Changing Headlight Bulbs

This guide shows you the best way to change the headlight bulbs on a 3 door Stilo. This involves removing the front bumper and the light clusters from the car. Changing the bulbs with the clusters in the car is almost impossible!

1. Removing the front wheel arch liner

This is secured with three screws. Two on the edge and one at the back near the brake hose mounts. Undo these and pull the liner out of the way (might help to point the wheels into the car to help with access)

2. Removing the bumper

You now need to remove the 4 torx bolts on top on the bumper, next to the grill.

Next, look into the wing where the arch liner was, you need to remove two bolts that secure the bumper to the wing. One 10mm bolt and one torx bolt. These can be quite tricky to remove and see. Get a torch to help to see what you are doing.

Finally, remove the under tray if fitted from under the car, and then remove the 4 torx bolts that secure the bottom of the bumper.

The bumper should now lift off the car!

3. Remove the bumper mounts

Look under the head lights, and you should see a piece of black plastic that the bumper rests on. Remove this by unscrewing the two 8mm bolts.

4. Remove the headlights

You can now remove the headlights by unscrewing the nuts (one on the bottom left and one of the bottom right) and the screw (top right) and disconnect the wiring from the back of the light (do this by pushing the gray locking ring sideways and pull backwards to remove the plug). You can now remove the headlights from the car!

5. Change the bulbs

Change the bulbs in the headlight on a nice flat surface making sure that you don’t touch any the glass part of the new bulbs.

6. Refit the headlight

Refit the headlight back into the car and connect back up the wiring. Make sure that all the new bulbs work before fitting the mounts/bumper again!

8. Refit the mounts/bumper and liners

Refit everything in the same order that it came off. The only tricky part is getting the inner wing bumper screws in place.

7. Have a beer!

Have a cold beer and feel pleased that your hands and arm aren’t cut to shreds from trying to fit new bulbs with the lights still in the car!

Matt

**Stu DemonD** · 05-10-2007

Why is this the best way? Some of us managed it with all the parts in situ

Good guide anyway

MF-Racing · 05-10-2007

Originally Posted by Stuart DemonD

Why is this the best way? Some of us managed it with all the parts in situ

Good guide anyway

Pah! I bet you can’t change the passage side sidelights and fogs without removing anything from the car apart from the bulbs!

**Stu DemonD** · 05-10-2007

Luckily I will never find out

yellowperil · 14-10-2007

just done both my head lights only thing i had to remove from the car was the battery cover, oh and tilt the washer bottle back off its top mount. taking the bumper off is a bit excessive but what ever suits you is ok.

jackoneil3 · 18-10-2007

I totally agree Matt had to change bulbs reasonable frequently and the size of my mits and arms if i didnt remove the front bumper i'd have to take the engine out! and dont need that!!

Stilatos · 22-10-2007

To be honest i didnt have to go that far for my car which is a left hand drive i only had problems with the left side of the car because of the battery and couldnt fit my hand trough to change the head bulb. TO change that i just proceeded to the step which involves removing the wheel plastic arch lining and reached my hand all the way up and very carefully not to touch the bulb with my fingers.

Meady · 08-11-2007

Is it just me that feels the designer of this element of a Stilo need garrotting?? Think of all the parts of a car that need regular maintenance and make them accessible, easy really. What a palaver for a bulb!!!

**Rich** · 15-11-2007

I found it much easier to remove the battery tray than do this. Ended up fuc*ing up the hella coil in the wing when I took the bumper off, never again

.

Plus it gave me chance to respray some rusty brackets in the engine bay and tidy up FIAT's patchwork-quilt style wiring!

coyotes_uk · 24-12-2007

I know its not strictly appropriate but I had to change my driver side stop lamp last weekend and it was relatively easy!

remove the little container stuff under the boot light and then ease down the lining, un-screw the bolts, and out pops the whole cluster!

Easier than I thought!

Ged20D · 09-01-2008

I can see me looking forward to this on Saturday!

jaymorgan25 · 26-03-2008

I had a bulb go on my Stilo recently. Its the 2nd time if had it happen, and both times its been my near side bulb, tucked in behind the battery! 1st time it went, I was booked in for a service the next week, so it was taken care of there.

However, 2nd time round, I thought I would take care of it my self. I popped the bonnet, and had a look. Put the bonnet down and retired inside for a stiff drink!

I suddenly had a relivation! It was dark at the time, so I called up the AA and gave them a story about how I wasnt car minded, and my bulb had gone as I turned my headlights on. I was just about to start a 60 mile journey and didnt want to be braking the law. Please please help me.

20 mins later, Gavin from the AA was with me, confidant that this would be sorted in a few minutes, after all, he only had to change a bulb right. Half and hour later, and quite a bit of swearing, it was done. He had to take the battery out, and remove the plastic casing from around it, giving him ample space to replace the bulb. But my bulb was replaced, and I didnt even break a sweat, let alone remove the bumper.

**custard** · 26-03-2008

Originally Posted by jaymorgan25

I had a bulb go on my Stilo recently. Its the 2nd time if had it happen, and both times its been my near side bulb, tucked in behind the battery! 1st time it went, I was booked in for a service the next week, so it was taken care of there.

However, 2nd time round, I thought I would take care of it my self. I popped the bonnet, and had a look. Put the bonnet down and retired inside for a stiff drink!

I suddenly had a relivation! It was dark at the time, so I called up the AA and gave them a story about how I wasnt car minded, and my bulb had gone as I turned my headlights on. I was just about to start a 60 mile journey and didnt want to be braking the law. Please please help me.

20 mins later, Gavin from the AA was with me, confidant that this would be sorted in a few minutes, after all, he only had to change a bulb right. Half and hour later, and quite a bit of swearing, it was done. He had to take the battery out, and remove the plastic casing from around it, giving him ample space to replace the bulb. But my bulb was replaced, and I didnt even break a sweat, let alone remove the bumper.

not quite

StevenkSengwayo · 04-04-2008

No need to remove the bumper. Mine was done in minutes @ Nationwide when I had my exhaust fited but halfords say you have too why I dont know. good guide either way

Kirbs · 13-04-2008

Anybody out there changed the dipped headlights (H7) for HIDSs? As I have just received my kit and to say the instructions are crap would be an understatement. Also will be replacing the front indicators and rear lights with leds. Tried the rear ones during the week but the bulb blown warning system went into overdrive,. Got some resistors with the indicator bulbs but don't know which wires to attach them to and I'd hate to have to pay a sparky to come out and do the job. So anybody know the answer?

Article Tools	Search this Article
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Article: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Article	Article Starter	Category	Comments	Last Post
Headlight bulbs	stu14	Stilo	2	17-03-2007 07:43
Headlight bulb's R2/P45t	Alan.D	Panda (Classic)	67	06-03-2007 16:28
Changing bulbs - IMPOSSIBLE!	fiatstilo3doororiongrey	Stilo	1	10-11-2006 21:03
headlight protectors, silver bulbs, and security marked parts :thumb:	christopher watson	Panda (Classic)	6	12-11-2005 21:39
Changing headlight bulbs	STILO8569	Stilo > Technical	8	31-08-2004 20:18

The following 2 users say "Thank You!" to MF-Racing for this useful post:
coyle (01-05-2008), kcalvert (10-03-2008)

Currently Active Users Viewing This Article: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)