BMW 5 Series Headlights: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

Bulb type, unit part numbers, and the faults that actually cause that flickering or dim light you've noticed.

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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — aftermarket LH Hella 1ZS 010 131-631 / RH Hella 1ZS 010 131-641

Accuracy note: Covers the BMW 5 Series (F10 2010-2017) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Headlights are sold by side (passenger / nearside = LH, driver's / offside = RH on a UK car) and by lamp type — halogen, xenon (D1S / D3S) and LED or full-LED units are not interchangeable, and DRL, cornering and levelling options change the part number again. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Check the lamp type and traffic side (UK right-hand-traffic units, not LHD) against your VIN, and expect xenon / LED and adaptive units to need levelling adjustment or coding after fitting.

Passenger side (LH / nearside) headlight — aftermarket	Johns 20 18 09 (halogen H7/H7, electric motor); Van Wezel 0617961 (halogen H7/H7, electric motor); TYC 20-12762-06-2 (halogen H7/H7 with LED, DRL, electric); Hella 1ZS 010 131-631 (bi-xenon D1S/H7, LED DRL, electric motor, bulb included); Hella 1EL 010 131-511 (bi-xenon D1S, LED DRL, no bulb); TYC 20-12778-06-9 (xenon D1S with LED, DRL, electric)
Driver's side (RH / offside) headlight — aftermarket	Van Wezel 0617962 (halogen H7/H7, electric motor); TYC 20-12761-06-2 (halogen H7/H7 with LED, DRL, electric); Hella 1ZS 010 131-641 (bi-xenon D1S/H7, LED DRL, bulb included); Hella 1ZT 011 087-921 (bi-xenon D1S/H7, LED DRL, bulbs included); Van Wezel 0617986 (bi-xenon D1S, LED DRL, electric); TYC 20-12777-06-9 (xenon D1S with LED, DRL, electric)
Bulb types	halogen H7/H7, xenon D1S, indicator PY24W; sockets PX26d, Pk32d-2 and W2.1x9.5d
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	None quoted in catalogue listings — order genuine units against your VIN
Fitment notes	Halogen H7 base cars and D1S bi-xenon with LED DRL on higher trims; all units list a levelling motor, so manual levelling is not offered.

A Genuinely Important UK Rule Worth Knowing Before You Buy — BMW 5 Series Headlights

If your 5 Series has factory-fitted halogen headlamp housings, converting them to fit LED bulbs is treated as a definite MOT failure under the current inspection manual — this isn't a grey area or a minor advisory, since a housing designed for halogen doesn't distribute an LED bulb's light output correctly, which can genuinely dazzle oncoming drivers. If you want a genuine LED upgrade, the correct route is a complete headlight unit designed for LED from the factory, not a bulb swap into an existing halogen housing.

Before you buy: matrix LED, adaptive, and cornering headlight systems often require electronic coding to the car after a unit swap, even for a genuine like-for-like replacement — a headlight that isn't recognised by the car's electronics can trigger warning lights or fail to auto-level correctly. Check whether your specific trim has one of these systems before assuming a straightforward bulb-in, bulb-out job.

BMW 5 Series Headlights: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: TUTORIAL: How to remove / replace low beam bulb H7 on BMW 5 Series F10 F11 (2011-2017) in 8 steps

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H7 dipped beam

BMW 5 Series Headlights: What It Does

On the BMW 5 Series, main and dipped beam bulbs — or LED/matrix modules on higher-spec cars — live inside the headlight unit, angled carefully to illuminate the road without blinding oncoming traffic. The daytime running light and front indicator often share that same housing too, adding complexity to both fitment and repair.

BMW 5 Series Headlights: Generations, Derivatives & Headlight Type

F10 (2010–2016), standard trims	Xenon, with Adaptive Xenon as an upgrade depending on options
F10, higher trims	Adaptive LED became available as a further option later in the model run
G30/G31 (2017–present), entry-level	Standard LED — a simple LED projector per headlight with no adaptive function
G30/G31, LCI facelift onward	Adaptive LED becomes standard, with full Laser Light offered as a further option

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BMW 5 Series Headlights: Common Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Headlights Guide for the four bulb technologies and how they differ, UK law on aim and modifications, common faults to check for, how difficult this job is to DIY, and confirming fitment against your VIN.

More BMW Headlights

The same part, covered across other BMW models.