Technical Replacing headlight bulbs with stanley knife

[jimclo]

both my stilo headlight bulbs failed within a few days of each other, thus leaving me in a dilema, i.e. big hands and little space... so after consulting a few of my learned whatsits here, I took the bull by the watsits and opened the bonnet...frightening sight...so I closed it again and went and had a cuppa..then with renewed vigour went out and opened the bonnet again..after fixing the offside light..quite easy really, I took a good hard look at the nearside one..the one with the battery stopping you getting your big mitt down to get at the light..then a brainwave hit me..so I removed the battery and noticed that the battery housing has a hugh lip on it to stop the battery shifting..so why then has it also got a metal strap that does the same thing..this is where the brainwave came in.. I got a good sturdy stanley knife and cut the offending lip away...hence big mitt was able to get at the bulb housing really easy..bulb changed, battery replaced with strap..no probs...£16.00 for the bulbs..and unlike the last time where the front spoiler had to be dropped..minus £100.00 for a mech to change them...

 

[Big Black Stilo]

dropping the bumper is easier than going in from engine bay and doesnt take long to do (and no butchery!)

i wonder if this thread gets merged?

 

[Argonought]

dropping the bumper is easier than going in from engine bay and doesnt take long to do (and no butchery!)

Yes; butchering your car like that is not the best of ideas

By removing just 2 or 3 bolts, under the drip tray, almost the complete battery cage can be removed which gives loads more room (doesn't take very long either)

 

[Morty Mort]

Yes; butchering your car like that is not the best of ideas

By removing just 2 or 3 bolts, under the drip tray, almost the complete battery cage can be removed which gives loads more room (doesn't take very long either)

The battery cage itself is very flexible so it should be enough to remove the battery itself to change the bulb. I've never taken off the bumper, but always removed the battery and bent the plastic battery cage with force when changing the left bulb. You get scratched a bit though, so I'll propably go Argon's way next time.

M.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

having done both ways of removing the battery & cage and dropping the bumper, i prefer dropping the bumper

 

[ajc00]

Hi All,

OK OK i cant take it anymore, your all going the hard way round doing this.

- Going to the dealer costs stupid amounts of money
- Dropping the bumper is STUPID

The easiest and quickest and cheapest way is:

1. Turn wheels as far as possible
2. Remove 3 screws holding the passenger side wheel arch liner and hold
back the liner.
3. Put your hand up through the liner space and unclip the bulb.
Remove the wiring plug, then remove the bulb
4. Do the reverse to put a new bulb in, screw up the liner


JOB DONE.. !!

See, now dont you all feel stupid haha

 

[Morty Mort]

- Dropping the bumper is STUPID

No need to shout. And I don't think "stupid" is the correct term here. It's a good idea. And you can clean your car in places you'd never get to if not.

The easiest and quickest and cheapest way is:

1. Turn wheels as far as possible
2. Remove 3 screws holding the passenger side wheel arch liner and hold
back the liner.
3. Put your hand up through the liner space and unclip the bulb.
Remove the wiring plug, then remove the bulb
4. Do the reverse to put a new bulb in, screw up the liner

Not necessarily, we seem to have different methods - that's all. The main issue for me is the waterproof cover of the light unit, not the bulb itself.

See, now dont you all feel stupid haha

This is a lame thing to say.

M.

 

[Argonought]

JOB DONE.. !!

See, now dont you all feel stupid haha

Well, it's a pity you didn't take the time to Search this Forum as your suggestion has been covered countless times before in many threads.

I might add it's also pretty stupid to think all Stilos are the same

The JTD for example has the intercooler in the way on the battery side and therefore requires another approach.

A simple Search will show this subject has been done to death

Time for yet another merge I guess :bang:

 

[driverjgp]

When i done mine I went in from the wheel arch.

 

[Argonought]

When i done mine I went in from the wheel arch.

I did the same on my JTD and ALSO removed the battery cage but it's still a pig of a job as even then you still can't remove the cover completely :bang:

For a JTD at least, BBS has the right idea - drop the bumper

 

[driverjgp]

I did the same on my JTD and ALSO removed the battery cage but it's still a pig of a job as even then you still can't remove the cover completely :bang:

For a JTD at least, BBS has the right idea - drop the bumper

ha ha ha agreed, i thing for sure I won't be doing it next time, I ended up putting the allinment right out. lol

 

[Big Black Stilo]

alignment of the bumper is easy.

the trick is to remember the lines from the bonnet disnt meet the bumper properly when they left the factory. the only lines to get right are the ones near the lights and wing area.

so, just drop the bumper on that side.

oh and as for going through the arch- tried that, and failed on a 1.2 as wasnt enough space for me to do it properly, and at least bumper way i know its sealed, as when i went in engine way, i didnt seal it properly

 

[Steve148]

It can also be done from above without any need for dismantling, if you have a steady hand. Get some ebay forceps and an inspection mirror, and it's no worse than cardiac surgery....