Replacing headlight lamp in 2000 9-5

Depends on what country you're in, and which headlamp type you have.

Really? I think it's pretty universal around the globe, you first remove the old one and the replace with a new (working) one!

:)

You're right, of course. Sorry 'bout that. Along with "installation is the reverse of this procedure", and "An assistant will help you to (thing)". All the times I took the hood off of a car, and that darn assistant has _never_ shown up.

Check the owners manual. It usually gives that information.

snipped-for-privacy@madmousergraphics.com

This question may not be as idiotic as it seems in the first place. The last decade car designers have constantly lowered the car fronts to improve aerodynamics, while the engineers have added more and more stuff under the bonnet. All this stuff needs space decreasing the space you have to access the headlight to replace the bulb.

On a VW Golf you need to remove the battery to replace a headlamp. On a VW new Beetle you essentially need to remove the entire headlight unit to be able to replace the lamp. Try doing that at night in rainy conditions without the proper tools and proper lighting.

Some regulation requiring easy access for lamp replacement wouldn't be a bad idea. I can't believe the number of cars I see every day having a broken headlight. Otherwise we may end up with cars you have to take to the shop to have a headlight replaced.

Mark

And yet, on a Saab it's still right there, no problems, no tools, no removing parts of the car to get to it.

Sounds like the sort of thing to look into before buying a car, then.

Regulation as an answer? That's insane. Market forces, that's the way to do it. The same dumbass engineer that comes up with "You have to lower an engine mount to get the last spark plug out" (Ford Bronco 2 with the V6, among probably many others) is also going to make the bulbs hard to get to - if not the same person, the same engineering priorities.

I think Saab is (still) very good in the servicability department. They don't have dozens of models, and they take the time to do intelligent things like putting the fluids, fuses, and other "user" items in reachable places. It's not that difficult to do, but it takes a bit of effort. If VW is making it hard to change lightbulbs, I bet the oil filter, fuses, power steering fluid, or other things are probably a bear to get at as well.

It all depends on engineering priorities. If it's "Well, the engine is (dimensions), so let's shoehorn it into an existing engine bay", you'll get filters you can't reach, drain plugs above support members, and all those other inconveniences. Saab is pretty good about those, almost always.

Dave Hinz

It's not an idiotic question and I certainly wasn't mocking the original poster, just having a little follow on fun.

:)

David.

No, it's a great idea. They should do that for things like heater cores too so that when I come to swap mine out on my 9000, all I should need to do is just turn a know and it automatically come out on a motorised tray.

David.

Indeed. But as a frequent visitor of this newsgroup you qualify as a car enthousiast. I don't expect an average consumer to consider this. He only gets annoyed when the light fails and he finds out how difficult it is to replace. A week later he has forgotten all this and happily buys the exact same car again, despite the design flaw.

Well, those market forces have made the VW Golf IV with it's nearly-impossible-to-replace-them-yourself headlights (one of) the best selling car in Europe. I wonder how difficult it is to replace a lamp on the new Golf V.

Fortunately, there is a new development in headlight technology. Using LEDs they have developed headlights which should last a cars lifetime. When they start making them in large numbers they will be much cheaper than current HID-lamps, which also last longer than normal halogen bulbs.

Mark

Then what use would our Haynes or Chiltons manuals be? We would have to do without some of the valuable information they provide along the lines of:

To remove transmission:

1. Hoist car
2. Remove transmission

To install, reverse above procedure.

;-)

Walt Kienzle

Look at the back of the headlight assemblies. On each, there are two round plastic covers, like the tops of jars. Unscrew (about 1/2 turn) the one behind the burnt out bulb.

Pull the wiring clip off the bulb. It's just a friction fit, so pull it straight back.

The bulb itself is held in by a metal clip. Look closely and you'll see it fits into a notch on the bulb holder. Press in on the clip and push it to the side. The bulb is now loose.

Reverse the process to install the new bulb. Be careful not to toch the quartz part with your fingers or you'll shorten the life of the bulb.

New opportunities, they'd have to tell us how to replace the broken motor that operates the automatic tray that delivers the heater matrix!

:)

David.