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W221 HID Bixenon Headlight Bulb Replace DRIVER SIDE
I just replaced my HID headlight bulbs. The driver side was flickering and the passenger side was turning a deeper shade of purple. I looked around the internet for a DIY and they all seemed incomplete. Especially when there are electrocution warnings on the headlamps that make it intimidating for your average DIY person. In particular, the challenging part was accessing the headlamp housing from the driver side. I am the type to fire and then aim so if there's a better way of accessing the headlight bulb like from a panel in the wheel well, I didn't do it! Well, it took about 45 minutes of me fumbling around and I didn't electrocute myself. I figured with two batteries disconnected, there would be no power source for the headlamp system. Here's my contribution to the knowledge base. The photos are kind of big, but this was my first try. let me know how I can get them smaller in the future....here goes...
Remove Keyless Go button from the ignition. Use the normal key to turn on the engine and turn off COMAND, HVAC, and set the headlight switch to OFF. Pop the hood/bonnet and disconnect the negative terminal from the STARTER battery on the passenger side of the engine compartment.
Open the boot/trunk. Remove the two T20 TORX screws from each corner of the third trunk floor panel and set aside. This will make it easier to pull off the vertical panel in the back of the trunk.
Once the trunk floor panel is removed, the vertical panel in the back of the trunk can be pulled off. Yank from the bottom and the panel will come off to reveal the myriad of electronics behind the rear seat area.
Disconnect the negative terminal from the CONSUMER battery with a 10mm wrench. Go back inside the car and turn the light switch to ON and OFF a few times to discharge potential electricity from the headlight system.
Inside the engine bay, disconnect the right air intake from the air filter housing and set aside.
Using a deep 10mm socket wrench, unscrew the fastening nut securing the windshield washer fluid tank on its mounting post and remove.
Open the windshield washer fluid tank, pull out the heating coils and set them to the side. The tubing is flexible enough to allow this. Ideally the tank is not full of washer fluid to minimize potential splashing on electrical components during this repair. Lift the washer fluid tank off its single mounting post and set aside to the left so you have room to access the low beam headlight. Ideally, try to minimize the amount of fluid in the washer fluid tank before doing this repair.
Windshield washer fluid heating coil shown resting on top of the driver side wheel housing area.
Reaching in behind the headlight housing, open the cap for the low beam HID light. A quarter turn counter clockwise will release the cap. Make sure not to lose the rubber gasket inside the perimeter of the cap.
Push each wire at the ends to release the headlight base. The wires will spring open.
The HID headlight bulb will easily slip out. At this point, using one hand, disconnect the braided wire connector from the base. The wire connector will slide off with a simple pull.
View of the opening for the HID bulb inside the headlamp assembly.
This is a D1S HID bulb made by FLOSSER in Germany. Remove it from the protective packaging.
Push the wire clips so they catch on the two metal notches on each side of the bulb base frame to secure the new headlight bulb.
Close the low beam headlight housing cap by twisting it clockwise a quarter turn.
Reattach the washer fluid tank onto its mounting post. Reinsert the heating coils into the washer fluid tank. Make sure the cap and lines are aligned as they were before.
Pop the two washer fluid heating coil lines back into their black plastic secure tabs. Note the washer fluid tank mounting post to the left. Make sure to be gentle as I broke one of the tabs.
Reattach the fastener nut onto the washer fluid mounting post using a 10mm deep socket. At this point if you need to change the passenger side headlight bulb just follow a similar procedure.
Reconnect the negative terminal on the CONSUMER battery. Close up the trunk panels. Reconnect the STARTER battery inside the engine bay. Start the engine and test the new HID lights. Cost = 2 HID Bulbs @ $70/each
Nice write up. I take those warning as "GO DIRECTLY TO DEALER AND PULL OUT YOUR WALLET" card. With that said, I changed the bulb without disconnecting the battery. No damages so far 2+ years.
That driver side is a pain to get to, but with the right size tools its an easy 10 minutes. I now have a broken windshield washer tank given my speedy 10min fix. I regret not taking my time but hey, I used the fluids once going to LA, so no biggie.
That's a long thread there, I have done some replacement of the same bulb before and I don't think it necessary to disconnect the batteries, as long as your car is turned off and your lights are turned off not in auto, you should be fine to do the replacement. You can check this video for description;-
03-25-2015, 06:26 AM
