DIY: BMW E39 Headlight Lens Removal (Pre Facelift)

Difficulty Level

Tools/Supplies Needed:

• standard/flat screw driver
• razor knife

Procedure:

• headlight assembly must be removed from the vehicle first
• there is a total of seven tabs around the headlight assembly which need to be released
• the two tabs located at the top of the headlight assembly are plastic welded and need to have the plastic welds broken in order to be released
• in order to break the plastic welds, then can either be pried from the underside or scored with a razor knife first
• release the two tabs at the top of the assembly, one before the low beam and parking light, one on the grill side of the headlight, then the last three on the underside
• pull lens away from assembly
• assembly in reverse of disassembly

Video tutorial on how to remove the outer headlight lens from the headlight assembly on a BMW E39 body style pre-facelifted version found between the years 1996 to 2000. There is no silicone that holds the lens to the rest of the assembly, it is simply a mechanical fit with a rubber gasket. This particular video was done on a 1997 BMW 540i.