How to change headlight bulb on NC 3.5

Help/method please…

How do you change headlight bulbs on an NC 3.5?

Is this a Bumper off job?

Is there a quick method?

Thanks

Roy

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There are basically 3 methods.

  1. Remove fixings for the washer bottle and the main fuse box. This may give you enough space to reach the back of the bulbs, remove the electrical connectors any rubber shields and release the bulbs. One headlamp bulb has a spring retainer, see pic below, this is tricky to remove and more difficult to refit because you can’t see anything. Just remember.ber that you will need the adaptor on the old bulb to transfer to the new one. The bulb + adaptor only fit one way and because you can’t see anything it makes the whole job more tricky.
  2. Access via the front wheel arch liner. You can get in with the wheel in place but removing it helps a lot. Remove the push in fixings from the upper wheel arch liner peel back the liner and you can then see the back of the lamp unit. Then proceed as 1 above.
  3. Remove the complete bumper assembly and then the headlamp unit from the body. U tube has a number of videos on this as there are quite a few fixings involved. While you have the bumper off you can replace all the front end bulbs in one go. This in a longer method but gives you much better access to the rear of the lamp units.
    For 1 and 2 wear gloves and if you have big hands think about method 3.
    For a laugh go to Halfrauds and see if they will do the job if you buy the bulb(s) from them using your club discount.
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While you have the bumper off would be a good time to replace the weedy oem horns as well…

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Just about as I thought; thanks for the options… like most cars today ‘Built not to be Fixed’ …grrrrrr!

Removing the wheel arch seams worth a go.

Roy

At least if that doesn’t work you are some way towards method 3…

This is described in my owners handbook. The pictures are off-putting, but when doing it seem relevant.

Having made the Fog to Fog+DRL mod, reaching a bit higher for the headlights and indicator bulbs is a lot easier than it might seem from the handbook descriptions.

I didn’t bother to remove any wheels or jack it up, but then I have long arms and turning the wheels out of the way was sufficient.

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Aha … looks RTFM problem here … if the hammer doesn’t work resort to RTFM.

Thanks I’ll take look.

Roy

I replaced my fogs with LEDs through the wheelarch and just needed to turn the wheel inwards.
The main problem for me was undoing the pesky fasteners… :confused:

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There is a knack to it, if you don’t have strong thumbnails.

Find a very thin small screwdriver, or two, and use this to winkle up the centre peg, then pull the whole thing out using the raised centre peg.

If the fingers on the fasteners have spread and don’t want to go back into the holes, drop them (with peg raised up) into a cup of recently boiled water for a few minutes.
Then as soon as you take each one out hold it with its fingers fully closed until it cools, and it will revert to almost-as-new condition.

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These ones have a slot in them, which suggests use of a screwdriver.

To get the screwdriver to grip, you need to push against the slot, which stops the centre peg from popping out - catch 22!

Maybe one screwdriver to lever the peg and another to turn it??

I found that the edge of a Stanley knife blade under the head to give outward pressure then turn with the screwdriver worked most times. Overall I would probably rate this as one of the worst jobs for the actual return on the time and effort. Which is why I removed the whole front bumper and did some other work at the same time. Also did it while the car was SORNED over winter.

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Of course you’re right! Sorry, I forgot about that.

Please forgive the elderly confused! I’ve been playing with too many fasteners over the last few weeks, most of them inside (noise reduction exercise etc) and being the pull-peg variety.

Even so, try jamming the outer of the screw-lock type against the surface being fixed, possibly against the undo rotation as well. I jam it by applying downward pressure from another driver, I found that was usually enough.

Thanks all, I’ll sort it I’m familiar with these fixings, can be a pain to remove but work really well.

Roy