Headlamps bulbs for Citroen C5 2.0 HDI VTR

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
User avatar
timborob
Posts: 116
Joined: 05 Apr 2010, 23:57
Location: London
My Cars:

Headlamps bulbs for Citroen C5 2.0 HDI VTR

Post by timborob »

Hi All

I was looking for replacement and spare bulb kits for my C5 but am abit confused by the handbook on what headlights i have
and what Bulbs i need
:?

I'm thinking I need H4 and H7 Halogen bulbs for my car.
Can someone confirm I have non xenon lights please?

Thanks
Regards
Tim

03 Citroen C5 2.0 110 HDI VTR Mauritius Blue 109K
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

Xenon headlamps are an option.
These are also called HID discharge lamps and works very different from the common & garden headlamps.

If you have the Xenon option, your dipped dayligths will look bluish in colour and have a very sharp lightbeam cutoff sidewards.
Also the lightbeam is completely unbearable to the naked eye.
These bulbs are highly special and very expensive.
Luckily they are also long lasting.
The main beam (long range) would be a standard H1 bulb with the Xenon option.

If you have the standard option, then you have a H4 for combined fog/main and a H7 for dipped (corrected).

In both cases you have a W5W (wedge = flat glass base) for side/parking lights and a BAs15 P21W for front blinkers.
Any blinkers side repeater would also be a W5W.

Your dealer will have a bulb set according to your headlamps option :
9485.39 - BOX of bulbs H4/H7 - approx £11 exvat
9485.35 - BOX H1 (NOT incl Xenon bulb) approx £6 exvat

This is in fact quite cheap in view of the neat little box and genuine replacement parts for the majority of the bulbs in your car.
Last edited by AndersDK on 17 Apr 2011, 00:33, edited 2 times in total.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
P616VKX
Posts: 128
Joined: 01 Feb 2011, 23:04
Location: Essex
My Cars:

Post by P616VKX »

AndersDK wrote:Xenon headlamps are an option.
These are also called HID discharge lamps and works very different from the common & garden headlamps.

If you have the Xenon option, your dipped dayligths will look bluish in colour and have a very sharp lightbeam cutoff sidewards.
Also the lightbeam is completely unbearable to the naked eye.
These bulbs are highly special and very expensive.
The main beam (long range) would be a standard H1 bulb with the Xenon option.

If you have the standard option, then you have a H4 for combined dip/main as usual and a H7 for foglights.

In both cases you have a W5W (wedge = glass base) for side/parking lights and a BAs15 P21W for front blinkers.
Don't the C5's have two H1's or H7's as dipped and full beam? Two per side? Almost certain that the bulb isn't a combined unit on the C5.

Stuart.
B564PLC - Red/Grey Renault 11 GTL 'Premiere'
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

P616VKX wrote: Don't the C5's have two H1's or H7's as dipped and full beam? Two per side? Almost certain that the bulb isn't a combined unit on the C5.

Stuart.
I just checked with service net.
Unless you have a different setup in UK C5's the C5 series 1 employs standard H4 bulb.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
User avatar
timborob
Posts: 116
Joined: 05 Apr 2010, 23:57
Location: London
My Cars:

Post by timborob »

AndersDK wrote:Xenon headlamps are an option.
These are also called HID discharge lamps and works very different from the common & garden headlamps.

If you have the Xenon option, your dipped dayligths will look bluish in colour and have a very sharp lightbeam cutoff sidewards.
Also the lightbeam is completely unbearable to the naked eye.
These bulbs are highly special and very expensive.
The main beam (long range) would be a standard H1 bulb with the Xenon option.

If you have the standard option, then you have a H4 for combined dip/main as usual and a H7 for foglights.

In both cases you have a W5W (wedge = glass base) for side/parking lights and a BAs15 P21W for front blinkers.
Thanks for the fast reply AndersDk

Garden headlamps?
now I'm more confused!!
:)

Seriously though..

I expect I have the usual Halogen headlamp type but the handbook does differ slightly to what you say as says the H7 is the headlamp dipped beam and the H4 is the Main beam/Front Foglamps.

I will double check the lamps before ordering some online as want an emergency set and newer High Performance (Xenon type?) Halogen set like Osrams Nightbreakers or Blue Vision Phillips.
Last edited by timborob on 17 Apr 2011, 00:31, edited 1 time in total.
Regards
Tim

03 Citroen C5 2.0 110 HDI VTR Mauritius Blue 109K
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

Ah well - I got the foglamp wrong :oops:
(I have corrected it - thanks !)
The later type bulbs are in fact Xenon gas bulbs, but still with a standard filament.
The night breaker bulbs are among the best available.
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
User avatar
timborob
Posts: 116
Joined: 05 Apr 2010, 23:57
Location: London
My Cars:

Post by timborob »

AndersDK wrote:Ah well - I got the foglamp wrong :oops:
(I have corrected it - thanks !)
The later type bulbs are in fact Xenon gas bulbs, but still with a standard filament.
The night breaker bulbs are among the best available.
You could still be right yet!
:)

I will check them out before ordering
and will check out my dealer to also see what these pack kits are like

Thanks alot for your help
:)
Regards
Tim

03 Citroen C5 2.0 110 HDI VTR Mauritius Blue 109K
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 25362
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
Location: Washington
My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX
x 4888

Post by myglaren »

Definitely H7 for the headlamp and H4 for the dip/fog.
Citroenmad
Posts: 8125
Joined: 04 Dec 2008, 22:08
Location: Northeast
My Cars: 07 Citroen C6 V6 HDi Exclusive - Red
07 Citroen C5 HDi VTR - Red
09 Citroen C3 1.4i VTR - Silver
01 Citroen Saxo 1.1i Forte - Mango Orange
93 Ford Mondeo 2.0i GLX
19 Hyundai i10
x 110

Post by Citroenmad »

Yep, your C5 uses H7 bulbs, you dont have Xenons.

