How NOT to Change a dip beam bulb

[PaulPJ]

Thought I'd share this with you all. Last Wednesday the drivers side dip beam bulb blew on my facelift. I decided to leave it until Saturday when I could do it in the drive way at home. In the meantime I located a spare H7 I had from when I changed my Mk1 bulbs to Philips Xtreme when one blew. Saturday, 10am inform wife that going to change bulb and be 20 mins as we had a busy weekend as stair and landing carpet had to come up for new carpet to be fitted today and skirting borads needed glossing. Go out to car and wife parked 12" off my door, move car forward so had more room. Wheel on full left-hand down, bonnet open and removed inspection hatch removed and rubber bung from back of projector removed. Stan from No 7 drives bye and asks what I'm doing so I explain. Richard from No 8 drives bye (He owns a garage), explain again, he wishes me luck. Pat from No 10 walks bye, explain yet again. Removing bulb proved awkward as washer bottle neck in the way and not a lot of wire so with one hand through inspection hatch and one hand in engine bay eventually remove bulb. Go fetch latex gloves and after much struggling get bulb plugged in and fitted back in Projector. Start engine, switch on lights and warning does not go out, conclude that I kept blown bulb and threw away good bulb when I swapped bulbs to Xtreme. Close bonnet, replace hatch and inform wife that off to local MDC. New bulb purchased I start again. While struggling to unplug duff bulb, the piece of metal that clips to the plug and thus clips onto the projector falls off and is somewhere in engine bay sitting on the under tray. Go get trolley jack and torque wrench. Jack up car and undo landrover bolts holding under tray, can see clip but cant reach it. Removed wheel and rescue clip and replace under tray. Decided to check wishbone rear bushes, they are on their way out, damn!!. Put wheel back on and lower car and torque up wheel nuts. 2 hours have now gone bye and Den, my wife is reminding me that she needs to go and muck out the horses and I am blocking her in. Clip back on plug, bulb in after a struggle and clipped into the projector. Stan has now come back from his Tea Dance (he teaches Ballroom dancing) and is asking why it took so long so explain the sorry story. Richard then comes back so explain again. Start engine and warning goes out, yippeee. Car back together and cleared up in 2.5 hours. There you have it. I had considered buying Xtreme when I went to MDC but glad I didnt as I could still be doing it now.

[Plezier]

Know how you feel.


I notice the garage owner mae a hasty retreat and offered no help

So I believe that I will leave my headlamp bulb change and renewal until the car is on the ramp in the garage for it's service and belt change

[chrisquelch]

hi i did the same job on my father in laws 06 rover 75 this weekend . you can remove the washer bottle fillet tube it pulls out giving a bit more space for your hand..
cheers chris

[T-Cut]

That all sounds perfectly normal to me - though you could try removing the washer bottle neck to improve access.

TC

[robmac]

i feel rather proud of myself doing the same bulb outside halfords in two minutes flat!..does help to shine a light in the area your fumbling around in, had a good look first to see how the clip was orientated then plunged my arm in!!...****** stupid design all said and done. the easiest bulbs i've ever changed were on my mk3 mondeo..pull two metal clips up and headlight unit was removed..so easy.

[Dorset Bob]

I changed all four on mine for Osram Nightbreakers, only to find that the main beams had already had them in, being upgraded by a previous owner.

The one I struggled with most was the nearside dip, with the shannon tube in the way.

The taillight bulbs are a breeze though. I like the way you press a button and the cartridge releases with all of the bulbs in

[Kiltman]

Almost reminiscent of the barrel of bricks / rope / pulley / labourer story!

I agree that it is a crazy situation, so glad I have the non-clip version.

But what a great feeling of achievement when its done (and then that sinking feeling when it blows after a month!)

[rover54]

I have given up doing keyhole surgery; I just whip the bumper off and remove the light unit, change bulb, check everything is OK behind the bumper, clean bonnet locks and re-grease and refit bumper. 45 mins max and no shreded hands.

[PaulPJ]

Hi Guys, in hindsight it would have been quicker to whip the bumper off. I changed the nearside bulb in 10 minutes a month ago. I wasn't sure if the washer bottle neck came off or not. I did turn it a few degrees but it wouldn't turn any further. How does the neck come off, unscrew or full off?

[PaulPJ]

Forget to say, Richard who owns the garage would have helped but job was 99% complete. However he did tell me not to go and buy bulbs as he has loads at home and loads at his garage. I did have a light to help, the sort that sits on your head. The wife thinks I look like a character out of Fraggles Rock when I wear it.