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Changing headlight bulb

14K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Dragunov 
#1 ·
Has anyone changed the headlight bulb yet? It would appear from googling that you have to take the bumper off or at least disconnect it from car and move it forward 15 cm . Surely this can't be right?
 
#2 ·
Oh god, I hadn't noticed that before.

The manual does indeed say to remove the headlamp assembly which does indeed entail moving the bumper now.

Removing the headlamp unit to change bulbs on my MK4 was bad enough to entail going home using a dead lamp instead of whipping out the spare bulb kit from the boot and changing it there and then. This doesn't help.

I was already wishing I'd coughed up for the LED headlamps!
 
#4 ·
Has anyone changed the headlight bulb yet? It would appear from googling that you have to take the bumper off or at least disconnect it from car and move it forward 15 cm . Surely this can't be right?
Oh god, I hadn't noticed that before.

The manual does indeed say to remove the headlamp assembly which does indeed entail moving the bumper now.

Removing the headlamp unit to change bulbs on my MK4 was bad enough to entail going home using a dead lamp instead of whipping out the spare bulb kit from the boot and changing it there and then. This doesn't help.

I was already wishing I'd coughed up for the LED headlamps!
Changing a bulb on a mk4 is a doddle.The headlight removal is 2 plain screws and takes less than 5 minutes.you can then see what your doing to change the bulb and the whole job can be done in less than 10 minutes.How is that bad? If only all cars were the same.
I'm not a car mechanic, halfords bulb fitter or similar. I only had the pleasure of taking the headlight units out a couple of times in the five years I had my MK4, so more like 20 minutes to get it out and back in with all that fiddling around trying to get the angle right as it comes back out. Not something you want to be doing in the dark in some badly lit car park miles from home with limited numbers of tools available.
 
#5 ·
Overall it's getting more and more difficult to change bulbs in cars.

When you consider that they are very important safety feature in a

car, it should be one of the easiest things to for all drivers, regardless

of their mechanical knowledge or abilities.
 
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#6 ·
It is and with some cars you even have to remove the front wheels and the inner wheel liner. Are not the xenon bulbs subject to a one or two warranty against failure?
 
#7 ·
It is and with some cars you even have to remove the front wheels and the inner wheel liner. Are not the xenon bulbs subject to a one or two warranty against failure?
I think so Chris, but are xenon even available in the UK, is it not just halogen or the LED option?
 
#8 ·
The only tool needed is a flat head screw driver,and as said only two large screws to undo so I'm not sure why that would take you 20 minutes,I suspect that against the clock I could have a unit out in about 3 minutes.
For info,I've done it in poor light with little difference,not that I would attempt it away from home,I'd wait or create a route that had a service station that was well lit,but likely I'd wait till I was home and do it in day light the next day as my bulbs are not 55w and I fill my garage with crap,not my car.
Takes longer than that. It's a real fiddle to get the headlight unit out on the Mk4 as the opening is smaller than the headlight unit. Perhaps your bumper was not fitted correctly? The screws are Torx not flat head by the way.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have to agree, it's a brilliant system -much preferable to others I have experienced, and definitely much easier than the wife's focus which I hate changing the bulbs for, as I always end up with less skin on my knuckles than I started with.

The first time I did it, it took me a few minutes to work it out, but the second side was whipped out in seconds.

The worst I have had was a current model Accord - that needed the wheel arch liner removed and pipe work for the air intake removed (on the near side).
 
#10 ·
The only tool needed is a flat head screw driver,and as said only two large screws to undo so I'm not sure why that would take you 20 minutes,I suspect that against the clock I could have a unit out in about 3 minutes.
For info,I've done it in poor light with little difference,not that I would attempt it away from home,I'd wait or create a route that had a service station that was well lit,but likely I'd wait till I was home and do it in day light the next day as my bulbs are not 55w and I fill my garage with crap,not my car.
Takes longer than that. It's a real fiddle to get the headlight unit out on the Mk4 as the opening is smaller than the headlight unit. Perhaps your bumper was not fitted correctly? The screws are Torx not flat head by the way.
No it doesn't take longer at all,and my bumper (s) all 3 mk4 mondeos are/were fitted perfectly. It might be time for an eye test because you CAN use a flat head screw driver OR torx,its much faster to find and use a plain old flat head screw driver.

As for being a tight fit,you have to pull out the plastic bung holding the top of the front bumper which takes seconds,this gives you the room to pull out the light unit.

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You're the first to say it takes seconds. The Mk4 had a saggy bumper which maybe helped - this was fixed on the Mk4.5 and there is no play at all.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
I also have a skoda :

the procedure to replace the indicator bulb isn't detailed in the owners manual and means they want you to visit a dealer as it will be a (relatively) difficult job, i.e. on the Octavia you now need to remove the bumper in addition to smashing open the back of the headlight, You have to break open a cap on the back of the headlight and then buy a repair kit to re-seal the hole!
 
