Why are new car headlight bulbs so effing hard to change?

gizmo555

This just wrecks my head every time I have to do it.

I have a Chevrolet Captiva (08) and my wife has a Renault Fluence (11). I've just changed a headlight bulb on the Renault, which involves unscrewing three Torx head screws (of two different sizes!) then jiggling and tugging on the light unit to pull it forward so you can get access to the bulb holder. If you're lucky, you won't snap part of the plastic surround while you're doing it. The owner's manual says you can do this yourself, but you "may want to go to a main dealer" to have the job done. No sh1t!

In the Chevy, you have to unscrew 12 plastic screw fixings on a plastic strip covering the top of the radiator, then use a spanner to remove three bolts before you can pull out the entire light unit to access the bulb holder.

When I first did these bulb changes, they each took over half an hour - to change one bulb! Now I have it down to about 15 minutes. There's no way an ordinary driver could do this at the side of the road on a dark, wet and windy evening - even if they had a set of Torx head screwdrivers in the car . . .

Earlier cars I had weren't anything remotely as difficult. My wife's last car, a Saab 9-3 allowed direct access to the bulb holder and you could change it in two or three minutes. Did we just pick two particularly badly designed cars in this respect, or is this normal now?

colm_mcm

Keeps the main dealers busy
Bad design
Discourages DIY

Mc Love

BMW are the same, bloody nuisance trying to change the wifes bulbs in 3 series. Apparently in the mondeo, you have to take the grill out to change them

moonlighting

Colm is correct. They want you to send it to a dealership and milk money off you.
Here is a fine example,

kc66

Honda Accord is a nightmare. Have to go in through the wheel arch and there is barely space to squeeze a hand up to the bulb.

Stallingrad

Passat, Grand Scenic both very easy. Strangely hit and miss.

Tweaky

Mc Love wrote: »

BMW are the same, bloody nuisance trying to change the wifes bulbs in 3 series. Apparently in the mondeo, you have to take the grill out to change them

Yeah the Mondeo is a PITA to change - whole headlight comes off the car - you can squeeze it past the grill but only just - first time was a bit nerve wracking thinking you were going to break anything

Kimbot

This is the reason there are so many one eyed bandits (as i like to call them) on the roads.

gizmo555

The daft thing about the Renault is that in France, you're required by law to carry a full set of spare bulbs in your car.

What's the point?

PaddyTheNth

Audi A4 is a frigging joke in this regard. Disconnecting what feels like half the pipes/hoses in the engine bay. Need a nice long slim unusual head driver (can't swear it's a torx) which I actually bought something specially for.

Previous Seat Ibiza on the other hand was a 2 minute job.

It must be by design.

ianobrien

Well, if I want to change the headlight bulb in mk2 Escort at home, I've got to remove the grill (with various clips & fixings). I then remove the headlight (three screw clips) and try not to drop the light. Change the bulb, reattach the headlight, focus it and then reattach the grill.

Even 40 years ago car manufacturers had daft designs for changing the headlight bulb!

Flint Fredstone

Opel Insignia are a nuisance. The passenger side in particular, there is so little room to accommodate your hands let alone use the torx.

Atlantic Dawn

Lately I replace them in pairs, if one goes I will do the other at the same time, it saves you having to spend another few hours another day on the other one as it will go quick enough after.

looksee

kc66 wrote: »

Honda Accord is a nightmare. Have to go in through the wheel arch and there is barely space to squeeze a hand up to the bulb.

Honda Jazz is the same, had to get my garage mechanic to change a headlamp bulb; I saw the difficulty he had and I knew I would never be able to do it myself.

Cienciano

It should be easy to do by law as it's a safety issue. I've had 2 bulbs go in the one day before, luckily it wasn't hard to change (in through the wheel arch). An old car though, any new car it seems to be a nightmare

colm_mcm

Some cars turn the parking lights off when the headlights are on. Meaning when the bulb goes there are no lights on that side.

vandriver

My C4 has a hole precisely two fingers wide to get at the bulb,the retaining clip and the plug.All completely blind of course.
I can change a bulb now in about 2 minutes because C4s give you lots of practise.

