[JeyReal]

Hey everyone, my first post on here. Checked out many helpful threads on n off over the years since I got my ‘08 535i.

Love my e60 ever since I’ve had her, currently trying to address some issues with the headlights. Obviously being the LCI it’s quite expensive to purchase entire new units, so I’ve researched what’s become seemingly endless all the various options to address n fix the problems I’m having, while keeping budgeting in mind.

Checked local salvage yards to no avail either, so I guess I’m just hoping someone else here has dealt with something similar and could help point me in the right direction or provide some insight perhaps, I dunno…

I’ve attached some images, the situation is I have the passenger side low beam HID light non-functioning. Hopefully just the bulb, and that issue arose most recently since the other problems, but after researching and finding out the entire headlight has to be removed to basically do anything with the headlight n the bulbs. Just haven’t gotten around to it yet.

The other issues are on the driver side the lense for the halo ring has fallen down out of place so it’s just resting on the outer lense cover, leading to the final issue which is the headlight outer lenses on both sides are VERY foggy and discolored, I mean they look BAD lol. Oh AND there is moisture intruding into one of the headlight housings as well, so one of them clearly has a sealing issue as there seems to always be a bit of condensation on the inside of the housing.

So I’ve reviewed the write ups on baking the headlights to remove the lenses and replace them with new ones (which are very affordable, but apparently have fitment issues sometimes).
That whole process seems like a bit of a headache and potentially problematic.

If anyone has any useful insights or links or advice or maybe knows someone kinda local to San Diego, CA. I’d love to pay another bmw enthusiast to help me figure this whole thing out. It’s just crazy how expensive the LCI headlights are compared to the others.
I figured with all the issues I have added up, I would simply buy an entirely new or working used set of headlights/housings.

Or if anyone knows a tuner who has done the headlight mods/repairs and baking the seals with resealing local to San Diego it would be GREATLY appreciated. Would love to pay a fellow enthusiast to help me with this situation and we could make an afternoon with some beers n bowls out of the whole mess 🍻🫡

Thanks for any help/info/insight gang!

-Jordan
619-807-8310

[pbonsalb]

The wiring inside the lights has likely disintegrated. You can’t get access to fully replace or reinsulate it through the little access panels, but maybe you could stop some of the shorts and maybe that would be enough.

You can polish the plastic light covers with kits from various companies. They improve the clarity but it won’t be perfect and won’t be permanent.

I recently bought a new Hella lamp for one side of a 2008 E61 535xi. It was about $800. The other side had been replaced around 2013 when my wife got in a fender bender so it was still good. Unfortunately I was unable to trigger the angle eyes on the new light. Had a mechanic friend try to help and he could not find a wiring fault though he said there must be one somewhere. We ran a jumper from the other side. Not a perfect solution but with these 16 year old complex cars, we are sometimes just buying time. Mine is not really mine anymore — I gave it to a friend in need a few years ago but still maintain it.

I would say the most economical solution is to DIY and open the lights and replace the wiring and lenses. Have not done that but DiY a lot and the most important thing is patience and care plus researching the job. There are utube videos, some stupid, some painful to watch, and some useful, for just about everything these days. I much prefer the old days of written articles and photos, but those days are almost entirely over.