Hi all

I've had the car in with an Auto Electrician today and been told I need to replace (at least) the drivers side. I've had the Headlamp Malfunction sign for a while and the DRL on driverside failed not too long ago. I knew the auto leveling failure was a MOT fail, and he's informed me the DRL is too as they act as side lights?!

Been looking online and a replacement from Ford is eye wateringly expensive and not worth it for how much I have in the car. I've seen these linked below, but would really appreciate if someone could confirm they are going to fit my car. It is a 61 plate MK3 Titanium X Estate - 1.6 TDCi.

Would also appreciate if possible someone pointing out the different between the 2 links?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256125011935?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338749392&toolid=20006&customid=GB_131090_256125011935.145628799569~1871854536876-g_EAIaIQobChMIyJrXpdHpgwMVhpRQBh3gRAKYEAQYASABEgKcvvD_BwE

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264766724193?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D259362%26meid%3Dc2c94bd02d4d4a888eb8388184e2f068%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D256125011935%26itm%3D264766724193%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D4429486%26algv%3DSimplAMLv11WebTrimmedV3MskuWithLambda85KnnRecallV1V2V4ItemNrtInQueryAndCassiniVisualRankerAndBertRecallWithVMEV3CPCAuto&_trksid=p4429486.c101195.m1851&amdata=cksum%3A264766724193c2c94bd02d4d4a888eb8388184e2f068|enc%3AAQAIAAABUObhgc4Nk8%2BdtAwOww4FKLaj%2FQ5qqgDlQCuqZA43WcPFUWDERCUugbbOk7XQv0JXlBfqCg2xKF3WcPghxGMFw2oSlXvfExEaMYr7I7LmrHcP6czY1wIMt0ORyKiCWt95xldincyyBx3g%2BNDW%2B%2FhWUgTaBhK6xAm%2BJIbCOMehu%2BdwTsIZMfN%2FGxOzT%2F6rkj56ceQY5nyNggv9eRS92bPsxRWjkSuEo7OO6vDbfg0p28WgJ%2Fk76YfDrWtw2ON80aXFRh0LYmwfT2Q34xZvADzHWSVolK0M7cPxOKuDDkmoGg%2BXItju6b9SbQQGcAjfjkyxBr%2Fb1DGMegmszwoKDszqtj7LI27VjoiNEqKrBxRwA4bfxXk0Wf8mY%2BuksyxbyZKGwlIIkVgTE5csVwnCuuT7dwX1PPbaoL6R6wCGIFAxIkeMZ5Q%2FGDk%2FW%2Fq%2FcNpw6%2Fvouw%3D%3D|ampid%3APL_CLK|clp%3A4429486&epid=7048506229

Also - can anyone recommend any other sites - I've tried Autodoc but struggling to identify parts.

Really appreciate any help, MOT is due in a couple of weeks so need to get sorted asap.

Thanks!

Hi Dan. Ebay is good site to look for parts but you have to make sure you input your car details correctly. 

Have you googled headlights for your car? There's a nationwide scrap yard service 247 spares. Look them up and they'll search for you.

Thanks - will give that site a look.

Yes, tried google - but not straightforward with the Bi Xenon lights on sites like Autodoc.

There are approximately 10 or 12 versions of the Bi-Xenon headlight for your Focus. You need to get the part number off the back of the headlight unit that you have to be sure that you get the correct replacement.

There will be a eleven digit code on the light, moulded in to the plastic that will follow the format like (example only) 'BL3Z-19E624-A' this code can then be cross referenced to the Ford Finis code. This make searching for the correct part much easier.

Thank you Unofix

 

I've had the headlamp off and I've got 3 codes:

Sticker at the top of the unit reads - BM51-13D154-BG

Following codes are moulded into the plastic - BM51-13W029-A/B/C/D and BM51-13D154-A/B/C/D/E/F

Ive seen this on Autodoc, but no indication on their site re. part numbers - any idea? They have OE numbers at bottom of the listing but no reference to the digit codes sown above.

