A bulb blew on the Focus this morning in the fog (good timing).

Thought nothing of it and went to a Halfords just down the road and purchased there "All Weather" H7 bulbs.

I've changed many bulbs on cars and on my own Scoob I change the bulbs for summer and for winter each year etc.

But my word, what a pig of a job it was was to do on the n/s front!!! What a crud design . I cut my knuckles to shreads on the battery mount.

To top it I checked the bulbs once in before putting the rear covers back on and the beam was **** not to mention the Yellow tinge!!

So took them back and went further down the road to get a set of Osram Night Breakers.

My point I am making(sorry went off on one a little) is anyone else had this on a Focus before (2003 model)? Or am I just a pleb?

Steve

 

Had similar problems with the wife's Galaxy. Took it to Halfrauds and got them to fit it for free

 

Bulb went in the Kuga which the other half uses daily and picks the little girl up in. Having read the manual I realised that I wouldn't have the time to do it myself.

Went to Halfords, guy took one look and said he had no idea how to change it

Ended up in the Ford dealership nearby, £38 later the bulb was changed

 

This is about the only job on the 147 that's easy to do!

How do u find the osram nightbreakers? Using the Philips Xtreme bulbs myself but they don't last long.

 

They are very good matey. The pattern in the reflectors are even and shows down country roads with no lights etc. I haven't tried the tried the Phillips range since I had a set of GT150's a few years back.

Philips Xtreme (I think) has been voted best product etc for years since 2007. The Nightbreaker Plus has now taken over that award.

The reflectors in the Focus 2003 - 2005 are pretty good anyway.

If you are going for a set get the Night Breaker Plus ones. More up to date version of the bulb and last 20% longer than the previous Nightbreakers.

I have the Nightbreaker Plus in my 2002 STi too but I personally find the reflectors in the STi clusters **** poor.

Steve

 

Ford KA's are worse, the bumper on the front had to be taken off to get at the bulb holders :-(

 

It doesn't get any better with the new Focus! Upgraded the main beam bulbs on my RS and had to take the whole unit out, side lights were even worse!

 

wow standard on the RS are great

 

to get at some bulbs now you either have to remove the airbox or removed the whole headlight. Volvo's being one.

designers have no clue about practicality anymore, some of the grads i work with have no clue about how a design may look good on paper, but in real world, where you can't put your hand through a solid surface to do up a bolt, there complete tosh and don;t work.

 

The easiest way to change it is to remove the headlight. Three bolts is all that holds it in soit's a ten minute job once you've done it a couple of times.

Seems a bit extreme but it's ether that or remove the battery tray on the near side.

 

Easy.... open bonnet, undo battery bolt, shift battery over a bit, take back off light, remove connector, remove clip, remove bulb.... then refit in reverse

Do loads of these at work (Halfords) and have owned all the focus's so far.

Dunno how someone got a bulb fitted for free at Halfords as we have to charge for fitting

 

try doing it on a new renault megane????? you have ot take the front wheels off and access it through the inner wheel well guards, a right fookin pain in the **** i can tell ya

 

Ya can just do it without taking the wheel off... just turn the wheel to opposite lock, remove the panel and become a contortionist

 

It doesn't get any better on an '06 focus... you have to remove the entire headlamp assembly from the car! Halfords don't list it as something they'd tackle!

5 min job tho after I looked on a Focus forum to get the lowdown. Fitted Ring xenon max in the end but would go back to nightbreakers next time TBH.

 

Depends on the store / fitter... I'll fit it for ya

 

Been like this for years. Changing a front foglight bulb on a Xantia is a bumper off job

 

Are you being serious? Yes so you need to remove the headlight BUT it's one bolt and takes seconds.

 

Used to remove the whole front bumper on my MG ZT just to change a headlight bulb, which seemed to be an annual job. there was a hatch in the wheel arch but you had to have tiny hands and be double jointed to use it.

I remember years ago I used to remove the headlight unit on my Fiesta Zetec-s (mk5) was an easy job to do, three bolts

 

Unreal. One of the Nightbreakers blew on the way home from work just now.

Life time is pretty bad. I think anyway.

Steve

 

Cool - other than frugality, i've found sommat else my Mondy is good for. Pull out two securing pins and the whole light unit comes out. Swap bulb and stick it back in - simples

 

I today removed the third bolt holding the lights in. Shoudl make is quicker next time.


Steve

 

Stevesbluewrx, you got big hands like :P

Passenger side - remove battery cover, that gives you enough room to get the cover off and bulb out

Drivers side is a little harder if you have AC, but there is just enough room to get your hand in, remove cap and replace bulb.... if you dont have AC its a doddle!