Changing Car Bulbs

[LeeUK]

Managed to get clip off in the end. Got light cluster back on but one of the screws dropped down into the engine bay, not a problem I thought, I'll just grab my telescopic magnet and fish it out. Heh. But the problem with those telescopic magnets is they stick to everything so on the way back up with the screw - ping - magnet sticks to something else and the screw drops never to be seen again.

Just why are simple tasks on cars these days so hard? Are they just designed to last 3 years and then be scrapped or what?

 

[andy_mk3]

I'm not sure dropping a screw warrants a car being scrapped lol.

 

[Rroff]

Had that recently - was thinking of pre-emptively changing the headlights as I drive a lot at night and they have a lot of hours on them - checked on YouTube - went to the vehicle and it is totally different. Also found the official steps for replacing the bulb does not work after about 6 months or so, unless you have the engine out to get the angle/leverage, so you have to swap the middle part of the process around and use a bit of brute force.

Something which annoys me a lot as it should be an easy thing.

 

[Resident]

Managed to get clip off in the end. Got light cluster back on but one of the screws dropped down into the engine bay, not a problem I thought, I'll just grab my telescopic magnet and fish it out. Heh. But the problem with those telescopic magnets is they stick to everything so on the way back up with the screw - ping - magnet sticks to something else and the screw drops never to be seen again.

Just why are simple tasks on cars these days so hard? Are they just designed to last 3 years and then be scrapped or what?

Why? Money. Lots of people will simply take the car to the dealer to get things done, which they then charge the earth for.

I've had cars from the late 80s/early 90s and you could practically take them apart with a 10mm spanner & a possie screwdriver. These days you need all sorts of propriety tools, OBD software etc.

I, for my sins, had a Fiat Stilo. To change any bulb on the N/S headlamp it was a case of:

Wheel off
Arch-liner out
Bumper off
Battery out
Battery tray removed
Headlamp unit removed.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Megane 2 - jack up front of car and place on axle stands. Remove front wheels. Remove inner wing access panels. Find someone with very small hands to reach through the hole and swap out the bulbs. Put car back together.

 

[Armageus]

I've got an MK7 myself and had to replace my bulbs once. It sounds like a nightmare to do but it's actually straightforward

Becomes a nightmare however if the plastic clip that the bottom of the light cluster slots into breaks though. Ended up "rebuilding" the clip with some hot melt glue, as was worried the screws alone wouldn't stop it rattling about.

 

[Rroff]

I've had cars from the late 80s/early 90s and you could practically take them apart with a 10mm spanner & a possie screwdriver. These days you need all sorts of propriety tools, OBD software etc.

Back in the 80s my dad would do all sorts maintaining cars (my grandad on that side owned a garage) - even engine swaps the lot - as you could do it with only a few tools and nothing particularly specialised - now won't even touch them.

 

[Nasher]

You can't even open the engine bays on some supercars now lol. Tiny issues turn in to many £1000s.

It's heading that way for all cars with EVs.

 

[MissChief]

You can't even open the engine bays on some supercars now lol. Tiny issues turn in to many £1000s.

It's heading that way for all cars with EVs.

It's terrible, these new EV's don't even come with a dipstick!!

 

[Abraxaz1]

The Hilux I have the fronts need a toddlers hand to access and the surroundings are pressed steel with sharp edges, the rears require two different spanners and a screwdriver....

 

[Kei]

The old saab I have is great for changing headlights or tail lights. Either can be done without the need for any tools in under 2 minutes.

The front foglights are not so great and are probably easiest to change by taking off the entire front bumper. Even that is not that bad a job as I've done it in under 20 minutes. Ironically, I've never changed a fog light bulb in the 12 years I've owned the car. I don't remember my dad changing them when he had it before me, so it's possible those bulbs are 27 years old.

 

[Scania]

Even easier on a Renault artic truck.

I got pulled by VOSA at Sandbach for n/s blown headlamp bulb.

undo the bolt on the side footwell... Headlamp swings right outward on a hinge.

I then heard a "Bejesus be**** that's a good idea" from the Paddy parked next to me. (Scania driver)

I wonder why other manufacturers haven't adopted that idea ?

Patents ?

Ha! - As a Scania driver I can understand Paddy's reaction, complete pain in the rear to do a headlamp bulb on one of those, I'd gladly get a call out rather than do one myself again.

My V70 is equally bad, you need to remove the air filter on the N/S to change the bloody bulb!

 

[Rroff]

The Hilux I have the fronts need a toddlers hand to access and the surroundings are pressed steel with sharp edges, the rears require two different spanners and a screwdriver....

Rear lights on my pickup isn't too bad - the restraining screw have both a hex and Philips fitting so plenty of options to remove them - but it seems there has been 2 different revisions of the light unit and 3 different revisions of the wiring loom on the rear lights so when I replaced one of the units the loom which came with it didn't fit my existing connection while the existing loom didn't quite fit the unit without making the indicator hole slightly bigger.

 

[robj20]

Need to remove the bumper on mine, then pull the headlight units forward and then you can change the bulbs.

 

[SKILL]

On my NC MX5 it's another wheel off, arch liner pulled back and a bit of a contortionist/'blind' fun trying to get the bulb replaced. Not that bad but a pain still, compared to various older cars that are so simple it's annoying.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Both my old Accord, the wifes old Civic and her current car a 2010 Yaris were a pain to change the headlight bulbs but eventually managed to do so with lots of swearing and cut hands.

I think it's a sign of the times with everything being crammed in so tight with little room anywhere.

No idea how hard the bulbs are to change on my BMW 3 series, thankfully not had to do it yet, do Xenons last longer? I assume they do as it's a 2015 car and I think it still has the original bulbs in it.

 

[moon man]

Very easy on the mk1 fabia no tools, the front halogen on passenger side is slightly harder due to battery but not hard.
Did the brake light switch earlier in the year (flashing glow plug light being the warning) even that only reqires 1 size spline drive thingy to drop lower dash

 

[Funky-Melon]

Current car is by far the easiest I've had. One peg and the whole thing slides out - Don't know why other manufacturers can't do this.

Volvo S40, Headlight Removal - YouTube

The other half has a MK3 Clio and you're supposed to remove the bumper to replace those, fortunately her hands can just about fit through the gap to change it.

 

[Nasher]

Because they don't want to spend the money engineering it :/

 

[LeeUK]

Anyone know where I can get new/replacement screws that hold the headlight cluster in on the MK3 Focus?

Both clusters are currently held in by 1 screw each!

Thought I might be able to grab some one eBay but they seem non existent.