My wife's Skoda Fabia has a side light that thankfully hasn't blown in 9 years,because I can't see a way to change it.

emeldc

I worked in BMW for a while in the mid noughtys. One of the 7's was definitely a main dealer job. The front bumper had to be removed in order to remove the headlight. One customer was advised to replace both at the same time even though only one was blown. The cost was €50 per bulb and about an hours labour at €120. He refused the option on the second bulb saying he felt he was being ripped off.

He came back in a few weeks later to have the second one replaced ....... another €170 :P

colm_mcm

BMW will do it for free at the moment

CJhaughey

Best design is Volvo in the V50, instead of all the stupid bolts and screws and trying to fit your hand into a hole that a 6yr old kid would have trouble putting their hand inside, you just pull 1 pin out and the whole headlight assembly comes free and can be replaced inside the car if its dark and wet outside.
Even the bigger cars like the V70 are easy and fast to replace.
Its a safety issue and they take it seriously where the nights are long.

Mervyn Skidmore

emeldc wrote: »

I worked in BMW for a while in the mid noughtys. One of the 7's was definitely a main dealer job. The front bumper had to be removed in order to remove the headlight. One customer was advised to replace both at the same time even though only one was blown. The cost was €50 per bulb and about an hours labour at €120. He refused the option on the second bulb saying he felt he was being ripped off.

He came back in a few weeks later to have the second one replaced ....... another €170 :P

€340 to change the headlights? I can see why he thought he was being ripped off.

ba_barabus

The Alfa 159 has the most piss easy bulb changing arrangement I've ever encountered.

My B6 Passat was the worst I've ever seen.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Legacy is a bit of a cumbersome job too, you need to remove the air intake/funnel to do the drivers side. The passenger side is easier as you just unclip the neck of the water bottle.

foxy farmer

Peugeot 207 passenger side would need the services of a mouse trained in gynaecology to get the bulbs out. Cousin of mine asked me to replace the passenger side several times. Buy 4 because you'll break 2 before you finish. My Focus needs torx screws to be removed to get out the whole fitting just to get at the bulb. Heard of a Peugeot 2008 that needed bumper loosening and then go up inside the wheelarch to get at the lamp.
A LR Defender headlamp on the other hand could be done by a elephant!

edburg

I can change indicators through the arch on Astra but I just drop bumper and remove lights for rest of lights.

Could take airbox and battery tray etc but bumper just 4 torx bits and clips to get at bottom bolts on headlights is easier way.

Not needed to touch my insignia thankfully, guess I found out 1 day if it same.

Voodoomelon

emeldc wrote: »

I worked in BMW for a while in the mid noughtys. One of the 7's was definitely a main dealer job. The front bumper had to be removed in order to remove the headlight. One customer was advised to replace both at the same time even though only one was blown. The cost was €50 per bulb and about an hours labour at €120. He refused the option on the second bulb saying he felt he was being ripped off.

He came back in a few weeks later to have the second one replaced ....... another €170 :P

Been there. Look familiar?

BrianD3

The Renault Megane Mk3 is easy, a 5 minute job and plenty of room to work once you pull the headlight forward after undoing the bolts holding it in place. There is a tool provided (which is stored in a slot in each headlight unit) for undoing the bolts. I would have thought that the Fluence would be similar.

gizmo555

BrianD3 wrote: »

The Renault Megane Mk3 is easy, a 5 minute job and plenty of room to work once you pull the headlight forward after undoing the bolts holding it in place. There is a tool provided (which is stored in a slot in each headlight unit) for undoing the bolts. I would have thought that the Fluence would be similar.

There is a tool provided as you describe - in the five door version. My wife's is the four door and there's no tool, just the advice to take it to the dealer in the handbook . . .

Also, pulling the headlight forward is a pig, very very hard

slimjimmc

moonlighting wrote: »

Colm is correct. They want you to send it to a dealership and milk money off you.
Here is a fine example,

LOL, the only thing that's a fine example of is an incompetent roadside technician. The headlamp bulbs in that model Megane can be changed in 10mins without any tools whatsoever, less time when you've done it a few times.

Hachiko

I replaced d4s Xenon bulbs on my Lexus last year, saved about £400 over going to a main dealer. Not a terribly hard job, space a bit tight but doable.

hardCopy

This seems like a prime place for EU regulators to do something worthwhile for the consumer and for safety.

Bulbs should be swappable in under a minute with no tools.