BMW 740iL Headlight Bulb Size

Additional Notes

• The H1 and H7 bulbs are the most frequently specified types across the BMW 740iL headlight data. Both follow the ECE standard used in Europe and worldwide, operate at 12V and 55W, and use a single filament. They differ in base type: H1 uses a P14.5s base, while H7 uses a PX26d base, making the two types physically incompatible with each other despite sharing identical voltage and wattage ratings.
• The D2S is a high-intensity discharge bulb rated at 85V and 35W. Unlike the halogen types in these specifications, it produces light through a xenon gas arc rather than a heated filament, and it requires an external ignitor to initiate the discharge. It is designed specifically for projector-type housings.
• The 9005 and 9006 bulbs follow the ANSI standard used in the US and Canada, in contrast to the ECE-standard H-series bulbs. The 9005 operates at 12V and 65W with a P20d base, while the 9006 operates at 12V and 55W with a P22d base. The differing base types and wattage ratings mean these bulbs are not interchangeable with each other or with the H-series types.
• The BMW 740iL high beam headlight used the 9005 bulb in 1993-1994, transitioned to H7 for 1995-1998, and then shifted to H1 for 1999-2001. Each of these three bulb types has a distinct base, so housings designed for one are not compatible with the others.
• For the low beam headlight, the 740iL offered two fitment options in most model years: a halogen capsule variant and an HID variant. The HID option used the D2S bulb across all years it appeared, from 1993 through 2001, while the halogen option varied by year.
• The halogen low beam bulb changed three times across the 740iL's production span. The 9006 was specified for 1993-1994, H1 for 1995-1998, and H7 for 1999-2001. Installing a bulb from one of these groups into a housing designed for another is not supported by these specifications, as each uses a different base type.
• The year 1995 is the only model year in the low beam data where only a halogen option is listed, with no corresponding HID fitment noted. All other years from 1993 through 2001 include at least one HID entry alongside the halogen option.
• The high beam data for 1995 specifies H7, while the low beam data for the same year specifies H1 for halogen-equipped vehicles. Both are ECE-standard single-filament halogen bulbs at 12V and 55W, but their base types differ, and they are not interchangeable between the two headlight positions.