Headlight Removal (Left and Right) – 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series (F30)

August 23, 2023

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Headlight Removal (Left and Right) – 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series (F30)

This repair procedure gives step by step instructions on removing the front left and right headlight assemblies on 2012-2019 3 series (F30) vehicles. Removing the headlight assemblies is necessary for replacing "foggy" or worn headlight lenses, or when installing custom replacements.

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Possible Symptoms: Not applicable for this repair.

This repair can be used on the following BMW models:

2011

316d Sedan, 316i Touring, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Sedan, 325d Sedan, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328i Sedan, 328iX Sedan, 328iX Touring, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 335i Sedan, 335i Touring, 335iX Sedan, 335iX Touring, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2012

316d Sedan, 316d Touring, 316i Sedan, 316i Touring, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 318dX Sedan, 318dX Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Sedan, 320iX Touring, 325d Gran Turismo, 325d Sedan, 325d Touring, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328dX Touring, 328i Gran Turismo, 328i Sedan, 328i Touring, 328iX Sedan, 328iX Touring, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 335dX Sedan, 335i Gran Turismo, 335i Sedan, 335i Touring, 335iX Gran Turismo, 335iX Sedan, 335iX Touring, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2013

316d Sedan, 316d Touring, 316i Sedan, 316i Touring, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 318dX Sedan, 318dX Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Sedan, 320iX Touring, 325d Gran Turismo, 325d Sedan, 325d Touring, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328dX Touring, 328i Gran Turismo, 328i Sedan, 328iX Gran Turismo, 328iX Sedan, 328iX Touring, 330d Gran Turismo, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Gran Turismo, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 335dX Gran Turismo, 335dX Sedan, 335dX Touring, 335i Gran Turismo, 335i Sedan, 335i Touring, 335iX Gran Turismo, 335iX Sedan, 335iX Touring, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2014

316d Sedan, 316d Touring, 316i Sedan, 316i Touring, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 318dX Sedan, 318dX Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Sedan, 320iX Touring, 325d Gran Turismo, 325d Sedan, 325d Touring, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328dX Touring, 328i Gran Turismo, 328i Sedan, 328iX Gran Turismo, 328iX Sedan, 328iX Touring, 330d Gran Turismo, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Gran Turismo, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 330i Touring, 335dX Gran Turismo, 335dX Sedan, 335dX Touring, 335i Gran Turismo, 335i Sedan, 335i Touring, 335iX Gran Turismo, 335iX Sedan, 335iX Touring, 340i Sedan, 340i Touring, 340iX Sedan, 340iX Touring, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2015

316d Sedan, 316d Touring, 316i Sedan, 316i Touring, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 318dX Sedan, 318dX Touring, 318i Sedan, 318i Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Sedan, 320iX Touring, 325d Gran Turismo, 325d Sedan, 325d Touring, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328dX Touring, 328i Gran Turismo, 328i Sedan, 328iX Gran Turismo, 328iX Sedan, 328iX Touring, 330d Gran Turismo, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Gran Turismo, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 330e Sedan, 330i Gran Turismo, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330iX Gran Turismo, 330iX Sedan, 330iX Touring, 335dX Gran Turismo, 335dX Sedan, 335dX Touring, 335i Gran Turismo, 335i Sedan, 335i Touring, 335iX Gran Turismo, 335iX Sedan, 335iX Touring, 340i Gran Turismo, 340i Sedan, 340i Touring, 340iX Gran Turismo, 340iX Sedan, 340iX Touring, Hybrid 3 Sedan,

2016

316d Sedan, 316d Touring, 316i Sedan, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 318dX Sedan, 318dX Touring, 318i Sedan, 318i Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i ed Sedan, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Sedan, 320iX Touring, 325d Gran Turismo, 325d Sedan, 325d Touring, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328dX Touring, 328i Sedan, 328iX Gran Turismo, 328iX Sedan, 328iX Touring, 330d Gran Turismo, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Gran Turismo, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 330e Sedan, 330i Gran Turismo, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330iX Gran Turismo, 330iX Sedan, 330iX Touring, 335dX Gran Turismo, 335dX Sedan, 335dX Touring, 335i Gran Turismo, 335iX Gran Turismo, 340i Gran Turismo, 340i Sedan, 340i Touring, 340iX Gran Turismo, 340iX Sedan, 340iX Touring,

2017

316d Sedan, 316d Touring, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Sedan, 318d Touring, 318dX Sedan, 318dX Touring, 318i Sedan, 318i Touring, 320d ed Sedan, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Sedan, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Sedan, 320dX Touring, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Sedan, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Sedan, 320iX Touring, 325d Gran Turismo, 325d Sedan, 325d Touring, 328d Sedan, 328dX Sedan, 328dX Touring, 330d Gran Turismo, 330d Sedan, 330d Touring, 330dX Gran Turismo, 330dX Sedan, 330dX Touring, 330e Sedan, 330i Gran Turismo, 330i Sedan, 330i Touring, 330iX Gran Turismo, 330iX Sedan, 330iX Touring, 335dX Gran Turismo, 335dX Sedan, 335dX Touring, 340i Gran Turismo, 340i Sedan, 340i Touring, 340iX Gran Turismo, 340iX Sedan, 340iX Touring,

2018

2019

316d Touring, 318d Gran Turismo, 318d Touring, 318i Touring, 320d ed Touring, 320d Gran Turismo, 320d Touring, 320dX Gran Turismo, 320dX Touring, 320i Gran Turismo, 320i Touring, 320iX Gran Turismo, 320iX Touring, 330d Gran Turismo, 330d Touring, 330dX Gran Turismo, 330dX Touring, 330i Gran Turismo, 330i Touring, 330iX Gran Turismo, 330iX Touring, 335dX Gran Turismo, 335dX Touring, 340i Gran Turismo, 340i Touring, 340iX Gran Turismo, 340iX Touring,

2020

320d Gran Turismo,

Intermediate level repair.

Step 1 - Purchase Parts

There are no parts or supplies required for this repair.

Step 2 - Repair Procedure

Unless otherwise noted, all vehicle repair step images in this article are copyrighted, and used courtesy of BMW of North America, Inc. .

1. Removing the right and left headlight assemblies.

headlight removal bmw f30 - remove the retaining clip on top of headlight assembly

You must remove the front bumper cover before starting this repair. Please see our article Bumper Cover Removal Front – 2012-2019 3 Series (F30)

Headlight Removal (Left and Right) – 2012-2019 BMW 3 Series (F30)

Click to enlarge image

- If the retaining clip (2) is installed on the top rear of the headlight assembly, remove it by releasing its anchor screw (1). Note - If you do not remove the retaining clip, the you will not be able to unplug the headlight.

View part diagram for this step

Click to enlarge image

- Move to the inside of the front wheel well. Unlock and remove the access cover (1). Note that this may require turning the wheels inward to access the cover.

View part diagram for this step

Click to enlarge image

- Unplug the rear of the headlight assembly (1).

- Remove anchor screws (2) and (3).

Pro Tip

When disconnecting electrical connections during a repair, wrap them with high visibility blue or green tape so you don't miss any during reassembly.

Click to enlarge image

- Remove the anchor screw (1) located on the top of the headlight assembly.

- Grasp the headlight and pull it out of the front of the vehicle in the direction of the arrows (2).

View part diagram for this step