Help needed changing a car lightbulb!

AshleyC

AshleyC

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Ok im struggling here! I need to change my headlight, ive popped out the old bulb here....



And i have my new bulb ready here....




Now the problem i have is that i cant get the old bulb out of its holder! you can see a few spots on it, there is another one round the other side, it looks like its been glued into place. How can i get it it out. Any suggestions? Ive tried scraping the spots with a knife with no joy.
 
well its a 2001 nissan primera. Im sure i have the right replacement bulb. I just need to get the old one out of the holder there. The manual just says to pull the old one straight out.

Im assuming that where you see the 2 blobs on the top pic, that disc is the same size disc you see at the base of the new bulb. The bigger bit is just a holder for it.
 
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I think you may have the wrong bulb fitting. Maybe go to Halfords and get them to fit one.
 
oh ok , fair do's. I did type my reg plate into the halfords terminal thing in the store and it told me to pick this out. I assumed it was 2 parts, a holder and a bulb. I'll pop back and try again :)

Actually even typing my reg into their online page still just returns a set of single pin bulbs. The base unit has 2 pins. The back looks like this, the new bulb and all the ones they list just have one pin

 
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AshleyC said:
oh ok , fair do's. I did type my reg plate into the halfords terminal thing in the store and it told me to pick this out. I assumed it was 2 parts, a holder and a bulb. I'll pop back and try again :)

Actually even typing my reg into their online page still just returns a set of single pin bulbs. The base unit has 2 pins. The back looks like this, the new bulb and all the ones they list just have one pin

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Is this the new one or the old one? If it's the new one, you may well have fnurkled it by handling the bare "glass" with bare fingers. You can clearly see the H7 designation on that one.
 
My hands are physically too big to get into the recess to change the bulb. I just go to Halfords, pay £6 and be done with it.
 
ok all sorted. Thanks peeps, without pointing out it was the wrong bulb i would of been here all afternoon trying to prise the bits apart :)
 
I have to replace the H7 blobs on my citroen regular its a bit of a popper.
the main problem I have is the bulb holder is made up of wires that are present to fit the base of the bulb..
 
What have we learnt here.... NEVER use halfords guides for anything. They are always wrong.

For one of my my cars, amongst other things, they specify
Wrong headlight bulbs
Wrong sidelight bulbs
Wrong battery
Wrong wipers
Wrong oil filter
Wrong air filter.
Wrong brake pads
Wrong brake discs
Wrong oil specification
Wrong antifreeze
 
Try changing a bulb on a new polo (the wifes), the whole bumper and light unit has to be ripped apart. £20 and my local garage does it so it's not worth the hassle.
God know what my Civic takes to change tho...
 
Audi A3 costs £285 from main dealer and takes several hours thank goodness both times under warranty
 
Peteaud said:
Try changing a bulb on a new polo (the wifes), the whole bumper and light unit has to be ripped apart. £20 and my local garage does it so it's not worth the hassle.
God know what my Civic takes to change tho...
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My Audi manual says it is a dealers job. Yet somehow I manage to do it in about six minutes including taking the whole unit out.

I don't like the trend many manufacturers are following as undoubtedly people are put off by what should be a user changeable item if not for anything but that it is a safety element.

Ps. I doubt the whole bumper and light unit has to come off if it costs only £20 unless it is really easy and quick to do. I can imaging the light unit having to come out for that amount.
 
dejongj said:
My Audi manual says it is a dealers job. Yet somehow I manage to do it in about six minutes including taking the whole unit out.

I don't like the trend many manufacturers are following as undoubtedly people are put off by what should be a user changeable item if not for anything but that it is a safety element.

Ps. I doubt the whole bumper and light unit has to come off if it costs only £20 unless it is really easy and quick to do. I can imaging the light unit having to come out for that amount.
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It does take 2 of them as they have done both sides now and cursed the 2nd time. The 1st time it was £20 cash. I think its loosen the bumper and unit and whilst one holds it in place the other changes it. They did mention LR Discoverys are a bit of a pita as well.
 
If you haven't already bought the correct bulb, give Euro Car Parts a shot. Will be a LOT cheaper than Halfrauds.
 
Try the headlamp bulbs on a Defender. In from the front, about a hundred screws and they're always chewed up. Even better, try it on one with a bull bar......... I got into one once. It took me about an hour. That was just one side, and that was just to get in. Then I had to put it all back together.
 
Jannyfox said:
Try the headlamp bulbs on a Defender. In from the front, about a hundred screws and they're always chewed up. Even better, try it on one with a bull bar......... I got into one once. It took me about an hour. That was just one side, and that was just to get in. Then I had to put it all back together.
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Are LR still using Lucas Prince of darkness wiring?
 
Takes the hands of a small child to change the passenger bulbs on the golf.

I'm seeing a dangerous trend of defective lights on the road, probably as a result of how difficult some are (although not an excuse for sub standard vehicles).
 
Blank_Canvas said:
My hands are physically too big to get into the recess to change the bulb. I just go to Halfords, pay £6 and be done with it.
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They won't do some cars, offer was a fiver to replace bulb on my car, as I couldn't be assed with the hassle I gladly accepted, soon as they found out it was a 02 ford focus they changed their mind, "we don't do these cars ...sorry". Another reason to avoid Halford. Not exactly a hard job to replace bulb on 02 focus, maybe cos it was raining at the time the nugget was afraid he would get wet.
 
My 53 plate focus has the wrong bulbs on the Halfords site as well, but the guy in the store knew about the issue and popped out to check my car first. Just paid them the £6 to do it in the end, did it in half the time I'd have taken.
 
10mm spanner, 10 minutes, job done! Have to take the unit out to get at the dipped beam bulb holder but can get at the main beam with it in the car. However, the dip beam is simply clipped in while the main is held in by screws. Which you can't see unless the unit's out of the car! I suppose it would have made sense to replace all the lamps while I was in there but it's so quick and easy that I CBA. [/smuggit]
 
Just one (with a folded blanket on the drive under the front corner...) :P
 
Cobra said:
Seriously? just how many photographers does it take to change a light bulb?

:D
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You sound surprised :confused: this lot will argue that black is white.
 
I greased up a decent shirt time before last when changing a 'simple' bulb. Cost far more to replace the shirt than the 6 quid it cost for Halfords last time.

It was quite funny when the guy looked up the right bulbs and tried to fit them. I was googling the right ones when he figured out that the recommended ones really were not going to fit.
 
IF I buy basic service items such as bulbs and wipers etc ( from Halfords) I always take in the old one, saves a lot of hassle and swearing :D
 
Cobra said:
IF I buy basic service items such as bulbs and wipers etc ( from Halfords) I always take in the old one, saves a lot of hassle and swearing :D
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Having had an assortment of bitsas in the past, I got into the habit of taking the old bit with me to make sure I got the right thing. Oh, I try to avoid halfords when possible too, only using them for convenience since it's far easier to nip into town than to get through it to the factors on the trading estate.
 
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