Changing headlight bulbs - not a 5 minute job anymore

[CobolMan]

OK, who here has got a newish car they can change bulbs on easily?

Both Mrs C and I have E12 Corollas and the beam is frankly rubbish so I bought some of the Philips 80% brighter bulbs to put in. Got out the manual and it looked fairly simple - 1 hour later I've yet to get the bl33ding driver's side dipped bulb out and have given up on it, plenty of grazed skin though Trouble is the dipped beam on the driver's side no longer works (guess I've bust the bulb) and when I try full beam I get nothing on the driver's side at all. Looking on the Corolla forums indicates that the easiest way is to take the bumper off

I'm going to have to take it to the dealer tomorrow to get sorted; the cynical side of me thinks that cars are designed like this so that even the easiest jobs need doing at the main dealer.

Mrs C is not best pleased, so she's slumming it in my car tomorrow whilst I get hers sorted.

[rfn]

The Mondeo takes two Philips screws to remove the grill, and then two pins which pull out to remove the whole headlight (as a sealed unit).

Takes 2 minutes to take it apart and then another couple to change the bulb - glad it's easier .

[Taita]

rfn said:

The Mondeo takes two Philips screws to remove the grill, and then two pins which pull out to remove the whole headlight (as a sealed unit).

Takes 2 minutes to take it apart and then another couple to change the bulb - glad it's easier .

Nice .

Fiesta is simple. Bonnet up, pop cover off the back, swap bulb, cover on.

[tr7v8]

S-Type takes around 5 minutes. Unclip cover panel with 2P coin. Unclip cap,unclip bulb, remove bulb, unplug & as Haynes said reverse the process to reassemble.

[Schermerhorn]

Golf mk4 has a stupid retaining clip that is akward and fiddly to put back. Drivers side bulb can be changed in less than 5 minutes. The passenger side though....don't get me started on that; I had to take off the battery and scrape some skin off my knuckles just to take the bulb out and then endure more pain when putting the cover and retaining pins back into place.

[kjmac]

One of the recommended ways with the VX220 for the front lights:

jack the car up
remove front wheel
remove arch-liner
access headlight through the hole you've just made
scrape all your skin off
?
profit

Happy happy joy.

[Nolar Dog]

Wasn't there a feature on this on TG a while ago and it took an AA man ages to do a bulb on a new car. (Possibly a Renault but can't remember)

ETA: Found a clip of Fifth Gear/Green Flag trying to change Megane bulb.

Video

FETA: £320 to change a Xenon bulb in a Megane at main dealer! fkety fk fk fk.

Edited by Nolar Dog on Sunday 23 November 18:18

Edited by Nolar Dog on Sunday 23 November 18:19

[minghis]

Renault again, the Modus headlight bulbs can only be replaced by a main dealer. (Unless you want to/have the tools/are confident enough to take off the bumper and various other things.

[DippedHeadlights]

A while ago a Volvo dealer I know was telling me that some models of the V70 range are a nightmare for bulb changes - the techs can't do it as they can't reach so they get the receptionist to - she has long thin fingers and can get the clip off (H7 bulbs) bulb swopped and clips back on in a couple of minutes. All done by feel (ooh err !)

He said when she had her appraisal and she moaned about it they agreed to pay her a bonus of a fiver for each one !

DH

[Carmo99]

My old MkIV golf said in the handbook to refer to the dealer. Job took 5 minutes after research on the internet. All you really need is small hands to fit into the b**dy awkward spaces....or a willing wife!;)

[POORCARDEALER]

minghis said:

Renault again, the Modus headlight bulbs can only be replaced by a main dealer. (Unless you want to/have the tools/are confident enough to take off the bumper and various other things.

Quite right, a bd to do

[fatwomble]

Mine only take about 10 minutes but this was a previous post from another forum on my bulb changing exploits.

I went to change the Van headlight bulbs today, ordered some extra bright ones. definite 10 minute job.

Took the grill off, popped the light out for ease of access, bugger wrong bulb.

Oh well, thought I may as well stick them in Mrs FW's car. Took the first old bulb out and promptly dropped it into the engine bay. Couldn't see where it had gone. Took part of the inner wheel arch apart to get to it, no it wasn't there. Finally caught a glimpse of it and managed to hook it out with the one of those extendible magnetic thingies.

Off to Halfords to get the correct bulbs, took the Elise and had the lights on as it was quite overcast, noticed that only one of the headlights was working, crap better buy another one in Halfords.

Guess which type I need in the Lotus, yes the same that I had inadvertently bought for the Van, and had then fitted to Mrs FW's car Bugger!!

Thought I may was well get tsome Superbright bulbs for the Elise (BOGOF) so back home to fit those.

Also managed to get the correct one for the van, but by the time I had finished the Lotus, it had started raining.

I will try again in the morning - So much for the 10 minute job.

[SVT Rick]

That sucks.



No wonder there a so many vehicles being driven with badly aligned and defective headlamps.

[matmoxon]

Focus ST (probably the same for all 05-07 models) it's a pain you have to: -

1) Undo torx bolt.
2) Clip headlight unit out, long flat screwdriver required to push the clips out.
3) Disconnect the wiring loom (makes manoeuvring the unit easier.
3a) indicator bulb can be changed at this point.
4) undo the very small torx screw holding the lamp cover in place.
5) use a flat blade screw driver to push the 4 clips apart, and remove the cover.

Takes about 10 - 15 minutes, certainly not something you'd want to be doing in the rain at the side of the road, especially if it is the HID adaptive lighting as the bulbs don't just screw out either.

Matt

[hcanning]

The Accord is nice and simple:

Pop bonnet
Remove rubber cap from rear of headlamp (You need to remove part of air intake tubing first on offside headlamp (takes 5 seconds))
Unclip and remove bulb
Re-fitting is reverse of removal


MX5 is a little more complicated:

Unscrew and remove plastic surround when headlamp popped up
Undo three retaining screws for the headlamp casing, remove headlamp casing
Remove rubber cap from rear and unclip bulbs


Took me a while to do it on the MX5 the first time, it wouldn't budge!

Edited by hcanning on Sunday 23 November 19:32

[bint]

I think it's Toyota's in general, my gen7 celica took me 30 mins before I admitted defeat and asked a spanner monkey friend to help -his hands were skinnier than mine and it still took him 45 mins and wasn't adjusted quite right.

Alfa wagon has been found to be even worse, but at least the beam goes in the right direction once installed.

[CobolMan]

I'm glad it's not just me, hopefully the dealer will be able to sort it out quickly - I'll see if they'll do the other bulbs whilst I'm there.

[TheEnd]

I was told the Smart car has a similar bumper off procedure

[lordlee]

My A4's headlights are a real pain> Certainly not much point in carrying a spare bulb set! They recommend removing the bumper to replace my nsf bulb!! I did it with contortionist hands in the end but it was a real pain!1

[bigburd]

lordlee said:

My A4's headlights are a real pain> Certainly not much point in carrying a spare bulb set! They recommend removing the bumper to replace my nsf bulb!! I did it with contortionist hands in the end but it was a real pain!1

And I bet to remove bumper is similar to the A3 - approx 20-30 screws/bolts etc