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What is wrong with my headlight?

2K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  alextrebek626 
#1 ·
05 m3, stock headlights. The DRL's are both fine, but the driver side light flickers a lot when the actual headlights are on. Recently, the driver side light will turn on and off, and then finally stay off and ill get the display on the dash telling me I have a headlight out. However, if I turn the car off and then turn it back on, the light comes on just fine. I mostly have a problem when moisture is present.

Bulb? Loose wire? Ballast? Help me out.
 
#4 ·
Bump the headlight with your hand, if it shuts off or flickers it could be the tab that holds the bulb in place. My passenger light does this when I am on a rough road. I took everything apart and the tab that holds the bulb in place is broken and it cuts out when it bounces around. Luckily, I don't drive my car at night, so it's something I have been putting off. If this is your problem, I think the whole bulb has to be replaced? and if you change one, you may as well change both so you don't color difference between the two bulbs. Or you can just figure a way to hold the bulb in place so it doesn't cut out when it bounces around.
 
#5 ·
I just got to work, driving in the rain, and had my lights set on auto. I never got a dash indicator and in reflections on other cars, I could tell that both headlights were on and functioning. It's still fairly light here, but what part of the light senses darkness to turn the headlights on? Could that be what's causing my issue, since its only happening at night?
 
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