A requirement for Xenons are headlight washers, yours does not have these, which is a good indication of how to tell on a C5I.

In over two years of C5 ownership ive only had to replace two headlight bulbs and a few sidelights bulbs on the C5IIs. I think ill risk not having the bulb kit!

However if your going abroad with it its a legal requirement to have a spare set of bulbs with you, among other things.
Chris
07 Citroen C6 V6 HDi Exclusive - Red
07 Citroen C5 HDi VTR - Red
09 Citroen C3 1.4i VTR - Silver
01 Citroen Saxo 1.1i Forte - Mango Orange
.
93 Ford Mondeo 2.0i GLX
19 Hyundai i10
User avatar
timborob
Posts: 116
Joined: 05 Apr 2010, 23:57
Location: London
My Cars:

Post by timborob »

Citroenmad wrote:Yep, your C5 uses H7 bulbs, you dont have Xenons.

A requirement for Xenons are headlight washers, yours does not have these, which is a good indication of how to tell on a C5I.

In over two years of C5 ownership ive only had to replace two headlight bulbs and a few sidelights bulbs on the C5IIs. I think ill risk not having the bulb kit!

However if your going abroad with it its a legal requirement to have a spare set of bulbs with you, among other things.
Thanks for the replies and confirming my headlight setup.
My Bulbs don't seem bad at all really but would like some less yellow in colour and am looking at either Phillips Blue Vision or what seem to be mentioned as the ultimate Halogen/Xenon bulbs the Osram night breaker Plus.

There is a good valued kit available on ebay for just over £10 delivered
but unsure on how long these bulbs will last although mention come with a Quibble free 6 month warranty.

Have a look here :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ICE-BLUE-CITROEN- ... 53e3746c3c

Has anyone brought these types or kit?

What recommendations are there out there to what to go on the forum
(In the real world as such!)
:wink:

Once I brought a new set I can then use the ones I took out as my spare set so that will solve my problem if I do drive to Spain next year.
:)
Regards
Tim

03 Citroen C5 2.0 110 HDI VTR Mauritius Blue 109K
411514
(Donor 2017)
Posts: 421
Joined: 14 Dec 2010, 15:26
Location: Sheffield, Uk
My Cars: Citroen C5 2.0 Hdi 2003
x 39

Post by 411514 »

To be completely honest i wouldnt bother paying out too much money on fancy bulbs that claim to give 100% more light as they rarely ever do, just stick to some standard bulbs of a reasonable manufacture, osram or the like
User avatar
PicassoPigeon
Posts: 197
Joined: 25 Jan 2003, 23:43
Location: Plymouth, Devon, UK.
My Cars:

Post by PicassoPigeon »

My xantia used to eat headlight bulbs, I seemed to be always replacing them. Now I have the picasso and I replaced the standard bulbs with osram night breakers, a really good light but within 7 months both have blown.
2002 Citroen Xsara Picasso 2.0HDi
125,000 miles
Citroenmad
Posts: 8125
Joined: 04 Dec 2008, 22:08
Location: Northeast
My Cars: 07 Citroen C6 V6 HDi Exclusive - Red
07 Citroen C5 HDi VTR - Red
09 Citroen C3 1.4i VTR - Silver
01 Citroen Saxo 1.1i Forte - Mango Orange
93 Ford Mondeo 2.0i GLX
19 Hyundai i10
x 110

Post by Citroenmad »

Our 52reg C5 has some supposedly extra bright bulbs by phillips I think they are. I could never tell the difference between that C5s headlights and the ones on my previous C5 which had ordinary bulbs.

I just stick to ordinary bulbs, I find the C5s headlights good anyway.

Quite handy having the fog lights located in the headlamps of C5Is (not the bumper) to aid with lighting up the road edge on dark country lanes.
Chris
07 Citroen C6 V6 HDi Exclusive - Red
07 Citroen C5 HDi VTR - Red
09 Citroen C3 1.4i VTR - Silver
01 Citroen Saxo 1.1i Forte - Mango Orange
.
93 Ford Mondeo 2.0i GLX
19 Hyundai i10
User avatar
timborob
Posts: 116
Joined: 05 Apr 2010, 23:57
Location: London
My Cars:

Post by timborob »

Thanks for the replies guys.

I think I will give these Ebay light set a try as cheap enough to test out and as Osram nightbreakers have blown within a year and cost more than this whole set.

I will then keep the original working bulbs as my spare set
Will update once fitted and tested out
:)
Regards
Tim

03 Citroen C5 2.0 110 HDI VTR Mauritius Blue 109K
User avatar
AndersDK
Posts: 6060
Joined: 21 Feb 2003, 04:56
Location: Denmark
My Cars:
x 1

Post by AndersDK »

Remember that standard automotive filament bulbs have a rated lifetime of 600hrs @13.35V nominal voltage.

@80kmh average that compares to 48k km or 30k miles
Anders (DK) - '90 BX16Image
Post Reply