How many idiots

Fishman

Fishman

Fishman

Associate
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
1,080
Location
Welwyn Garden City
does it take to change a light bulb.

Yes my driver side dipped headlight is out, after reviewing the pretty limited instructions from my Manual (2001 Nissan Almera 1.5S) and getting stuck in on the passenger side (much easier access) I was unable to get the damn thing out.

This is what I did/saw
1) Take off the cover (presumably for dust/water)
2) 2 wires going into a black thing which attaches to the back of the bulb and a spring to hold it all in place.
3) Manual said to remove the bulb fitting before undoing the spring but I could get the black thing off. When I pulled on it the light just moved.
4) Undoing the spring (A task in itself) meant that I could get the bulb out of the fitting but it was still attached to the wires.

I have pretty much given up on this.. maybe I am not pulling hard enough in 3), but I can see this being impossible on the drivers side.

Pics:

Cover on passenger side thing.
headlight1.jpg

After removing cover (The "black things")
headlight2.jpg

The drivers side (poor picture - no access)
headlight4.jpg


The instuctions from my book
headlight3.jpg


Any advice before I bite the bullet and take to a garage. also would disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery lose the radiocode etc (which I dont have)
 
Pull wires off, unclip clip and remove bulb. Job done.

Stop being a wimp, pull it like you mean it :D
 
Valeo. Everything i've ever had a problem with on a car has Valeo written on it. Fact.

And every car ive been in with broken central locking is Valeo central locking.

I know they make lots of stuff. Badly.
 
Take the bulb out still attached to the black conenctor, then lever it off with a flat head scooby.

I managed to snap the mounting lugs on my old transit headlight when i tried to pull the connector off still in the light, chuffing tight!
 
Gaijin said:
Valeo. Everything i've ever had a problem with on a car has Valeo written on it. Fact.

And every car ive been in with broken central locking is Valeo central locking.

I know they make lots of stuff. Badly.
Click to expand...

French company.. what did you expect :)
 
Lopéz said:
Pull wires off, unclip clip and remove bulb. Job done.

Stop being a wimp, pull it like you mean it :D
Click to expand...

Just confirming you mean pull the black thing not the indiviual wires.
I figure I might just be able to manage the passenger side but the driver side will be v tricky !
 
Gaijin said:
Valeo. Everything i've ever had a problem with on a car has Valeo written on it. Fact.

And every car ive been in with broken central locking is Valeo central locking.

I know they make lots of stuff. Badly.
Click to expand...
For me it's always Piaggio

pinkaardvark said:
French company.. what did you expect :)
Click to expand...
Italian in this case. Damn greasy haired Europeans :D
 
I was ashamed when I couldn't get the drain plug out of my sump and had to go to a garage, I can't imagine how bad I'd be asking to change a bulb :D
 
SB118 said:
-1 manpoints

:p
Click to expand...

Cant diasagree with that ! The guy had little flexible hands and took less than 5 mins.

However I had never done it before so didnt know how much force I could get away with :p
 
Fishman said:
Gave it another go, failed again then got it done by a garage :)
Click to expand...
I had to do that with my car once. :)

My car's only little (and I'm not) and I was wrenching the thing so hard I swear one of the wheels came off the road. It was due an MOT so I took it in and warned him to change it before he started. Job done. :)
 
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