Sub97

Does anyone know how hard a job this is?

My gf needs it doing and Im going to have to take a look at if after work, but one of my mates reckons it took the Ford garage over an hour to change his wifes one, as they are so hard to do.

Is this right??! If so, any tips?

Cheers,

Steve

dogmaul

it cant be any worse than my mk2 clio 172 they are a right pain to do but still only 10 mins per side

bobfrog1

apparently you have to remove the headlight unit to get your hand in, unfortunately you have to pull the bumper off to get the unit out

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Simple bulb change. I did it on my girlfriends a month or two ago. Really easy job to do .

Paul

nigel s

It can be done with out removing the headlights, just need small hands.

BOB.T

They're not good to do, not an hours worth though Just snap your wrist in a few places to make access easier

PaulMc

I had this job some months ago. Easy to get the cover off and get the new bulb in. But getting the water proof cover back on defeated me! It took me an hour of unsuccessful attempts. Eventually took it to one local dealer where he wanted me to book the car in for the work at £60/hr. Took it to another dealer and he replaced the covers in 10 mins. Not an easy job

Sub97

Cheers for the responses guys.

PaulPalmer - I take it your being sarcastic mate as everyone else seems to be saying its a hard job?

Steve

Stephen Read

Confirm that it is hard (with average sized hands).

Worse in the winter too when it's f-f-f-freezing!

I have done it half a dozen times now and still have not perfected the technique of relocating the waterproof cover but you would be advised to try a wide bladed screwdriver to release and re-fix the spring that hold it in place as it can be bloody painful if all your fingers are used to it tapping away at a keyboard like me!

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

SUB97

No sarcasm . I take it you did the job? It really is that easy

Paul

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Also fitting the bulb was done at the carwash and the whole thing took less than 3 mins I don't know if I was lucky or what but it was a piece of pi55

Paul

Sub97

Sorry Paul, it was just the fact that everyone else was saying how hard it was and you said it was easy.

It turned out to be the indicator not the head light bulb (women and cars hey ), it took about 30 seconds.

Cheers for the replies anyway guys.

Steve

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

lol

PiNkEyE69

I did the main bulbs on mine a few months ago, I ripped chunks of skin off my hand trying to get the bulb out of/into the offside socket as the plastic backing plate wouldn't move far enough back for me to get my hand down there.
Idicators are a piece of pish!

mickbrooks

This isn't the most stupid arrangement I've ever come across - but it's up there. We use the line... "he couldn't change a lightbulb" to describe someone who is totally incompetent!

This could take 10 minutes or 10 hours depending on luck and a few other factors. Alternatively, it could be 10 minutes for the passenger side (which is more accessible) and 10 hours for the driver's. There are people on ebay selling these bulbs for £7.50 a pair delivered.

Do the driver's side first. Jack the driver's side up, remove the wheel, and put the car on secure blocks- you're going to be scrabbling about under there and it would be nice if, at this stage at least, you didn't lose too many fingers that you're going to need for the next bit, which is quite fiddly. You need to take off the front bolts\self-tappers of the inner wheel arch thingy. Don't take it all off - just the front and bend the plastic back to allow access. Take the waterproof cover off the back of the headlamp unit (clip accessible from engine compartment and 2 locating lugs on the bottom - pull the clip upwards and lift the cover out). Having done that, you can see what is holding it in and how to put it back together. Pull the 2 prong electrical connector off the back of the bulb and unclip the top of the spring clip holding the bulb in. This is just a single lug on the top of the housing - once you have inclipped that, the spring will flop forward. There are two lugs on the bottom of this clip; if these come out, it's not the end of the world - but best to leave these in situ. Take the bulb out. There is a squarish locating lug on the metal surround of the new bulb - this points upwards and fits into the corresponding gap on the housing. Put the bulb in and, without it falling out, replace the spring clip in the lug on top of the housing. Replace the electrical connector and replace the waterproof cover. Put the plastic inner wheel arch back and then replace the bulb on the passenger side. This is more accessible and can be done from the inside of the engine compartment - no scrabbling about under the car. It is also made easier because you now know what it is that you are fiddling about with. If the worst comes to the worst, I imagine you could have to take the battery and battery housing off.

It's one of those jobs that you get the hang of about 30 seconds before you finish it. Unfortunately, when it happens again in three years, you'll have forgotten how you did it and you'll have to go through this all over again.

All Torque

I`d have thought he have replaced it by now.

RichB

LOL@All Torque, conveniently though, I have to do just this on my wifes KA soon and just happened to notice this thread!

robertdon777

Don't do it, I nearly ripped my finger nail off once changing one on the mrs old car- the pain - oooh it hurt. (you will be ok if you have mini hands)