Xenon headlight bulb change

[bendrick]

My passenger side xenon headlight bulb has packed in this evening.

I have a couple of questions in regards getting it changed



1) Could it just be a fuse ? I have a Mk I diesel.

2) Does the bumper have to come off? I won't be doing it myself and would need to use a local garage.

3) Any recommendations for the correct bulb to replace it with as I need to get it done as quickly as the garage can do it.

I do have the xenon sticker inside the headlights

4) Any estimates on how long it might be reasonable to expect a mechanic to change it?


Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.

[trikey]

1) Could it just be a fuse ? I have a Mk I diesel. - Nope, it will be a burned out lamp.

2) Does the bumper have to come off? I won't be doing it myself and would need to use a local garage. - Yes, bumper off and headlight out and put on the bench.

3) Any recommendations for the correct bulb to replace it with as I need to get it done as quickly as the garage can do it. - No recommendations but it might be best to change them as a pair, otherwise the colour of the light may vary.

I do have the xenon sticker inside the headlights

4) Any estimates on how long it might be reasonable to expect a mechanic to change it? - I would say 2 - 3 hrs should be about right if they have never done one before.

[bendrick]

Thank you very much for that.

That's outrageous, a whole bumper off just to change a headlight bulb.

[Les4048]

Originally Posted by bendrick

Thank you very much for that.

That's outrageous, a whole bumper off just to change a headlight bulb.

Why outrageous? It’s no different than many other cars and at least it’s only around a ten minute job on our cars

[SCP440]

Originally Posted by Les4048

Why outrageous? It’s no different than many other cars and at least it’s only around a ten minute job on our cars

Yes exactly, I had to help a friend recently with his Audi with a blown bulb, over an hour to get the bumper off and probably about the same to get it back on an aligned correctly.

Not that I would ever let Halfrauds touch my car but they do offer a bulb fitting service for some vehicles, if it is on there list might be a £10 well spent if you don't want to get your hands dirty.

[bendrick]

Originally Posted by Les4048

Why outrageous? It’s no different than many other cars and at least it’s only around a ten minute job on our cars

Well the fact that other cars might well be equally outrageous in the fact that the bumper has to come off just to change a light bulb does nothing to change the fact that its outrageous in my view.

How is it a ten minute job when tricky says that its anything up a couple of hours for someone unfamiliar with the job? After previous experiences on other cars the thought that I would let Halfords do anything more than change a wiper bade on a car is too frightening to contemplate



** ANYWAY a new development this morning. upon turning on the headlights the offending passenger side light comes on and then after almost exactly 20 seconds starts to flicker for about two seconds and then goes out. When switched off and back on it comes back on and repeats the flicker and going out after twenty seconds every time.

Anybody any ideas on this scenario please?

[Falcon Flyer]

Sounds like the ballast has gone, and I THINK, you can change that in situ. (As long as you have the right tools and dextrous fingers!)

[Canonite]

Originally Posted by MGJohn

I just removed the top fasteners on the slam panel, pulled the far ends of the bumper away from their interface with the front wings, then pulled it forward, still attached at the bottom.

Less than an hour working at a leisurely pace. I thought a Bulb had gone. Not that. It had not, a connector had become detached or was already detached/loose when I bought car shortly before. I now have two brand new unused Bulbs ... somewhere stored in my garage..




Cars can be like that...

I was about to ask what engine you had in that car until I realised it was an upside down headlight