# Update on the Bimmian xenon interior lights



## blkonblk330i (May 14, 2003)

I replaced all the interior lights including the trunk and license plate (16 bulbs altogether) about 3 weeks ago. Both driver and passenger footwell light housings, as well as the license plate housings, are already starting to *melt*. The plastic footwell housings show signs of bubbling and bending where there is no metal cover against the heat. The license plate housing is also bent, there is now a hole in the panel right above the light, and the surrounding plastic shows sign of melting. Both housings are still usable so I replaced the OEM bulbs to prevent further damage.

I am not bashing Bimmian here, but *I will NOT recommend buying these lights for your car*. The new bulbs are 10w while the OEMs are 5w. These lights are the most often used amongst the courtesy lights (from opening the door and having your lights on at night) and with the high heat the bulbs emit, along with the tight space surrounded by unprotected plastic, the housing will eventually burn and melt from using these xenon bulbs.

All of the other lights seem to be fine, but I'm keeping a close eye on them.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

I have the same situation in the footwells (with different 10w bulbs) and now that the bulbs have been in there for a year, it appears that the housings stop melting after the first few months. My bulbs are still in there. I bought 10w housings (the ones used above the vanity mirrors) but those don't have a metal shield over the bulb so I decided against them for the time being.


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