CarbonHan

I'm going to attempt to upgrade all of my exterior lighting with these components:

1 pair of 6k HID bulbs
1 set of 6k HID Foglight kit
1 pair of LED turn signal lights
1 pair of rear LED license plate lights.

I've searched on here and i've found one written DIY on how to change the low beam HID bulbs but it lacks pictures.
The turn signals I couldn't find a DIY on at all.

I'm open to all tips and suggestions on how to change these components out. Thanks!

CarbonHan

Holy crap guys I checked the clearance I had in the engine bay to work on changing the bulbs and there is no room. Would it be easier if i dismounted the headlight and moved it out a little? any tips and pointers will be greatly appreciated!

tlambert

check here. There are other articles also.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...Index-W211.htm

dchl21

bro.... its a ***** to work on ... I wish you luck... the hid bulb you could do with the headlights in but taking sometime. about an hr lol

CarbonHan

Thanks! I've bookmarked that site for future projects

CarbonHan

Im reading that taking the bulb out is a piece of cake. It's the installation of the new bulbs that makes this job a pain. Removing the headlights requires me to remove my front bumper so thats a no go. I guess i'll just have to man up..

verminator

Here's my story of a simple headlamp change back when i first got my E55. Simple lamp change what could possibly be difficult about that right...posted it on the other site before i figured out it was not very active...copied here for your entertainment:I am posting this in hopes it saves someone the aggravation i suffered through while trying to replace my drivers side HID (XENON) headlamp yesterday. I searched this forum and didn't find any detailed information regarding the lamp replacement, i did find a post on ask.com which had pics from the WIS but turned out to be a different light pod configuration.

This all started when i went to go for a drive the other night - the drivers side lamp flickered and the message center told me that my low beam went out. I know there are 2 options for lamps on this car, i thought i had Xenon (HID) lamps but was not sure so i wanted to remove the lamp first prior to buying a replacement. I went under the hood and removed the plastic barb that secures the coolant tank so i could get a little room to work on the light. You can't completely remove this screw, just back it out so the barb contracts and then take a pair of pliers and pull it out being careful not to drop or break it. The access is very tight on the drivers side so if you have someone with small hands you may want to keep them around for this.

Now that you have a little wiggle room remove the light cover by turning it about a quarter of a turn counter clockwise - all of my rotational directions will be as if you were looking at the back of the light from the drivers seat. Now you have access to the ballast - about a 2 inch square black plastic block on the back of the lamp - twist it about an eight of a turn counterclockwise and remove the ballast and the electrical connector. The lamp is retained in the light pod by spring clips - move the clips out of their catch positions and remove the lamp.

I took my lamp to autozone and got replacements - i bought two since it has been my experience that the lamp life expectancies are very close so when one goes the other will soon follow. The lamps were Sylvania Xenarc HID Xenon D2S - at one hundred bucks apiece - ouch - they discounted them 20 bucks - I know i could get them cheaper on the net but they had them so i took the plunge.

Came back to the garage and put the lamp in being careful not to touch the glass or there goes a hundred bucks - I wore a latex glove. Replaced the spring clips to secure the lamp in the fixture. I thought i would put the electrical connector on the ballast and replace the ballast since i don't have small hands and you basically have to work by feel once the ballast in in the light fixture.

Much to my surprise and frustration i could not replace the ballast. I could get the ballast back on the lamp but for the life of me i could not twist it back to its locked position. To cut to the chase and get to the point of this post - YOU CANNOT REPLACE THE BALLAST WITH THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR IN PLACE - YOU HAVE TO PUT THE BALLAST ON AND THEN REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. There is an inner ring and outer ring on the ballast. The outer ring is fixed and the inner ring moves. The lamp has shoulders on it that are received into the ballast to fully secure it. If the slots on the inner ring and outer ring are not aligned you cannot fully engage the ballast and lock it back into place.

I chased this problem around the mulberry bush for the better part of an hour - just could not fathom what was wrong. I finally got to the point that i was pulling the ballast off, aligning the slots with a screwdriver, putting the electrical connector on and trying to put it on the lamp - no go - i then finally aligned the slots with the connector off, put the connector on and saw without trying to put it on the lamp that the inner ring springs into a different position - presumably to further lock the lamp in place. Eureka and you have to be *&$!ing kidding me all at the same time. I then aligned the rings, replaced the ballast and then worked blind to put the connector back on. Lights, vroom, action - all is well in mudville!!!

I really hope this post helps someone escape the clever mousetrap i was caught in trying to do a simple relamping. For my Karma i am choosing to compliment the MB designers on a clever design. We all know these cars are different and awesome machines and you need to have your wits about you if you choose to work on them yourself.

Cheers!

tlambert

My background is collision repair and I've looked at what it takes to do it.
I feel like if you should be able to handle it if you have a good assortment of tools......and common spence helps too.
To me jacking the car up is the biggest pain in the a s s.

CarbonHan

The very first step of replacing the low beams is to take off the cover screw keeping the igniter and bulb safe from the outside elements.
THIS:


I dropped it and spent 30 hilarious minutes trying to get it out.

I give up.

erupert66

My experience as well. I was soooo pissed that I spent so long and tore the crap out of my arm jamming it in the tight space on the driver's side. Took awhile to figure out what you did also.

My biggest problem (which I have never figured out) is that my lamps are not full bright. Everything looks perfect and clean, I replaced the bulbs too but the local Inspection station wasn't going to pass them because they said they were not bright enough. Changing the bulbs didn't help so I can only assume that it's the ballasts? Since both sides are the same, I don't know where to look for what could be causing it. I just don't worry about it and use my High Beams as often as I can on the road. Anyone else ever experience this? 2006 E55 BTW

dchl21

ya taking it out it easy... putting it in PROPERLY takes forever... make sure its heated where you are ... you will be there for a while. good luck