing them so often.
Sods law usually means it's dark,raining and you need to get somewhere when the bulb out warning light illuminates on the turn of the key !

I've used these Phillips before and they don't burn any brighter and the performance is the same as the normal bulb but the colour glass is blue and filled with a different gas, emitting a brighter 5000k look.

So should be fine.

I've had updated bulbs for a while now on other cars and they've been pretty good, never had one blow on me but time will tell.

[CR51GYR-A8]

Bulbs used and pics after when it got dark.

130% middle Phillips bulbs are my full beam so not shown in these pictures.

[Delboy]

Good write up, any chance of inserting the info about what bulbs go where from your other thread to consolidate it?

[daviesbike]

Interestingly i keep on being asked if the D2S Xenons on the D3 can be upgraded from the standard 35w to say 70+w .. rather like you could with halogens ?

or is the limitation actually the Ballast ?

[Adrian E]

Ref the Philips headlight bulbs, I went through 2 sets in our old A6 with projectors - average life before 1 died was 2 years, but they're so cheap to buy it isn't a major issue.

The A6 had no access issues though!

Ref wattage of HID - they will only work with what was specced as far as I understand it. They're part of a specified system based on electrical system configuration, so the higher wattage bulbs don't mean they're actually any brighter. Everything else being equal you would draw twice the Amps and have half the resistance going from 35W to 70W.