General Changing the passenger side headlight bulb

[StevenkSengwayo]

Re: Replacement left bulb (headlight)

What ever way you look at it its a pain, its still a hard fiddly job and next time mine go I'll shall pay someone else to do it, make sure there are no little children about as there will be lots of swearing - lol

:yeahthat:very true

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Re: Replacement left bulb (headlight)

make sure there are know little children about as there will be lots of swearing - lol

How true, although the little sods over the road are teaching me the bad language as theirs is so bad!

 

[yellowperil]

Re: Replacement left bulb (headlight)

did mine the other week only had to remove the battery cover for some more room. some long reach pliers also come in handy

 

[driverjgp]

Re: Replacement left bulb (headlight)

I think its a proper pain what ever way you look at it, I used to have a KV6 Rover 75 a few years ago and they are fitted with access panels in the wheel arches to change the bulbs and it wasn't a too badder job to do ether...god I miss that car...

 

[coyotes_uk]

Re: Replacement left bulb (headlight)

I managed to change a head ligth bulb on my 1.6 when I had her! It is possible but very fiddly!

 

[Morty Mort]

Re: Replacement left bulb (headlight)

Pull out the battery and bend the tray a bit with your underarm. You'll get to the cluster cover fairly easy. The worst is getting the cover back on after you have changed the bulb. Afterwards your hand looks attacked by 10 cat paws. But you can do it.

 

[Argonought]

As this topic seems so popular have just merged with existing rather large thread on the same subject (there are loads more )

 

[tonytone116]

Re: Changing headlight bulbs

Hi has anyone tried to change a bulb in the passenger side headlight. I tried to change one the other day and its near on impossible.

This is a ten minute job i have large hands and i managed it in less than 10 mins you just need a bit of skill to do it.
1> open bonnet
2> remove battery cover 3 screws, be carefull when replacing not to cross thread them as it can be a pain to remove in future.
3> remove the earth wire and move out of the way
4> remove the top plug into the headlight, the one with the grey band round it. slide the band out to free it.
5> unclip back plate of the light an open as far as it will go.
NOW the fun bit
6>left hand in and unplug the light then unclip and pull out just be patient and try a few differant ways of getting your hand in but as i say im an 18stone bloke with big hands and i didnt have to mess about with battery out,bumper off time wasting stuff.:slayer:

 

[Argonought]

Re: Changing headlight bulbs

This is a ten minute job i have large hands and i managed it in less than 10 mins you just need a bit of skill to do it.

Have you even read this thread

What you fail to grasp is that how easy it is depends on which Stilo you own with the 1.2/1.4 being, I think, the easiest and the JTD the most difficult (due to intercooler)

 

[Morty Mort]

Re: Changing headlight bulbs

This is a ten minute job i have large hands and i managed it in less than 10 mins you just need a bit of skill to do it.
1> open bonnet
2> remove battery cover 3 screws, be carefull when replacing not to cross thread them as it can be a pain to remove in future.
3> remove the earth wire and move out of the way
4> remove the top plug into the headlight, the one with the grey band round it. slide the band out to free it.
5> unclip back plate of the light an open as far as it will go.
NOW the fun bit
6>left hand in and unplug the light then unclip and pull out just be patient and try a few differant ways of getting your hand in but as i say im an 18stone bloke with big hands and i didnt have to mess about with battery out,bumper off time wasting stuff.:slayer:

I can verify this. It takes about 10-15 minutes, at least on the 1.6. Used propably one hour the first time, but have done it several times since...

 

[french bean]

Just done my JTD, 10 minutes to change the bulb.

Another hour and 20 to remove battery, remove battery box and drip tray, fiddle around to get the back dust cover off the cluster, get it lined up and on again, get the 3 bolts holding the battery box back in. This was the hardest because the box is under stress and needs to be pushed right back to align the bolt holes. In the end had to put the nearside bolt in first loose, and then force the mounting spigot over the bolt before putting in the others. You'll understand when you do it.

Don't intend doing that again in a hurry.

 

[tonytone116]

Re: Changing headlight bulbs

Have you even read this thread

What you fail to grasp is that how easy it is depends on which Stilo you own with the 1.2/1.4 being, I think, the easiest and the JTD the most difficult (due to intercooler)

i did read just forgot to mention it was the jtd:bang:. i did described how to do it on the jtd as i have never seen under the hood of any other.

 

[Argonought]

Re: Changing headlight bulbs

i did read just forgot to mention it was the jtd:bang:. i did described how to do it on the jtd as i have never seen under the hood of any other.

Well, full credit to you then :worship: - and I'm gob smacked

I've done it 3 times (time 2 being to correct the mess I made on the 1st attempt due to not fitting bulb correctly :doh

On most recent attempt I was a lot more confident (mistake) and ended up with wheel liner fully removed, battery out and battery cage unbolted and moved out of the way (that makes a massive difference )

Incredibly, with all that out you still can't easily remove the cover and I stupidly ended up breaking one of the lugs due to getting the cover well and truly jammed before I'd removed the battery cage (post # 126 if anyone's interested)

I still recommend the long winded approach as it avoids extreme frustration, you know you've done it properly and normally nothing gets broken (me excluded )

 

[Kirbs]

There are 4 methods for the JTD

1. Battery method.
2. Remove bumper method.
3. Wheel arch method.
4. Pay a garage to do it.

Did it via the wheel arch last time, but removed the wheel for ease of access (you could also clean the wheel while your at it). Still looked like a demon cat had been at my hand afterwards. The worst part was getting the headlight cover back on and clipped in place.

 

[Argonought]

There are 4 methods for the JTD

1. Battery method.
2. Remove bumper method.
3. Wheel arch method.
4. Pay a garage to do it.

Did it via the wheel arch last time, but removed the wheel for ease of access (you could also clean the wheel while your at it). Still looked like a demon cat had been at my hand afterwards. The worst part was getting the headlight cover back on and clipped in place.

I did exactly the same but found it a tad easier if you also remove the battery cage which makes it 5 ways.

The real killer on the JTD is the bracing strut (as shown in post #126) which is the main obstacle to removing the cover completely (instead of only partly).

From reading the thread, I'd guess removing the bumper is actually the easiest technique (once you've done it the first time) but I don't yet speak from experience.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Problem is when I do it I'm paranoid about touching the glass part of the bulb, so removing old one is quick and easy due to not needing to worry, then comes the refitting of the new bulb followed by the rear headlamp unit casing.

 

[StevenkSengwayo]

Problem is when I do it I'm paranoid about touching the glass part of the bulb, so removing old one is quick and easy due to not needing to worry, then comes the refitting of the new bulb followed by the rear headlamp unit casing.

then losing your arm lol

 

[scottie2065]

on my 1.2 stilo i found it a real pain to change the headlight bulbs, so this weekend i bought a full set of bulbs for each headlamp, took the 2 front wheels off, the 2 arch liners off, bumper off. removed the 2 headlamps completely and replaced each bulb in both headlamps. took about an hour and 20minutes start to finish. but the result was worth it £12 for full set of bulbs. my headlights are now perfectly allign

 

[Kirbs]

Problem is when I do it I'm paranoid about touching the glass part of the bulb.

Use those rubber gloves you keep in the bedside drawer.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Use those rubber gloves you keep in the bedside drawer.

Ah, I don't use gloves my friend :devil: