Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 1
From: MD
Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious
My right side running light went out and the right turn signal blinked very fast which is usually the sign of a bulb gone bad. I went to the local chevy dealer and picked up a couple of bulbs, $7.00 a pop.
In order to replace this, you have to jack the front and remove some lower fascia, reposition the air tunnel that cools the brakes and then remove the bulb. I bet this would have cost $70.00 at the dealer to replace, not to mention a American Lemans Want to Be driving your car.
Anyone else had to replace this, or taken it to the dealer to have it done.
What did it cost?
In order to replace this, you have to jack the front and remove some lower fascia, reposition the air tunnel that cools the brakes and then remove the bulb. I bet this would have cost $70.00 at the dealer to replace, not to mention a American Lemans Want to Be driving your car.
Anyone else had to replace this, or taken it to the dealer to have it done.
What did it cost?
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 0
From: Sioux Falls South Dakota
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious (cisco)
I just put a new bulb in mine 60 days ago. I simply turned the lights on, snuck me arm through the opening once the lights are up, popped out the old, grabbed the new bulb being careful not to drop it, and stuck it in. The Vette did'nt want to give me my arm back, then with a slight scraping off the skin I got it out. Total time: 5-6 minutes. I am a bodyman but anyone can do it, the smaller the arms the easier it is!! :yesnod:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 6,906
Likes: 6
From: Long Valley NJ
St. Jude Donor '03-'05-'06-'07-'08,'11 thru '17, '21
Re: Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious (cisco)
I had the turn signal bulb go out a couple of months ago, and changed it from underneath. Drove up on some boards, and removed the piece I think the manual calls the "closeout panel".
Of course, about 2 weeks later, the bulb on the other side burned out....
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Manassas VA
Re: Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious (cisco)
I did it your way, cisco: from the bottom.
Pushing in the new bulb was the hard part. I didn't have my jack pads made yet, so I couldn't jack up the car. I therefore couldn't get both hands up into the opening and there wasn't enough slack wire on the socket to get it out where I could reach it with two hands.
Then I saw that I could shove the socket out the (disconnected) air duct opening just enough to use two hands inserting the new bulb.
Next time should be quicker/easier. The left side will probably burnout real soon now....
Pushing in the new bulb was the hard part. I didn't have my jack pads made yet, so I couldn't jack up the car. I therefore couldn't get both hands up into the opening and there wasn't enough slack wire on the socket to get it out where I could reach it with two hands.
Then I saw that I could shove the socket out the (disconnected) air duct opening just enough to use two hands inserting the new bulb.
Next time should be quicker/easier. The left side will probably burnout real soon now....
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 3,630
Likes: 8
From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Re: Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious (Diamond)
Diamond, you must really have some small arms. But even then are you not just feeling around there to find the bulb (can you actually see when you're disconnecting/reconnecting it)? Also, is there enough slack in the bulb cable to bring it to the top so that you can replace the bulb?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 2,181
Likes: 421
From: Ponte Vedra Beach FL
Re: Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious (Mark S.)
Yep, I've done a bulb changeout (from amber to clear), and it's a real PIA to go in thru the bottom panels. I particularly liked it when dirt and grit fell into my eyes during the whole process. But I could not get my arm in thru the headlight hole like Diamond did. Tried and tried and after losing a quart of blood and a pound of skin.....up from the bottom I went.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,878
Likes: 0
From: Sioux Falls South Dakota
Cruise-In II Veteran
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: Changed My Running/Parking Light.. Tedious (tracy)
Guys, you are making too big of a deal out of this. My wrists are small but not my hands. There is very little slack in the wiring, you must remove the bulb way down there. That was probably the worst getting it to release. (45 seconds) With the hood up and the lights on I thought it was a breeze although I face those challenges every day with these vehicles. I was only kidding about the scraped skin. I would love to do them all day long for 10 bucks a pop!! :smash:
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