Sidelight Bulbs - updated see post 19

gazman · Apr 6, 2008

Sidelight bulb gone so I popped the bonnet,had a peek and discovered there's not much room around the headlamps (understatement of the year!)

Thought scn would have the easy answer and did the search

Wrong,looks like it's a common issue trying to get big fat hands in there

One suggestion was to remove the bumper :-o

What a stupid design [:@]

Aimez · Apr 6, 2008

can be done just a bit of a pain literally, or take the bumper off as you said apparently its not that hard and apparently on the Forge website theres a how to showing you were all the screws are.

danmay · Apr 6, 2008

bumper is quite easy to take off, 5 screws in each whlle arch, about the same underneath and 4 under the bonnet

although i have plenty of room in my engine bay :hide:

silversport · Apr 6, 2008

use a set of long nose plyers to reach to the bulb holders, grab them gently and give them a tug out, they you can change the bulb alot easier.....
its what i did when i upgraded mine

gazman · Apr 6, 2008

Thanks Silversport

I'll give that a try

CHR15B · Apr 6, 2008

Funny you should post, I fitted my new sidelights today the "easy" way!

gazman · Apr 6, 2008

Now why didn't I think of that :doh:

MTIbiza · Apr 7, 2008

I had a female friend of mine fit my sidelight bulbs - She had no problems! But i then had to refit thew covers!

hon_n_gem · Apr 7, 2008

doable just painfull! managed to change to HIDs without taking bumper off too!

keefy · Apr 7, 2008

Worst thing with the sidelights is trying to 'blindly' get the cover back on once you have got it and your hand in the way and are trying to locate the lugs correctly. Did mine about 2 weeks about and it took 5 mins to change the bulb & 20 mins of very patient (bubbling rage) fiddling to get the cover back on....

hon_n_gem · Apr 7, 2008

hahaha, yeah the passenger is ok...but the drivers side is real guess work as you said!

theres a few holes that you can see lil bits from...you need a torch too to light it up so you can see more!

keefy · Apr 7, 2008

I haven't done the passenger sidelight yet, but that looks even more tricky as there is a thin metal beam in the way on mine. I think that will be a 'take to the garage' or 'learn how to take the bumper off' job.
I've got the main and dipped beams down to an art now though.

Yella Beeza · Apr 7, 2008

?? thread title = headlight bulbs.

Anyway try taking the headlight cover off to give more room to access the sidelight bulbs. Nearside is easier, it's putting the cover back on the offside that's the problem (as previously mentioned). Think I had to lever the wire holder on with a screwdriver in the end.

Definitely no need to take the bumper off though. Do it in a garage and there's less [:@]

, outside is when panic sets in

, but at least you can see what you are doing!

Aimez · Apr 7, 2008

rage it when the metal clip that holds the plastic cover on came off in my hand when fitting HIDs managed to get it back on after about 30 attempts!

Guinness · Apr 7, 2008

thing about removing the lights is aftarwards. You need a headlight alignment.
and as for removing the bulb with pliars getting it back in with pliars is a lot harder.

Yella Beeza · Apr 7, 2008

Got to admit I took a chance and just pulled the wires, and the bulb come out of the holder!

bizzaboy · Apr 8, 2008

With alot of enthusiasm I opened the bonnet at the weekend with my nice new set of sidelights in hand (that will go better with the HID's than the current 'candle effect' sidelights.

lol).

Looked down into the front corners of the wings, where the plastic triangle shape covers are for the sidelights... :blink:

....I'd be lucky if even a brain surgeon could insert his tools into that small space with enough room to remove the covers. thats a joke. lol.

Therefore, here's putting a request out for a small handed person to come fit my sidelights!? ... :redface:

.........Anyone? :lol:

Unlimited cups of Tea/Coffee, and Krispy Cream donuts included.

Yella Beeza · Apr 8, 2008

Just go for it!

And while you have the covers off may as well change those orange indicator bulbs as well for something clear/silver. :funk:

Patience is all that's required. I just hope I don't have to ever do it again. :doh:

gazman · Apr 11, 2008

Well I got myself a pair of long bodied pliers and set about tackling the job

Job was made easier as the small cover had already been removed and not replaced by a previous owner.

Best way is to go in from the rear :blink:

Managed to pop the holder out dead easy,pulled the bulb out of the holder,another easy job.

Next,pop the new bulb back in the holder,dead easy...................

Not............. [:@]

Dropped the bulb which I can see in the battery tray :doh:

hands are far too big to get down to the tray

Brainwave....... :funk:

Put some sticky tape on the end of a long screwdriver and prod it so it sticks on that

Flicked the bulb even further and it's now sat on the tray but under the washer bottle pipe

Brainwave....... :funk:

Get hoover out and try to suction the bulb up the pipe

There are now small children and women running around the street screaming

"look at the madman hoovering his engine"

Bonnet now slammed and off to buy another bulb :redface:

Aimez · Apr 11, 2008

I dropped a bit of car down there once never got it back!

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