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/johns/15826395

Hi Dan,

you need part BM51-13D154-B?

The last letter can be G, H, J, K, L

Try to avoid letters below G as they may not always be backwards compatible.

Does your headlight have the chrome/aluminum bezel, OR, does it have the black bezel ?

Do you have Automatic headlight leveling, OR, do you have the manual adjustment dial ?

Thanks for your help unofix!

It's a chrome bezel and it's the automatic levelling.

I've found one, but it's close to £600, where the other bi xenon variants on eBay etc are around the £300 mark.

Hence why checking on the autodoc parts.

23 hours ago, unofix said:

Hi Dan,

you need part BM51-13D154-B?

The last letter can be G, H, J, K, L

Try to avoid letters below G as they may not always be backwards compatible.

Does your headlight have the chrome/aluminum bezel, OR, does it have the black bezel ?

Do you have Automatic headlight leveling, OR, do you have the manual adjustment dial ?

 

It is most probably Ford Finis code 1856838

Are you 100% sure that the problem is the headlight unit and not just the ballast control module ? 🤔

Thanks again!

It could be the ballast for the "headlamp malfunction" error, but I don't think the ballast would solve the DRL LED's failing (on driver side) - unless I'm mistaken?!

The DRL is also an MOT fail (visited the test center to confirm) as it acts as the side light as well as DRL.

1 hour ago, Dinyull said:

but I don't think the ballast would solve the DRL LED's failing (on driver side)

Quite possibly not. You could just as a quick check swap the left and right ballast over and see if the fault changes.

Thanks again!

I've asked this in another thread - is there any way to install another pair of lights? I'm thinking the cheaper halogen units, but assuming this would require changing the wiring and adding in a switch for the manual leveling.

Apologies for all of the posts, but trying everything I can to avoid spending £600 and a headlamp unit when the electrician couldn't even properly locate the issue. 

40 minutes ago, Dinyull said:

I'm thinking the cheaper halogen units, but assuming this would require changing the wiring and adding in a switch for the manual leveling.

Not feasible. For one the cost of conversion could easily equal that of replacing the existing headlight with the correct one. Secondly it would invalidate the type approval for your vehicle which would then most likely invalidate your car insurance. lastly changing of headlight types will in most cases mean your car could fail the MOT test if it is noticed by the examiner.

Looks like you will have to keep searching for a cheap replacement. Online vehicle dismantlers are possibly your best option.

 

EXAMPLE ONLY.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256125011935?fits=Car+Make%3AFord|Cars+Year%3A2011|Model%3AFocus&hash=item3ba23d87df:g:EqUAAOSwFwFlfqkS

Try contacting these people. Make sure you specify that your car is RHD.

Thanks Uno.

Yeah, I've already been in touch with those, a few ford specialist breakers and used the aforementioned website 247 spares.

I think I'll just have to grin and bear it unfortunately. Appreciate all your help!

Another update - the only listing I could find available was a mistake listing haha, so I can't find a single replacement - even the ford site is out of stock (not that I'd be paying £1400).

I've started enquiring about scrapping the car - such a shame when it only has 85k miles on the clock and has breezed through the past 2 MOT's.

You know what Dan. I've had another look at those links you first posted. The headlight priced in £'s I'd contact the seller. Yes it's in Italy so there may be an issue with the light pattern with the donor car being left hand drive. The seller accepts returns on this one too. So there's no harm in contacting the seller and see what their reply is.

Again. Check with your auto electrician about the light pattern with the donor car being left hand drive. Good luck.

Thanks Tazzman.

Sadly I've already been in touch with them re. both listings and have confirmed they are not compatible. Using the Finis number Unofix listed earlier in the thread has found some available units, but at over a grand they're sadly a no go.

I'm going to ring the Electrician again this morning to pick his brains. I want to double check that he's looked into the known common faults with wiring and checked checked the condition of the circuit board/ attempted to clean it up etc. How feasible is it to repair/ replace the LED's, that flash on when you open the car but then die. There's obviously power getting to them but something is tripping them.

