Malfunction Angel Eye Light

[dblam65]

The angel eye light not working. Is this an easy fix/bulb replacement? What is the cost if I bring it to independent service station to do the job?
Thanks.

[RobMCoupe]

That is not really angel eye. It is daytime running light bulb. I said it more of a pain getting to the bulb because the access is through fender liner. It helps if you remove the wheel.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by RobMCoupe

That is not really angel eye. It is daytime running light bulb. I said it more of a pain getting to the bulb because the access is through fender liner. It helps if you remove the wheel.

Not sure what you mean. It certainly is an angel eye(or "halo"), just an early version before they started doing them in LED. Angel eyes are DRL's on most BMW's (base model 3 series use a more basic scheme without the halo).

To answer the OP- I would suggest you take a run at it yourself (see link below for details). There are two options. BMW sells the bulb already in its holder which is a bit pricey(~$40). You can also buy a bulb online for a couple of dollars and modify your existing holder to make the bulb removable. A dealer is going to charge around 30min to do the job if you don't want to.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=949497

[RobMCoupe]

Originally Posted by chickdr

Not sure what you mean. It certainly is an angel eye(or "halo"), just an early version before they started doing them in LED. Angel eyes are DRL's on most BMW's (base model 3 series use a more basic scheme without the halo).

To answer the OP- I would suggest you take a run at it yourself (see link below for details). There are two options. BMW sells the bulb already in its holder which is a bit pricey(~$40). You can also buy a bulb online for a couple of dollars and modify your existing holder to make the bulb removable. A dealer is going to charge around 30min to do the job if you don't want to.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=949497

Technically you can call that angel eye/DRL. It is so dim you can't really see it compare to other models. I didn't know they switched to LED on E85/86.

[Roadroach]

I had to replace one of these bulbs in early Feb.

Found a pair of sylvania bulbs on amazon (DA9s base bulbs - get 10w bulbs if possible) for under $10. Replace both driver/passenger bulbs at the same time so they match. They will be dim. LED's will be brighter but will throw a code unless you install resisters.

Access through the fender liner wasn't too bad although it does help to remove the tire. The biggest pain was getting the plastic cover off (and back on) the rear of the headlight housing. Once the housing is off, find and remove the angel eye bulb holder. I was able to remove my bulbs from the holder by patiently wiggling/twisting the bulb back and forth for a bit until it came out.

Inserted the new bulbs into the holder, re-installed the holder in the rear of the headlight housing and then fight the plastic cover back onto the housing. I think it took me around 1/2 hour total to do both sides and the total cost was under $10 for the bulbs.

They look OEM (meaning "dim"). At least the 'bulb out' dash light went away.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by RobMCoupe

Technically you can call that angel eye/DRL. It is so dim you can't really see it compare to other models. I didn't know they switched to LED on E85/86.

Not meant to get into an arm wrestle, but angel eyes do not necessarily equal DRLs - although, it's use as such in recent designs. Angel eyes is just a term used for those halos or corona rings - so it's NOT defined by it's brightness.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by Roadroach

I had to replace one of these bulbs in early Feb.

Found a pair of sylvania bulbs on amazon (DA9s base bulbs - get 10w bulbs if possible) for under $10. Replace both driver/passenger bulbs at the same time so they match. They will be dim. LED's will be brighter but will throw a code unless you install resisters.

Access through the fender liner wasn't too bad although it does help to remove the tire. The biggest pain was getting the plastic cover off (and back on) the rear of the headlight housing. Once the housing is off, find and remove the angel eye bulb holder. I was able to remove my bulbs from the holder by patiently wiggling/twisting the bulb back and forth for a bit until it came out.

Inserted the new bulbs into the holder, re-installed the holder in the rear of the headlight housing and then fight the plastic cover back onto the housing. I think it took me around 1/2 hour total to do both sides and the total cost was under $10 for the bulbs.

They look OEM (meaning "dim"). At least the 'bulb out' dash light went away.

You also had to dremel out the 2 notches for the tabs of the bulb to slide out correct?

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by RobMCoupe

Technically you can call that angel eye/DRL. It is so dim you can't really see it compare to other models. I didn't know they switched to LED on E85/86.

They didn't. My E86 does not have LED and as far as I know, none of them do from the factory.

[RobMCoupe]

Originally Posted by XMetal

Not meant to get into an arm wrestle, but angel eyes do not necessarily equal DRLs - although, it's use as such in recent designs. Angel eyes is just a term used for those halos or corona rings - so it's NOT defined by it's brightness.

Not a problem. I apologize if folks takes this as misinformation. When you program to have light on, it is listed as DRL. I turned mines off. This is why I posted as DRL.

[Roadroach]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

You also had to dremel out the 2 notches for the tabs of the bulb to slide out correct?

Nope. Just patience and wiggled the bulbs out.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by RobMCoupe

Not a problem. I apologize if folks takes this as misinformation. When you program to have light on, it is listed as DRL. I turned mines off. This is why I posted as DRL.

