Front Turn signal replacement
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,594
Likes: 959
From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
Front Turn signal replacement
This is probably a dumb question to many of you, but I have the left front turn signal bulb burned out. How do you get to it to change?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,155
Likes: 9
From: Alabama
Manualy raise your headlight, take out the 3 srews that holds the headlight bezel on out. Then take the bezel off and you should be able to squeeze your hand down there. That's the easiest way to do it, however you can go in from the bottom. Hope this helps.
Thanks,
Derek
Thanks,
Derek
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
You'll get three suggestions
Go in through the brake ducts - not easy with a Z06 or if you have screens
Go in through the bottom by taking out the bottom panel
The one that works for me is:
Turn on the headlights and back off one position to kill the lights.
Unscrew the 3 small screws on the black plastic housing around the headlight. Gently pull the housing clear. Reach down around the headlight unit and release the bulb holder. It unscrews counter clockwise but it has a plastic clip which you need to squeeze to release it. Change the bulb. Reseat the bulb holder and turn until it clicks back in place. Put the plastic housing back in place making sure to locate the small plastic tab in the bracket on the headlamp cover. Replace the 3 screws and close the lights.
10 minute job.
The bulb is a 4157NA
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 431
Likes: 5
From: Chico CA
Hey! I like the headlight-open answer! Gotta try that. When I lost the first one, we found the brake-duct method, but nobody here (including my teenager daughter) could reach the bulb through that little slot. We ended up taking the closeout panel off and doing it that way, but that was before I got the ramps, and it was a PAIN! 
Think I'll look at the headlight access tomorrow, just to be prepared. A great big Thank You for that!
Think I'll look at the headlight access tomorrow, just to be prepared. A great big Thank You for that!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 2,498
Likes: 4
From: Brentwood TN
It's sort of like you can pull teeth directly from the mouth or go in from the **** sphincter. Eventually you get the tooth out but oh mommy does it take more time and feel worse. The turn signal bulb ain't a whole lot simpler from the bottom side.
Charlie
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 0
From: Mesquite Texas
[
The one that works for me is:
Turn on the headlights and back off one position to kill the lights.
Unscrew the 3 small screws on the black plastic housing around the headlight. Gently pull the housing clear. Reach down around the headlight unit and release the bulb holder. It unscrews counter clockwise but it has a plastic clip which you need to squeeze to release it. Change the bulb. Reseat the bulb holder and turn until it clicks back in place. Put the plastic housing back in place making sure to locate the small plastic tab in the bracket on the headlamp cover. Replace the 3 screws and close the lights.
10 minute job.
The bulb is a 4157NA[/QUOTE]
Done this 2 times
The one that works for me is:
Turn on the headlights and back off one position to kill the lights.
Unscrew the 3 small screws on the black plastic housing around the headlight. Gently pull the housing clear. Reach down around the headlight unit and release the bulb holder. It unscrews counter clockwise but it has a plastic clip which you need to squeeze to release it. Change the bulb. Reseat the bulb holder and turn until it clicks back in place. Put the plastic housing back in place making sure to locate the small plastic tab in the bracket on the headlamp cover. Replace the 3 screws and close the lights.
10 minute job.
The bulb is a 4157NA[/QUOTE]
Done this 2 times
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Apopka FL
The thing to check is why the lamps are blowing out. Both of my turn signal housings had "X" shaped cracks in the plastic from the Daylight Running lights melting the housing above the bulbs. I ended up taking out the housings, puting some high temp RTV in the cracks, aluminum foil to bed in the RTV and some hi-temp duct tape over the repair. No more water dripping on the bulbs and causing them to break.
You can only access the housing screws from below after removing the lower close-out panels.
You can only access the housing screws from below after removing the lower close-out panels.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
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From: DuBois PA
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The thing to check is why the lamps are blowing out. Both of my turn signal housings had "X" shaped cracks in the plastic from the Daylight Running lights melting the housing above the bulbs. I ended up taking out the housings, puting some high temp RTV in the cracks, aluminum foil to bed in the RTV and some hi-temp duct tape over the repair. No more water dripping on the bulbs and causing them to break.
You can only access the housing screws from below after removing the lower close-out panels.
You can only access the housing screws from below after removing the lower close-out panels.
If you're getting water intrusion from the heat of the bulbs cracking the case (most common problem) it HAS to be fixed or you'll get lotts of experience doing this! 
I got lost on the aluminum foil bedding step... could you clarify or show some pics?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 20
From: boston mass
What does the clip look like thats holding the bulb holder?
my car has a procharger, 1 of the intercooler is right behind it. but i can painfully sweeze my hand though the opening in the nose. i don't want to force it and break it 
but i'm 500 miles from home and need it to work for an 9 hour drive back. 
my car has a procharger, 1 of the intercooler is right behind it. but i can painfully sweeze my hand though the opening in the nose.
i don't want to force it and break it but i'm 500 miles from home and need it to work for an 9 hour drive back.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
From: Woodcliff Lake New Jersey
The clip runs radially around the outside of the holder. You press it in and that allows you to spin the whole unit. I went in through the brake duct on the passenger side of my car. Its tight but do-able and I'm a big guy with big hands, took about 10 minutes with no tools.
If you look in through the duct with a mini-mag you can just see the clip, you want to rotate toward the fat end of the clip, then the entire base drops out allowing you to change the bulbs.
If you look in through the duct with a mini-mag you can just see the clip, you want to rotate toward the fat end of the clip, then the entire base drops out allowing you to change the bulbs.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 20
From: boston mass
The clip runs radially around the outside of the holder. You press it in and that allows you to spin the whole unit. I went in through the brake duct on the passenger side of my car. Its tight but do-able and I'm a big guy with big hands, took about 10 minutes with no tools.
If you look in through the duct with a mini-mag you can just see the clip, you want to rotate toward the fat end of the clip, then the entire base drops out allowing you to change the bulbs.
If you look in through the duct with a mini-mag you can just see the clip, you want to rotate toward the fat end of the clip, then the entire base drops out allowing you to change the bulbs.
i had to use vaseline on my hand to get it in there:o but it done
i'm 260lbs with fingers to match
