Which rear brake light......the center or one of the sides? :dunno: The hardest one to replace is the center brake light.....the sides are pretty easy.....and the bulb is a couple of bucks. If you buy the bulb from a BMW dealer, most will install it for you at no additional cost.....that's what I always do....just make sure to go late afternoon or early evening when they're no longer accepting clients.

 

This might help for DIY and cheaper than dealer. Some duplication but it's just a copy/paste from my reference files.

SYLVANIA/OSRAM Lamp Replacement Guide:

7506: Rear turn signal, Stop light, High mount stop light, Back up light.

5007: Tail light, Rear sidemarker

6418: License plate, Glove box, Step/Courtesy light

6411: Dome light, Trunk/Cargo area

2825: Side turn signals (Quarter panel)

2721: Instrument cluster

Angel Eyes Halo Bulbs:
The Original (Factory) Bulb is a Phillips 12082 (12 Volt 10 Watt) if you can find it.
Low watt alternative: 3893 T4W (4 Watt)
High watt alternative: ANCOR Marine products 529337 20W Halogen

Turn Signals:
The Original (Factory) Bulb is a Phillips 21356LL (12 Volt 21 Watt) if you can find it.
Since I’m already using the ANCOR bulb as my Halo bulbs, I’m also using it as a spare for the AE
turn signal bulb.


*************************************************************************************************
From Sylvania web site

1999 BMW 500 Series (With replaceable halogen capsules)

Low beam headlamp
H7
H7ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: the whitest and brightest Halogen
H7CB Cool Blue Halogen Upgrade: White Hot; Super Cool; 100% Street Legal
H7LL Long Life Halogen: Lasts two and a half times longer

High beam headlamp
9005
9005ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: the whitest and brightest Halogen
9005CB Cool Blue Halogen Upgrade: White Hot; Super Cool; 100% Street Legal

Parking light
7528

Front turn signal
5007
7528

Rear turn signal
7506
7506LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Tail light
5007

Stop light
7506
7506LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

High mount stop light
7506
7506LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Fog/Driving light
H7
H7ST Silverstar High Performance Lighting: the whitest and brightest Halogen
H7CB Cool Blue Halogen Upgrade: White Hot; Super Cool; 100% Street Legal
H7LL Long Life Halogen: Lasts two and a half times longer

License plate
6418

Back up light
7506
7506LL Long Life Upgrade: Up to twice the life of the standard lamp

Front sidemarker
7528

Rear sidemarker
5007

Glove box
6418

Dome light
6411

Step/Courtesy light
6418

Trunk/Cargo area
6411

Instrument-general
2721

____________________________________________________

 

SYLVANIA/OSRAM Lamp Replacement Guide:
7506: Rear turn signal, Stop light, High mount stop light, Back up light

Since these bulbs tend to melt their bulb socket, can we 'confirm' that the Sylvania 7506 is 'still' the recommended part number?

The reason I ask is that Realoem lists three different bulb part numbers, at least one of which has been superceded - and - given the propensity of the 3rd brakelight to melt its bulb socket - there's a need to clarify the proper bulb to purchase.

Details here:
- DIY: How to remove the center brake light (3rd brake light) bulb in the 2002 525i E39

 

I think he means the icon on the dash board. Mine did the same thing. It lit up that the passenger side rear was out. Its not. The light went away and I hope it does not come back on.

I could not figure out how to change my driving/fog light in the front. Took it to the dealer they only charged $28.00 it was worth not getting aggrevated or cracking the grill.

 

Wrong wattage fried my socket too!! You need a 21 watt bulb not a 35 watter which looks the same -- 1056 or 1156 ?f

 

Since even the right wattage (21 watts) melts the bulb socket, putting a whoppingly larger 35 watter will, no doubt, fry the socket holder like a sizzling steak!

I wonder if putting a resistor inline with the wires will prevent the frying problem, if we can drop it, say, to about 15 watts. I wonder what that would do to the brake light efficacy?

The 11156 apparently has a BA15S base (whatever that is).

While the 1056 seems to have a (different) BA15D base (again, whatever that is):

 

bluebee, my 'check brake light' appeared today as well but all lights working. should I expect the 3rd brake light to fail pretty soon as a result of this and your explanation above regarding the over heating?

 

bluebee, my 'check brake light' appeared today as well but all lights working. should I expect the 3rd brake light to fail pretty soon?

I don't know enough to answer that question.

Based on the little I do know, it would be unusual for your CHECK BRAKE LIGHTS warning to just pop on if you changed nothing - unless - the contacts corroded - causing higher resistance than normal. Or, if you did change something, perhaps you put the wrong bulb in there (brass base perhaps?).

Seems to me you need to take the five minutes to look at the brake light socket to see if it has melted.
- DIY: How to remove the center brake light (3rd brake light) bulb in the 2002 525i E39

If the socket has melted, then it would be useful to know what bulb is in there, because BMW specifies a 21 watt bulb but the 7506 seems to be a whopping 20% higher wattage (25 watts).

The replacement bulb has not been confirmed.

It could be one of the following:

• 07509063574 12 volt, 21 watts <-- it's not this 'cuz it was ENDED
• 63216926920 12 volt, 21 watts <-- it could be this
• 63217160790 12 volt, 21 watts <-- it could be this
• 7506 13.5 volt, 25 watts <-- the specs don't sound right to be this

 

Thanks Bluebee... going to take a look at the center brake light today after work.

 

going to take a look at the center brake light today after work.

Please:
1. Snap a picture of the bulb socket ...
2. Identify (if you can) the bulb that's in there already.

Thanks.

 

will do bluebee.

 

My socket is melted too but it still works. On occasion, it gives the bulb out error message and continues to work. I wonder if it's going to quit completely sometime.

 

check Brakes lights

I order new 3rd brake light socket,along with new bulb no more messages. I did notice a small burn mark on the inside of old socket. that could be enough resistance to set message i guess. :thumbup: