Any tips on getting to the headlight bulbs. I don't see how you can reach them without completely disassembling the lid and sides. Thanks

 

Its not quite that bad .....

1) disconnect the electrical connector (located about 12 inches behind the headlights ... follow wires from raising mechanism back to the connector) that powers tthe headlamp up/down motor.

*** This is an important step - You do NOT want the headlamps to suddenly close while you got your fingers in there ***

To ensure you've pulled the right connection, go turn ON the headlamps and that door should not rise.

OK

2) Now manually raise the door by rotating the **** counter-clockwise that is located at the end of the motor.

3) Remove the screws that hold that flimsy piece of plastic that sorta acts as dressing around the headlamp (bezel)

4) Remove the bezel (NOTE - there is a tab on the top of the bezel in the center that slides under a clip in the headlight cover)

5) Here's where small hands are handy ... reach in and twist the bulb holder out

6) Replace bulb (don't touch glass with fingers ... yada ... yada ... yada

7) Reverse process ... put bulb holder back, replace bezel (getting it hooked back under that tab ..)

8) Manually close the headlamp

9) Re-connect wiring

10) test

11) *** Most important step of all ***

Pat yourself on the back and go have a couple of shots and beers !!

 

Thanks "Black" for the tips. Do you reach in from the side or back? Also does it help for the top flat cover to come off??
Do you have any experience with a xenon set-up. It's in this 04 and the driver side is ou on the low beam (high beam is stock)? Thanks

 

Reach in from the side ... like I said, small hands help big time. Removing the top painted cover can be done ... BUT ... you gotta make sure you get it back on aligned correctly. You can damage the paint on the hood, the cover, and even do body damage if you don't get it aligned correctly. Obviously if you do remove the cover, after installing it manually close the light and then close and latch hood CAREFULLY checking that the alignment is correct. Readjust as neccesary before letting the electrical drive open/close the light.

Don't have Xenon, but unless you have to replace the entire headlamp, the bulb should (hopefully) be mounted in the same bayonet type bulb mount as the stock bulbs.

 

Just to add my 2 cents, removing the top cover really doesn't provide any additional access since there's another bracket below the cover that would also need to be removed.

I just repaired my headlight door motors last weekend so I was deep into the headlight cavity, and I don't have small hands, but with the side bezel removed the bulb sockets were very easy to get to. They just twist about 60 degrees and pop out of the headlight housing.

Just make sure that you properly align the socket into the housing when putting them back in. The socket has 3 tabs, and it's easy to get only 2 into their slot and leave the 3rd outside the housing and still twist the socket in. The headlight aim will look way off if you do that.

 

Thanks for the advice. I wonder why the owner's mini-book indicates that the fixture should be opened half way??? Will not that make it harder to reach the bulbs?

 

No idea ... I can't see how you'd get the bezel off without the headlight full up .... maybe it makes it easier to put the new bulb back in as gravity would maybe help guide it into place.

Just give it a try ... longest part of the whole process is manually raising/lowering the lights ... takes a lotta turns to move them !!