Suppose you are out for a trip in your BMW X5, especially at night or in a harsh weather condition, and suddenly, you see the low beams are not working. It can be a bit alarming, as low beams are necessary for your safety while driving, and it’s obvious to seek professional assistance to rectify this. Alright! But what if you can fix it on your own by following some basic inspection and diagnostic tricks? So, let’s uncover what to check first when you are stuck in such an inconvenient situation so that you can detect the exact issue hampering the low beams and resolve it yourself if possible.
Inspect the headlight bulbs
One of the most common reasons behind the failing low beams is the burnt-out headlight bulbs. Vehicle headlights have a limited lifespan, and eventually, they wear out, specifically if your car is habituated more to night rides.
- First, turn off your vehicle and open the hood to check the headlight bulbs. Noticing dark spots or snapped filament inside indicates burnt-out bulbs.
- Sometimes, you may observe the filament is okay, but still, the light is not glowing. In this case, swap the defective bulb with a new one and try turning on the headlight to check if it solves the matter.
- Check whether a single or both the low beams are out. If only one low beam is not working, the plus point is that the particular bulb is dead, but if both low beams are out, it may signify other critical troubles.
Verify the fuses
The fuses in your car work like a mini circuit breaker for the entire electrical system. The fuse blows when excessive current passes through it, as it restricts the current flow, preventing further wear to the concerned auto parts. If you see both the low beams are not functioning, you must check the fusebox, where you can find all the fuses, including the one related to the low beams.
- Refer to the manufacturer’s manual to locate the fusebox. Usually, in the BMW X5, the fusebox is situated inside the glove compartment, trunk, or engine bay.
- Find the specific fuse for the low beam from the diagram above the fusebox or the manufacturer’s guide.
- If you notice the fuse to be cracked or blown, you must replace the fuse with a new one. But make sure to use the fuse of equal amperage as before. Otherwise, it may cause different electrical issues in the long run.
Investigate the headlight switch
There is a headlight switch situated in your car’s dashboard area to regulate the power for both the high and low beams. However, if the headlight switch breaks or fails, it may stop the low beams from turning on.
- Sometimes, dust and debris build-up near the headlight switch area and disrupt the connection. Thus, flipping the switch on and off a couple of times may fix the issue.
- Inspect whether the high beams, parking lights, or dashboard lights are functional. If yes, then the headlight switch might not be the culprit.
- If the headlight switch is cracked, it is recommended to seek professional assistance as it is a complex repair and needs years of experience and specialized tools.
Test the headlight relay
Relays are tiny vehicle components responsible for handling the electrical flow to different systems, and the low beam relay manages the current flowing to the headlights. When it gets damaged, it restricts the low beams to receive sufficient power to work.
- First of all, check the manufacturer’s manual to find the headlight relay in the fuse box.
- Use a multimeter to test whether the headlight relay is operating. In case you don’t know how to use the multimeter, you may replace the relay with a new one suitable for your BMW X5 to know if it needs replacement.
- After installing the new relay, if you see the low beam start working again, then the real culprit was the headlight relay.
The bottom line
You may find it frustrating when your BMW X5 low beams go out, but you can handle these issues by following the above inspection and repair strategies precisely. It’s good to consult a skilled mechanic in this situation, but before that, you must perform the above diagnostic steps to rectify the minor defects on your own. So, hopefully, your BMW X5 low beams will light up again as before so that you can achieve peak performance in your car even if you are stuck in bad weather or dark roads.