Him not being able to diagnose/ locate either issue has left me a bit unconvinced - his summary was that I might need to replace 1 unit or it could be both which I could have taken a punt at myself without spending £120 for 90 mins work.

Just off the phone, apparently both units are rotten inside with the lin connection between the 2 units has been affected (adaptive lighting).

The d/s unit is the worst of the 2, hence LED fail - suspects the other unit will fail in time.

 

Anyone have advice as next move? Would places like Arnold Clark etc be willing to take this as a part ex with such a short mot and faults on the dash?

I've been in touch with local ford breakers yard to see how much they would buy it for - any other places people would recommend?

On 1/22/2024 at 8:06 PM, unofix said:

Not feasible. For one the cost of conversion could easily equal that of replacing the existing headlight with the correct one. Secondly it would invalidate the type approval for your vehicle which would then most likely invalidate your car insurance. lastly changing of headlight types will in most cases mean your car could fail the MOT test if it is noticed by the examiner.

Ignoring type approval and MOT requirements etc, is there a technical reason behind this?

I've not tried it, for obvious reasons, but if connectors and wiring to the lamp units are the same, what's to stop someone taking the risk on an MOT and changing the following options in the Central Configuration? (2012 Titanium X here)

In theory, the following should allow the car to think that it has regular halogen lights albeit probably logging a DTC for a missing adjuster.

2 hours ago, dontpannic said:

is there a technical reason behind this?

The factory fitted headlights are self leveling, so the car will not have the manual leveling adjustment control fitted. The Wiring for the Bi-Xenon lights is different to that of regular halogen. The wiring to the ballast controls would need removed and replacement wiring to the new halogens fitted. The existing headlight unit contains LED DRL's and also the indicator. When the indicator operates the DRL has to be dimmed and when the headlights are on the DRL on  both sides must be dimmed.

Conversion is most probably possible but at what cost ? Remember that changes to the vehicles lighting configuration would have to be done in such a way that the BCM didn't flag up any warnings on the instrument cluster. Again it might be possible to do that but it is an unknown factor.

Almost anything is possible given enough time and money but as I originally said the cost could equal that of just fitting the correct replacement.

Have you tried these https://justfordsrochdale.co.uk/

I've found a unit in Romania that matches the code (BG) - my main concern is they drive on opposite side of the road, does this matter on modern headlamps?

I think I've made my mind up about selling the car - I've already started to ball roiling - but just trying to cover all bases to inform my decision.

Thanks everyone for all of your help.

2 hours ago, Dinyull said:

my main concern is they drive on opposite side of the road, does this matter on modern headlamps?

Yes, but .....

If it is the full same part number then it should work and only need mechanical headlight alignment, which any MOT centre would be able to do.

Only fully adaptive LED headlights can be switched from LHD to RHD.

Hi all, sorry to have to revive an old thread, hope OP is sorted with their headlights! I'm in need of new headlights for my 2011 (last year of older shape Focus) and I'm not quite sure if some I've found on eBay are compatible with my car. I've attached photos of my the ones on my car and the ebay link - if someone is able to advise I'd be very grateful. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226573619932?campid=5339022110&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&toolid=10050|null|null&gbraid=0AAAAADk7gXMMkTRO0YAi1y_bwH-ZGtaBy&wbraid=Cj8KCQiAkoe9BhD0ARIuANZYFclrDgtTrMWUoXTcErPX9Ya0dvC2bxs-8lDvlTw0IxuQ2FjYhZiwcuJJVRoC5rw&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1P0YrPPHjSYie6ApXQWEyWQ20&customid=EAIaIQobChMIkKXd_qGriwMVapRoCR3cFglgEAQYASABEgLIiPD_BwE&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADk7gXMMkTRO0YAi1y_bwH-ZGtaBy

The number on these is 8M51 13W030 DH...

 

The ones on my car are 8M51 13W030 DF and 8M51 13W029 DF

Any thoughts? All the best, Danny