Help!! Change brake light bulb on 2005 X5 4.4i

Can someone please help me with some step by step instructions ( and if possible some pictures ) on how to change brake light bulb. Dealers want 200+ dollars to change a 5 dollar bulb.

Best Regards

I noticed no one had replied - I have a 2002 but if they're the same it's about easy as can be. Mine just has bulbs plugged into a plastic housing that you can get to by removing the rear access panel(s) inside the car.. It may be a totally different set up for a 2005 but it still should be pretty easy.

It's the front turn signal bulbs that give me grief. Doable, just a pain in the arse.

I also have '05 4.4. It's very easy to change the bulb. Just open the side cargo panel right or left. You'll see the bulbs attached to "white" bulb housing. There's three but the brake light is the middle one. Reach in with your hand, grab the white housing and give it a quarter turn counterclockwise and the housing will come loose. There are no wires attached so replace a new bulb into the white housing and place it back into the slot with a quarter turn clockwise until it's tight. ridiculous that the dealer will charge for this. it should be free.

Thx so much guys. I will try it today. Appreciate your help in this matter

The dealer reall rips you off for some things. I had to change a rear turn signal bulb in my wife's X3 last weekend so I went to the dealer to buy the buld. They wanted $25 for the bulb! Needless to say, I went to a local auto parts store and got 2 for under $10.

Don't pay the dealer to replace tail light bulbs. Got a 2 pack of bulbs from rockauto.com for $1.27 + $1.43 s/h...less than 5 bucks. Once you remove the rear inside panel just locate which of the three white bulb-housings you need (middle one for brake light), give the bulb housing a quarter turn counterclockwise to remove. From there remove old bulb then insert your new bulb, and return to socket with a quarter turn clockwise. Literally took me a minute and a half, and I'm no mechanic by a long shot. Save your money for the big stuff.

be careful. i did replace the bulb and it was super easy, but ultimately both rear brake light assemblies had to be replaced.... apparently the 2005 X5 has a well known problem (but, not enough for BMW to cause it to be a defect...). Cost of replacement of the assemblies $300 apx apiece. took less than 1 hour.

My tail lights, rear brake lights, and rear turn signals occasionally stop working. I have to go in the back, open the access doors, and jiggle them to get a connection and they start working. Any suggestions on how to keep them working? Now the cops have stopped me for lights out. I need a permanent fix. Thanks.

Originally Posted by vtrotter

My tail lights, rear brake lights, and rear turn signals occasionally stop working. I have to go in the back, open the access doors, and jiggle them to get a connection and they start working. Any suggestions on how to keep them working? Now the cops have stopped me for lights out. I need a permanent fix. Thanks.

Poor ground maybe. Unplug the plastic socket from the light and bend the two metal clips upwards to get a better contact. Also check if the metal on the taillight itself insn't oxydized.

Thanks. I have actually done that. Looks like I am on the right track, so I will do it again.

Is it 5 watts bulbs?

Originally Posted by nezarnuaimat

Is it 5 watts bulbs?

Help us help you better...give a model year or at least a build date so that we can be sure we're giving you the correct answer/suggestions.

Below, is info from my 2006 owners manual....it says to use a 21 watt bulb. I'm not sure if the 2000-2003 use the same bulbs or not...so take consideration that this info may not be the same for the earlier models.

Had similar problems with the brake lights on my E53 2002 4.4 one stopped working - then the other. landed up replacing both bulb holders with new and both bulbs with new - sorted. must have been poor contacts