Hey I'm a car novice, but need to replace the entire headlight in my
2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Is this an easy fix, or am I getting myself into trouble here?- posted
17 years ago
Hey I'm a car novice, but need to replace the entire headlight in my
2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Is this an easy fix, or am I getting myself into trouble here?
Leigh,
Yes, it is an easy replacement as there is only one screw that holds the headlamp assemblies on.
It has a 7 mm head and is located on top of the assembly connected through a plastic tab. The bolt itself is quite long (6-8 inches) but there are only threads at the end.
After that bolt is removed there are three spring loaded ball mounts. You grasp the headlamp unit securely and pull straight ahead with a very slight rocking motion to pull the mounts clear.
You will think there are other fasteners as the ball mounts will be quite stiff if they have never been removed before but they will come out without the use of any prying tools.
I have found that a spot of axle or chassis grease in the mount will make any further removals much easier.
May we ask why you need to replace the whole assembly?
I thought it sounded easy, but now I'm stuck in the garage trying to pry the thing out. It won't budge.
This is what happened: I almost got in a wreck on the freeway and instead hit a few construction barrels. They put a dent in my hood, scratched the paint and cracked my headlight casing. That's why I'm trying to pull it out, but it won't budge.
Any advice?
billy ray wrote:
Okay, If you take a long screwdriver and slide it into the slot behind the headlight unit you can GENTLY pry the assemble forward a bit, move to the side a bit and then GENTLY pry again, move a bit and then GENTLY pry again.
After a few GENTLE tries you should feel it move out of the ball retainers. Be sure to add a bit of grease into the plastic ball retainers before reassemble.
If you need, I can snap a few pix and e-mail them..
OK guys you must think I'm an idiot (well, I am with cars) but now I have another question. I FINALLY pried the sucker out, but now I can't see how to unplug the old headlight and plug in the new one. I tried going underneath the car, through the tiny opening -- nothing. Any more clues?
billy ray wrote:
Okay, You see all the individual wires, they go to each of the individual lamp units within the assembly.
Grasp the rubber/plastic firmly and rotate .... probably counter-clockwise... only maybe... a quarter turn. Then pull and wiggle to disengage from the socket.
Be careful not to touch the glass part of the bulb itself as skin oil may case the bulb to overheat and shatter. (you may clean with alcohol)
We are almost there...
Follow the wires. Where they connect to the headlamp unit you grasp there and rotate counter-clockwise (Lefty=loosie) about a quarter turn. If they have never been out they may be 'stuck".
I've had, on occasion, to use pliers to GENTLY grasp the connector and GENTLY turn it. Once it breaks free it will turn a bit (about a quarter turn) and then stop. At this point you GENTLY pull/wiggle the connector straight back out.
When I get the bulbs out I apply just a VERY THIN amount of grease to the gasket to prevent further sticking. That is.... I wipe a very thin layer on and then wipe 99% back off.
Do not get any on the bulb. (may clean with alcohol)
Please see bottom right picture (click to enlarge)
Ya know..... if someone wanted to de-amber their turn signal/running lights this would be a good time to do it.
Expensive aftermarket bulbs actually use colored glass but low-bid factory bulbs usually just have some kind of lacquer coating that would dissolve in an OSHA approved safety solvent and could be wiped off with a rag.
Gasoline would also work well but, of course, is not approved and the bulb would have to be cleaned with alcohol before reassembly.
But who would want to do that?
In article , L.W.(Bill) Hughes III wrote: # Grasp the headlight assembly on the upper inboard and lower #outboard corners and wiggle and pull very firmly outward to disengage #the 3 ball stud alignment posts from their sockets (be cautious of the #sharp edges of the grille and fender areas surrounding the headlamp). # God Bless America, Bill O|||||||O #mailto: snipped-for-privacy@aol.com
Here is the trick I use, but it needs to have a un-cracked surface to work off of.
Borrow/buy a glass tool/data center tile tool. I say Borrow because the Data Center one I have access to is f'ing 80 bucks...
/herb
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