Focus passenger side headlight

Typical I'm away from home and the passenger headlight blew on my journey.

I'm hoping to pop to halfords and pick up a bulb and hope I can change it without a tool kit.

I thought as I have some net access (extremely slow access) to ask if anyone has done this and if its simple enough with out have to undo a lot of things considering what a headache of changing a headlight on modern day cars can be like.

A local garage I asked said he would charge £30!! to do it. Maybe I could if I can't do it pay halfords £5 to do it one their fitting service.

Advice welcomed.

opps... ford focus 1.8 04

Fiddly, but possible. Mr Haynes suggests unclipping the battery cover helps.

Chris

I have a 55 plate 1.6 Focus standard lamps (not HID etc), and it's easy to change. From memory you need a Torx bit to remove the lamp unit. Remove a couple/few Torx screws, slide forward, unplug the unit and remove the whole lamp unit. Unclip the 3 clips holding the back on, and then you get access to the bulbs. Not as easy as with our previous 306 which just unscrewed the back of the lamp to get to the bulbs, but nothing like the "remove the wheel, arch lining" stuff modern cars seem to need.

Arrrrrggg. Pay Halfords.

Fiddly, but possible. Mr Haynes suggests unclipping the battery cover helps.

Chris

Fiddly was not the word, removing the battery tray gave my lady like fingers a few mm to wiggle about. Thanks for the info Chris. There really isn't much room as compared to the other side. The metal ring clip was what took the time as I couldn't figure out how to get it off or back on. Managed to have a look at drivers side to work out its like a hinge. Now home and a youtube video shows a nice guide but they remove the battery cover, the battery, and battery tray for more room. Looks like about 15 minutes to remove all that. Took me about 25 minutes faffing about.

Although the parts guy said if you've had a blown bulb all the power goes to the other side which could cause it to blow soon and recommended changing them in sets. I bought one only. Although I do notice the passenger side is brighter. Was replaced using a some spec standard bulb. No idea why that is, perhaps I should just change the otherside for good measure.

You'll do it in 15 minutes next time without removing the battery ;-)

Complete and utter drivel!

Good advice however. I always do that with a failed headlight bulb, or a brake light. Basically, they have a fairly predictable rate of failure, so the unchanged one will be likely to fail soon just due to age.

The light output of a bulb drops fairly significantly when it's near end- of-life, so that's another good reason to change the other one.

Chris

It could be in the wrong way? I have done this, seems it is a very common mistake.

Mk2 Focus.

Possible but not easy due to the battery. Small hands help, releasing the multiplug off the back of the bulb tricky as they often melt in place.

Note the orientation of the old bulb as you take it out, as its very easy to put the new one in incorrectly, even though it appears to be right.

Tim.

I've got a MK2 Focus with the exact same problem. I know from experience that replacing it won't be a trivial exercise ! The previous owner lost the clip of the back of the unit( and his patience I suspect ) it's held together with gaffer tape which makes it a bit easier..