Changing a light bulb??!! :confused:

[heyd_romanian]

Yesterday as I was driving home I noticed that my headlight bulb went.
I decided to make a quick stop at Halfords buy one and just fit it. It's not rocket science to change it as I have done it n amounts of time on the cars.
Went in, found the right one, paid for it and went over to the car.
Opened the bonnet, took the plastic cover off and tried to take the little clip out, which holds the bulb in place!! I did struggle a little bit but didn't think much of it.
Now the hard part was to come. I tried for about half an hour to put the clip back on and I couldn't do it!!! It was the most annoying thing ever!!!!!!!!!
I had to get the guy from halfords that fit's things for you to do it. Even he struggled for about 20 mins to put it back in!!!
This can't be right?
Surely it doesn't take that long to change a stupid light bulb!!
I am thinking that it was the wrong clip but I might be wrong!
Anyone had this sort of trouble before?

 

[UncleFester]

Nope .... not had any problem changing mine, even when i removed those clips to get the HID bulbs in they went back in without issue. Sidelights are the only pain and even they're a ten second job with practice and pliers. Guess it's just one of those things that always happens when you have the least time for it ...

 

[RobM]

I know you wont like this answer, but it took me 10 minutes to change the bulbs in my LCR for the first time. No trouble at all.

 

[heyd_romanian]

It was in the eveing as well but that doesn't matter anyway!
Well I need to change the other one at the weekend because the light is different. The new one is brighter!
I am intreseted to see if it will be just as hard. If it is, it must mean that I am doing something wrong or just being Homer Simpson!!!

 

[craig lcr]

how hard is it to change the bulbs? do you have to remove the battery to get into the passenger side lights?

 

[Reg]

I have only changed the offside bulb and found it to be easy. Changing the bulb in our Fiesta is rubbish though because you have to remove the grill first, and that needs 2 torque head screws removing. Who the hell thought that one up!

 

[UncleFester]

how hard is it to change the bulbs? do you have to remove the battery to get into the passenger side lights?

No, but removing the battery cover makes access a little easier.

 

[Javelin Sam]

It was in the eveing as well but that doesn't matter anyway!
Well I need to change the other one at the weekend because the light is different. The new one is brighter!
I am intreseted to see if it will be just as hard. If it is, it must mean that I am doing something wrong or just being Homer Simpson!!!

you should try and remove the bulbs in a pug 206.. you end up taking so long to remove the clip that you need a wee and lose the patience to put the clip back on..thus rushing and hurting your fingers in the process

 

[Nathanio]

I have only changed the offside bulb and found it to be easy. Changing the bulb in our Fiesta is rubbish though because you have to remove the grill first, and that needs 2 torque head screws removing. Who the hell thought that one up!

Sounds like the Ka (I spent an hour swapping the bulbs in my g/fs Ka at the weekend to Osram SilverStars frommy car, more time than I spent fitting the HIDs in my car!)

First Time I swapped the bulbs in my tolly took me 10 mins total to do both sides

 

[awelch]

Ha ha ha, I've just had the same problem! Just fitted the new Phillips H7 power vison bulbs and they are amazing. You need to put the bulb in, put in the metal clip and then clip on the electronic block.

Can someone please help me though!!!!!!!! I cant for the life of brian get those b*stard side lights out. Do you just pull or have to squeeze the clips. Can someone give me some advice as i'm losing my will to live and its freezing!!

 

[UncleFester]

Small needle nosed pliers carefully nip the holder and out it comes

If anyone is truly stuck on this i will go out and take a picture of exactly where to put the pliers to pull the sidelights out .... let me know

 

[awelch]

yup proper stuck!! the help would be much appreciated

 

[UncleFester]

Right i will do this tomorrow for you

 

[awelch]

legend, thank you! Do you need to pinch both side of the black plasic holder or just one?

 

[UncleFester]

legend, thank you! Do you need to pinch both side of the black plasic holder or just one?

Ok my holder is white plastic but ;

I put the pliers gently around both sides and squeezed gently whilst pulling backwards, you're actually removing the light and holder from the lens unit. If you look at where the plug fastens to it you can see the bit i'm referring to. Can you get the sidelight wiring plug off ok?

Sidelight is 27/59 and it's the entire holder you're removing, as far as i've found it's just a push fit and a bit 'tight'.

 

[heyd_romanian]

Ha ha ha, I've just had the same problem! Just fitted the new Phillips H7 power vison bulbs and they are amazing. You need to put the bulb in, put in the metal clip and then clip on the electronic block.

Can someone please help me though!!!!!!!! I cant for the life of brian get those b*stard side lights out. Do you just pull or have to squeeze the clips. Can someone give me some advice as i'm losing my will to live and its freezing!!

I did try that it didn't work for me. I think they make like that so that we must think we can't do it our selfs!! B*st*rds!!!!
I am going to take some photos on saturday as well. Try and make a little guide!
I am glad I wasn't being a Homer Simpson now!!

 

[awelch]

ok fester, my holder is also white with a black central bit which houses the wires, i've been trying to squeeze the black bit not the white bit. Could be where i've going wrong??

I'm just popping outside to check!

 

[UncleFester]

I am pretty sure that's what confused me at first .... took 20 minutes to work out where i was going wrong!

edit: It does NOT need BFI

 

[awelch]

AH HA - I have finally succeeded!! and now feel like a retard!! Basically I was trying to squeeze the clips together and thought it would come loose, when all you had to do was grip it by the black bit (avoiding the wires) and give a damn good yank!!

Cheers Fester for the help, it makes such a difference, its al' white! ! Great cheap mod, especially as Powerbulbs throw in the sidies for free

 

[UncleFester]

*grins* glad you got it sorted I feel useful finally, can crack on with drinking wine now lol