#12 ·
I also have a skoda :

the procedure to replace the indicator bulb isn't detailed in the owners manual and means they want you to visit a dealer as it will be a (relatively) difficult job, i.e. on the Octavia you now need to remove the bumper in addition to smashing open the back of the headlight, You have to break open a cap on the back of the headlight and then buy a repair kit to re-seal the hole!
VW junk ????
 
#13 ·
2015 Mondeo Titanium headlight replacement do not follow the OSRAM bulb guide it is completely wrong it states main beam H7 and dip H11 these will not fit the one you will be looking for is an H15 for the main beam Halfords also keep the right Dip bulbs if you want to upgrade the light output but will not fit them. The Ford handbook lists the bulbs as H7LL that would be the standard bulb from Fords.

Have changed all my lighting to OSRAM blue intense to keep it all legal the light given is much whiter looking to match even the side lights.

Fitted LED Daytime Running Light For Ford Fusion Mondeo Fog Lamp DRL 2013 2014 2015

Link copy and paste the part is better quality than the original made for the Ford Fusion / Mondeo

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231444606739?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Once you have released part of the front bumper to get at the lights it is not that difficult, the bumper has to come off completely if fitting the LED units but well worth it as they look like original equipement. I have linked them into the existing DRL the come on when the engine starts there is an option to dim them when the headlights come but thought they were still to bright so used the other option they go out when the headlights go on like the i30 Hyundai, the turning /fog lights remain and work exactly as before.

Anybody not aware of the automatic headlight dip in the settings it is well worth turning it on. you will never need to dip your headlights again it works so well I would have bought the car just to get that alone such an improvement for night driving.
 
#14 ·
2015 Mondeo Titanium headlight replacement do not follow the OSRAM bulb guide it is completely wrong it states main beam H7 and dip H11 these will not fit the one you will be looking for is an H15 for the main beam Halfords also keep the right Dip bulbs if you want to upgrade the light output but will not fit them. The Ford handbook lists the bulbs as H7LL that would be the standard bulb from Fords.

Have changed all my lighting to OSRAM blue intense to keep it all legal the light given is much whiter looking to match even the side lights.

Fitted LED Daytime Running Light For Ford Fusion Mondeo Fog Lamp DRL 2013 2014 2015

Link copy and paste the part is better quality than the original made for the Ford Fusion / Mondeo

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231444606739?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Once you have released part of the front bumper to get at the lights it is not that difficult, the bumper has to come off completely if fitting the LED units but well worth it as they look like original equipement. I have linked them into the existing DRL the come on when the engine starts there is an option to dim them when the headlights come but thought they were still to bright so used the other option they go out when the headlights go on like the i30 Hyundai, the turning /fog lights remain and work exactly as before.

Anybody not aware of the automatic headlight dip in the settings it is well worth turning it on. you will never need to dip your headlights again it works so well I would have bought the car just to get that alone such an improvement for night driving.
 

Attachments

#15 ·
2015 Mondeo Titanium headlight replacement do not follow the OSRAM bulb guide it is completely wrong it states main beam H7 and dip H11 these will not fit the one you will be looking for is an H15 for the main beam Halfords also keep the right Dip bulbs if you want to upgrade the light output but will not fit them. The Ford handbook lists the bulbs as H7LL that would be the standard bulb from Fords.

Have changed all my lighting to OSRAM blue intense to keep it all legal the light given is much whiter looking to match even the side lights.

Fitted LED Daytime Running Light For Ford Fusion Mondeo Fog Lamp DRL 2013 2014 2015

Link copy and paste the part is better quality than the original made for the Ford Fusion / Mondeo

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231444606739?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Once you have released part of the front bumper to get at the lights it is not that difficult, the bumper has to come off completely if fitting the LED units but well worth it as they look like original equipement. I have linked them into the existing DRL the come on when the engine starts there is an option to dim them when the headlights come but thought they were still to bright so used the other option they go out when the headlights go on like the i30 Hyundai, the turning /fog lights remain and work exactly as before.

Anybody not aware of the automatic headlight dip in the settings it is well worth turning it on. you will never need to dip your headlights again it works so well I would have bought the car just to get that alone such an improvement for night driving.
 

Attachments

#16 ·
the head lights on my mk5 are awful...going to put stronger bulbs in..low and high beam...omg its going to take me half a day.. :crazy:theres such a choice of bulbs now..halogen,led xenon :eek13: gonna try xenon filled H11"s the mk4 & then mk3 focus ive had as taxis were 5 minute jobs to change bulbs ...was changing em every few months with driving mostly nights...
 
#17 ·
Very nice!

But if u use your blinker the fog light on those side goes on?
 
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