Changing Headlights on 2000 Taurus

I bought some Silverstar headlights today but when I opened the hood, I don't see any real way to get to the old headlamps. The Haynes manual shows something that looks like my old '89 Taurus but bears no resemblance to what I see. At the least, it looks like the battery needs to come out. The other side is no better.

Is this doable without a major disassembly or should I just let the dealer do it?

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
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Morty,

At the top, rear of the lamp assembly there is a metal bar. Pull it out and you can remove the headlight assembly.

Scott

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:

Reply to
scott(remove_to_reply)

There may also be a bolt that needs to be unscrewed (at least my 2000 Sable has one.)

Reply to
Andrew Rossmann

I don't know why, but this is the only reply I saw to my original query. As it turned out, I took the car down to the dealer and was glad I did. They ended up removing the entire headlight assembly from the car to access the lamps. Better them than me. It cost me $13 that I consider to be well spent.

I didn't have any trouble replacing bulbs myself with my '89 Taurus but the 2000 has been "improved" so it's not easy (not that there was an overabundance of room before).

As for whether this whole exercise was a waste of time, I haven't driven the car in the dark yet. Film at 11....

Reply to
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

It's actually EASIER than many other cars. You don't have to squash and cut your hands trying to feel your way into changing the bulb. You just remove one bolt, pull up 2 straps, and the entire assembly comes out. If needed, you can unplug the one connector that feeds both the headlight and the turn-signal/marker lamp and carry the entire assembly to someplace easier to work at.

To replace, you just reverse it. It's very easy. No aiming changes are typically needed. I think you can only adjust up/down anyways. Any if it's off the other way, then it's either not mounted properly, or there is body damge.

On my previous 1995 Mercury Mystique, it was extremely difficult to get at the bulbs. Worse, if you wanted to remove the assembly, you had to remove the entire bumper first!

Reply to
Andrew Rossmann

In news:alt.autos.ford, "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" posted on Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:06:27 GMT:

One of these days I want to have my headlight lenses replaced on my '98 Sable so they'll be a pretty crystal clear for a few years before turning into a scratchy, yellowish haze. I think it very negatively affects visibility at night.

Damaeus

Reply to
Damaeus

As far as the haze is concerned, try buffing it with toothpaste. That works pretty well on most plastics and washes off pretty easily.

Now for my real question... Is there anyway to aim headlights on a 2000 Ford Taurus? My headlights are just a little bit high.

Reply to
fmook

Yes there is a way to adjust the headlamps. It's a simple procedure as well ;)

mike hunt

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:

Reply to
BenDover

I agree the brights are useless. Unfortunately many posts here are probably as useless. Let me know what you learn... I'll investigate the same.

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote: : As far as the haze is concerned, try buffing it with toothpaste. That : works pretty well on most plastics and washes off pretty easily. : : Now for my real question... Is there anyway to aim headlights on a 2000 : Ford Taurus? My headlights are just a little bit high. :

Reply to
Tom Line

In news:alt.autos.ford, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com posted on 11 Jan 2005 07:48:49

-0800:

Really? I can't imagine toothpaste getting it back to that crystal clear shine. God should have used Cascade and Jet Dry in the rainstorms around here.

Reply to
Damaeus

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