You are correct they are DRL's on E85/86 cars(and all BMW's that have them IMHO). When I mentioned LED's I didn't mean on the E85/86, but on more current BMW's they are LED. The E89 Z4's had LED Halos starting in 2013. To me Halo/Angel Eye = DRL as they are on at all times whether or not the headlight is.

[bobhnc]

You could just have the DRL/angel eyes turned off. My indie did it for me when I was having some other service. The lights are pretty useless anyway.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by Roadroach

Nope. Just patience and wiggled the bulbs out.

Wow this the first time I've learnt about this.

So you mean to say the 10w 12v bayonet bulbs can actually be angled/wiggled out of the BAS9 holder and new ones re-installed without making the notches for the bulb's tabs to slide in and out of?

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Wow this the first time I've learnt about this.

So you mean to say the 10w 12v bayonet bulbs can actually be angled/wiggled out of the BAS9 holder and new ones re-installed without making the notches for the bulb's tabs to slide in and out of?

I am sure its possible. The notches are just to let the tabs slide by and they are pretty tiny and the plastic is malleable so it makes sense you could get them out without notches if desired. Pretty easy to make notches with a drill bit in any event.

[XMetal]

Originally Posted by RobMCoupe

Not a problem. I apologize if folks takes this as misinformation. When you program to have light on, it is listed as DRL. I turned mines off. This is why I posted as DRL.

No need for apologies as we're all here to share info I do agree that it's too dim to use as DRLs, so I don't know what BMW was thinking there. I guessed that's why BMW provides you with the option of selecting those halos as DRLs or the headlight's low beam as the alternate DRLs.

I have my "angel eyes" disabled as DRLs as well mostly because I don't like the hassle of changing those pesky bulbs

[RobMCoupe]

Originally Posted by XMetal

No need for apologies as we're all here to share info I do agree that it's too dim to use as DRLs, so I don't know what BMW was thinking there. I guessed that's why BMW provides you with the option of selecting those halos as DRLs or the headlight's low beam as the alternate DRLs.

I have my "angel eyes" disabled as DRLs as well mostly because I don't like the hassle of changing those pesky bulbs

I totally forgot about them since I disabled it when I first got the car. The idiot light has been on for a year almost. I checked all my lights and no bulb is out. I have headlight out when I scan the car. I will order an extra light and see if that is the problem.

[Roadroach]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Wow this the first time I've learnt about this.

So you mean to say the 10w 12v bayonet bulbs can actually be angled/wiggled out of the BAS9 holder and new ones re-installed without making the notches for the bulb's tabs to slide in and out of?

Yes.

I was too lazy to root around in my pigsty of a garage for the "proper tool" so I just wiggled the bulb around for about a minute and eased it out.

I still have no idea where my dremel has gone off to.....

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by Roadroach

Nope. Just patience and wiggled the bulbs out.

The plastic is thin and soft, so you don't have to resort to the Dremel.
I notched mine a little with an X-acto.

So to answer the OP, get a couple of these:
https://www.lampline.com/osram-64113-39423
Turn the front wheels so the front of the wheel points OUT on the offending side.
Use a nickel to turn the locks and remove the access panel. You could use a quarter, but I'm a cheapskate.
Release the clip on the back of the housing cover and remove the cover*.
Turn the holder CCW a little to unlock it and pull it out.
Push and turn the bulb CCW to release it from the socket. It won't come out of the plastic holder, but it will come up to where you can see where the bayonet pins are. Use an Xacto to make a couple notches where the pins are and the bulb will come out.
Bob's your Uncle.

* Removing and replacing the cover on the back of the housing requires a small amount of Zen. It's like one of those puzzles with the interlocked bent metal bits that will only come apart when they're at the perfect angle.

[pungo]

I have never been able to get the bulb out without notching the plasic holder a little, which only takes a minute or so.



It's a 15 minute job to replace the bulb without taking the wheel off. I agree with StickMon, the rear headlight cover is tricky to get off and on as you need to maneuver it around just right. One word of caution: The rear cover has rubber seal than may be old and not seal properly once you remove and reinstall the cover so it may leak water into the headlight.



The Halo/DRLs whatever you want to call them are a joke since you can barely see them in the daylight! Just have them disabled and coded not to check for errors instead of possibly causing a water leak by breaking the rear seal and end up with worse problems.

I tried some high powered LED when one of my bulbs burned out and there were ~50% brighter than stock, but had a blue tint. There a blue translucent filter between the stock bulb and the Halo ring, probably to make the Halogen bulb look less yellow











So I did these:

[StickMon]

Those are a fine piece of craftsmanship.
I'm not as ambitious. I coded out the warning with NCS and put these in.

No brighter than stock, but better match the HIDs, and I should never have to replace them again.

BTW I think we scared off the OP.

[RobMCoupe]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Those are a fine piece of craftsmanship.
I'm not as ambitious. I coded out the warning with NCS and put these in.

No brighter than stock, but better match the HIDs, and I should never have to replace them again.

BTW I think we scared off the OP.

Do you have steps to code out the tracking? I am not good using NCS. I find out it still throw a light out warning with DRL off.

TIA

[StickMon]

I muddled through it based on this from the ever helpful @pungo:
http://www.zpost.com/forums/showpost...5&postcount=16