Replacing a HID bulb

Soldato
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Possibly a silly question but they are usually the ones that bite you in the ass...

My car (VW CC GT) pinged up a failed headlight bulb warning this morning. I was passing the local VW dealer, so called in. £180 for the bulb and £109 to fit :eek: :D :D

Amazon will deliver some Osrams for £47 each (£57 for Night Breakers) tomorrow. Just to need check the fit. PowerBlubs and ECP reckon a D3S, Autobulbs a D1S.

I presume it's best to pull the headlight fuse before swapping and the usual don't touch the glass applies but anything else to watch out for?

Thanks!
 
Soldato
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I've changed quite a few HIDs in my time. Don't worry about the fuse, just make sure no one turns the lights on until you're done. If they've been on they'll be extremely hot so wait until they are completely cool. And yes don't touch the glass.

With the majority of cars I've found that you have to do it by feeling as there's often not a lot of room. Depending on the type of bulb depends on what you'll have to do.
 
Soldato
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I’ve done a couple before and am actually about to change my Range Rover ones this morning. No need to pull the fuse, just make sure they’re turned off and haven’t been used for a while. Some cars are very tricky, some less so: I recommend having a look on YouTube as there’s normally an instructional video to help you do it.
 
Caporegime
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I’ve done a couple before and am actually about to change my Range Rover ones this morning. No need to pull the fuse, just make sure they’re turned off and haven’t been used for a while. Some cars are very tricky, some less so: I recommend having a look on YouTube as there’s normally an instructional video to help you do it.

RR should be easy enough, i've ordered new bulbs for the Evoque (D3S OSRAM Night Breaker Laser Xenarc +200% Bulbs - Next Generation) and taking the headlight units out looks refreshingly simple compared to some cars.
 
Soldato
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Thanks all. Bulb removed, half decent access compared to cars I've had before that required rubber fingers which could pivot in seven different places.

OE bulb is Philips D3S. Two new Osrams coming from Mr Amazon tomorrow - £42 each, much more like it!
 
Associate
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Which Osrams did you go for? I had the Philips Xenstart as OE fit on my Octavia, replaced them with the Osram Cool Blue Intense (which are not blue, thankfully!) and they are much better.
 
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I replaced the standard Osrams in the Focus with Xenarc Night Breakers but the difference in truth was negligible - are there better alternatives now compared to the Night Breakers?
 
Soldato
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RR should be easy enough, i've ordered new bulbs for the Evoque (D3S OSRAM Night Breaker Laser Xenarc +200% Bulbs - Next Generation) and taking the headlight units out looks refreshingly simple compared to some cars.

Wasn’t so easy sadly

8-F5-B6503-78-D0-4-DAD-90-A4-949-BB11-D6-C3-D.jpg


Decided to do both whilst the grill was off

DDFD4-ADF-2153-43-B4-ACCD-314-AF5-A3130-E.jpg


And it all worked out in the end. Ridiculously complicated for a simple bulb though.

9-C531-DD1-06-F1-489-F-BA9-C-E69-FE30-A13-BC.jpg
 
Soldato
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Crazy, you'd assume load of space would exist behind the headlights!

There’s a fair bit of space, and I saw a video of a guy doing it without taking the light unit out. The problem is, mine seems to have an extra wiring harness where his didn’t which means you have a lot less space, and seating the bulb correctly without touching the glass on anything, then reattaching the ballasts is virtually impossible.
 
Soldato
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What a ballache just to swap some bulbs. Your supposed to be able to change them at the roadside.

My Ford was probably the easiest I've had, just undo 1 bolt and lift the whole unit out from the bonnet.
 
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Soldato
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Soldato
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how long had your bulbs lasted ? corollary is - what warranty do you get on these new bulbs ? vs dealer.

for halogen headlights (and led bulbs at home) philips have lasted longer than osram for me ... worth the typical premium imhop.
philips had closed some chinese plants a while back, I don't know where osram manufacture, but I wonder if west increasingly guard closely some of the best manufacturing techniques
 
Soldato
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New bulb installed last night. Took me about 20 minutes, which is longer than it should but I couldn't decide if I was getting a positive "clunk" when it locked into place. Had a look at a couple of YT vids, prodded the offside bulb and decided it was in place. Will quickly check it again tonight.

My car was ex-demo, so unless one died early, they are the original bulbs and have lasted almost 97,000 miles. In fact, I think that's the first bulb of any type I've had to replace.
 
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