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Thread: 2006 X3 Msport -left headlamp turns on and off

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
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    detroit
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    2011 335i

    2006 X3 Msport -left headlamp turns on and off

    If I set in auto, I notice the left front headlamp turning off while driving, and as soon as the headlamp turns off, the fog lamp and bulb outage lights will turn on. If I turn the switch to the manual mode, the headlamp will turn back on. What could cause this?
    Last edited by glene; 04-05-2023 at 08:51 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2012
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    E83, E21
    Check the wiring; after 17 years the insulation is probably missing in many locations.


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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
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    Renton, WA
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    03 540i, 04 X3, 00 328i
    If the light control module detects a headlight failure, it automatically turns on the fog light(s) to compensate for the outage. That part is expected behavior.

    My guess would be your headlight ballast is starting to fail. I had a similar thing where it worked after a cold start but after a while the headlight would go out with similar results as yours. When I turned off the light with the switch and turned it back on the headlight lit up again and worked again for some time. Eventually after some weeks or months the ballast failed completely though.

    The ballast is located underneath the headlight and requires taking the headlight out of the car to be replaced. In order to remove the headlights the front bumper needs to be detached and moved out of the way.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2021
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    detroit
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    My Cars
    2011 335i
    Quote Originally Posted by vinyldude View Post
    If the light control module detects a headlight failure, it automatically turns on the fog light(s) to compensate for the outage. That part is expected behavior.

    My guess would be your headlight ballast is starting to fail. I had a similar thing where it worked after a cold start but after a while the headlight would go out with similar results as yours. When I turned off the light with the switch and turned it back on the headlight lit up again and worked again for some time. Eventually after some weeks or months the ballast failed completely though.

    The ballast is located underneath the headlight and requires taking the headlight out of the car to be replaced. In order to remove the headlights the front bumper needs to be detached and moved out of the way.
    I recently turn on the headlamps manually instead of setting it in auto-mode. It stays on all times.

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