W211 E320cdi Bi-Xenon bulb fitting advice

[V6Matty]

Cheers buddy , good tip ! For the drivers side did you have to move/disconnect the bonnet release or did you just manage to get an arm in ?

Just managed to get my arm in, but I’m built like a rake so others may find it harder than I did with access.

 

[Wighty]

Ok finally got it done and working .
A week ago i started with some new cheapie bulbs , after an age of finally figuring out how to get them in they flickered and went out .
The dashboard showed L and R dipped beam faults .
With my new found bulb fitting experience I refitted the old Osrams and that was that .
After a refund on the cheapies, I ordered some OEM Osrams which arrived yesterday .
Taking advantage of the sun .

I disconnected the main battery negative lead
For the passenger side I popped out the holding plug thingy for the coolant tank and lifted the tank to one side .
Removed the bulb electrical plug
Anti clockwise turn and the bulb pulls out .
It’s fitted with a plastic collar which need to be removed and fitted to the new bulb , sounds easy when you know how it comes apart but it took me 15 mins to figure it out .

New bulb back in 15 degree clockwise turn to lock it in place …don’t touch the bulb glass !

On to the drivers side bulb you can get access for an arm down under the bonnet release cable. You can increase room by pulling the bulkhead cables for the lights off their bulkhead pin/screw .
The best access I found was to have the back of your right forearm against the ABS unit , coming in from the side .
Disconnect the bulb power cable , anti-clockwise turn to free it . Old surround fitted to new bulb . Clockwise turn to lock it , refit cable .
Then drop the lighting housing cap down into the engine so it takes 15 mins with duct tape on the end of a mechanics extending mirror pole to fish out (very Apollo 13 ! How do you get this out of that only with this ) . Feel free to skip this part .

Battery reconnected and the Osrams now work .

 

[V6Matty]

Many cuts where wighty?

 

[Wighty]

Many cuts where wighty?

10 small holes on each hand buddy

 

[Noddy 99]

Ok finally got it done and working .
A week ago i started with some new cheapie bulbs , after an age of finally figuring out how to get them in they flickered and went out .
The dashboard showed L and R dipped beam faults .
With my new found bulb fitting experience I refitted the old Osrams and that was that .
After a refund on the cheapies, I ordered some OEM Osrams which arrived yesterday .
Taking advantage of the sun .

I disconnected the main battery negative lead
For the passenger side I popped out the holding plug thingy for the coolant tank and lifted the tank to one side .
Removed the bulb electrical plug
Anti clockwise turn and the bulb pulls out .
It’s fitted with a plastic collar which need to be removed and fitted to the new bulb , sounds easy when you know how it comes apart but it took me 15 mins to figure it out .
View attachment 74036
New bulb back in 15 degree clockwise turn to lock it in place …don’t touch the bulb glass !

On to the drivers side bulb you can get access for an arm down under the bonnet release cable. You can increase room by pulling the bulkhead cables for the lights off their bulkhead pin/screw .
The best access I found was to have the back of your right forearm against the ABS unit , coming in from the side .
Disconnect the bulb power cable , anti-clockwise turn to free it . Old surround fitted to new bulb . Clockwise turn to lock it , refit cable .
Then drop the lighting housing cap down into the engine so it takes 15 mins with duct tape on the end of a mechanics extending mirror pole to fish out (very Apollo 13 ! How do you get this out of that only with this ) . Feel free to skip this part .

Battery reconnected and the Osrams now work .

Great help; many thanks!

 

[Wighty]

Road test, BIG improvement over the 12 year old bulbs . Well pleased !

 

[Noddy 99]

"A week ago i started with some new cheapie bulbs , after an age of finally figuring out how to get them in they flickered and went out."

Buy cheap; buy twice, as my dad said, just before we buried him in a 5 quid cardboard coffin...

 

[LostKiwi]

Road test, BIG improvement over the 12 year old bulbs . Well pleased !

I had the same observation when I replaced ours on the 251.

Incidentally for anyone doing a 251 its relatively straightforward.

To do left side turn steering full left lock.
Under the wheel arch is a cover held with two clips. Rotate and pull the cover off.
This gives access to the back of the headlight.
Remove the headlight rear by twisting anticlockwise and pulling. The bulb is directly in front of you. Twist anticlockwise and pull the bulb. Detach the connector and remove the bulb.
Reassembling is the opposite of disassembly.
Repeat the process for the right headlight with steering on full right lock.

 

[Wighty]

"A week ago i started with some new cheapie bulbs , after an age of finally figuring out how to get them in they flickered and went out."

Buy cheap; buy twice, as my dad said, just before we buried him in a 5 quid cardboard coffin...

As I well know buddy , but the cheapies were still over £40 I thought they would do a year or two at least . I paid £62 for the Osrams in the end .
I was reluctant to over pay initially because I didn’t know if it would make any difference

 

[mioba]

You get what you pay for..

 

[Wighty]

You get what you pay for..

, sometimes buddy