Affiliate link disclosure – The BMW Repair Guide uses affiliate links in their site. For more information on affiliate links, please click here.
Repair Summary
The following article gives detailed instructions on replacing the fog light bulb in a BMW E9x 3 series vehicle. Even though we have used a 2011 335i sedan to perform this repair, this article can be applied to any 2007-2013 3 series vehicle with minor modifications.
A BMW E90 fog light bulb replacement only takes a few minutes and can save another costly trip to the dealership.
Probably one of the least understood (and used) accessories on the BMW E90 3 series are the front fog lights. Located on the lower front bumper cover, the fog lights were installed in all E9x 3 series vehicles to augment the headlights in low visibility conditions. Due to their close proximity to the ground, their job is to illuminate the driving surface in foggy conditions with minimal glare in the driver's eyes.
Like all electrical bulbs, the fog light lamps will eventually fail producing an error message on the iDrive display. The fog light bulbs on all 2007-2013 3 series cars are accessed from the fender well. The front fender well trim needs to be loosened just enough so it can be bent back, exposing the rear of the fog light.
The BMW E90 fog light bulb is either an H8 or H11 halogen, depending on the model, production date, and country of origin of your vehicle. The best practice is to remove the faulty bulb and get the correct part number before ordering a new one. Now is also a great time to upgrade your fog light bulbs to get a high-performance look. Please see our parts list below for some excellent choices.
View the detailed parts diagram for this repair.
Includes detailed part diagrams, part numbers and links to purchase all of the required components needed to complete this repair.
Before starting this repair, you must have the following required parts.
BMW E60, E90, and F30
Usually used in fog lamps in most BMWs. These are the same factory bulbs that would be installed at the BMW dealership.
BMW E46, E90, and F10
Priced per bulb. This is the same factory bulb that would be installed at the BMW dealership. Used in many different BMW applications.
Section 1 - Replacing the BMW E90 Fog Lamps
The BMW E90 fog lamp bulbs are accessed from the fender well. The front fender liner simply needs to be loosened on the bottom so it can be folded back enough to access the bulb.
- Turn the front wheel out on the side of the vehicle you are replacing the fog light bulb on.
- Remove the two 8mm screws anchoring the bottom section of the front fender liner to the body of the vehicle.
- Remove the three mud flap screws anchoring it to the fender liner. These are usually two 7mm and one 8mm screw.
- Remove the 10mm plastic nut anchoring the inside of the front fender liner.
- The fender liner should now easily fold back giving clear access to the rear of the fog light. If the fender liner doesn't fold back easily, then you have most likely missed a screw.
- Remove the bulb's electrical plug by pinching its side tabs in and pulling it free from the fog light.
- Turn the bulb clockwise to release it from the fog light.
- Install a new bulb and test for proper operation. Never touch the new bulb with your bare hands...the oil from your skin can cause it to overheat.
BMW E90 Fog Light Bulb Replacement Finished
