How To: Replace Headlight Bulbs

[9ringer]

need to stay away from the green stuff...

Thanks, I had already changed them before and didnt REMEMBER that I had to take off the black adapter piece.

 

[Kansei]

I'm pretty sure you have to have the light in there sitting flush before you try to reset the clip,...it took quite a while of dicking around/trial/error to get mine in there.
Note: on the drivers side you can lift the plastic resovour out of the way with a quick tug straight up, that will give you more room to work/look.
I would suggest having a actual look at the clip with the bulb/bulb holder out of there to see how it works.

I'm digging up a really old thread here... anyways, is there something that you can easily move out of the way on the passenger side so get the bulb in? It took me a while to get the driver's side in, and I didn't want to attempt the passenger side because I was so far away from home and would need headlights to see. It looks really tight in there though.

Now it's pretty embarrassing because I have one silverstar and one normal

 

[Mxyzptlk]

I dont think so. Passenger side always the hardest for me cause theres not much room to hold the bulb and mess with the clip

 

[Kansei]

I dont think so. Passenger side always the hardest for me cause theres not much room to hold the bulb and mess with the clip

Got the bulb in.. and it wasn't that hard, I just removed the dust cover and put it back on after the bulb was clipped in.

 

[raku]

i coudlnt get the metal paper clip liek thing back in so i just electrical taped thebulbs in, is that really bad? haha they seem to be alligned really poorly now haha.

 

[Mxyzptlk]

uh yes... tape is bad. You have to bring the clip over towards the bulb and up wards a bit. Hard to explain but try and pinch the square part of the clip in so that you can hook it into place.

 

[elfhearse]

Another tip for the H7 on the P5. The round bulb base has a square edge tip and two ridges about 45 off of this square tip (install the square tip portion at 12 o-clock OR pointing up.) That was the biggest PITA - putting the bulb back in 'cause I didn't pay attention when I pulled it out. Very little room to work with on the passenger side due to location of the wiper fluid fill tube & power steering reservoir.
The sheet metal edge of the pass. fender inside lip put a nice rip on the edge of my hand too. (wear Mechanix gloves next time?)
and of course : never touch the bulb / don't cross the streams.

 

[grindMARC]

do u guys know if the headlights need to be re-aimed after putting in new bulbs? cause mine seems to be shooting downwards now. thx

As other said, your bulb wasn't in properly. Its not the best design in the world. I pulled the car up in front of a wall after I swapped out the bulbs and I noticed one was low (and dim) too. I came up with a little trick to make sure they're in properly. Put your hand on the back of the bulb and then look through the headlight lens from outside the car. You want to see the entire base of the bulb all the way around the hole where the bulb pops through. Then its seated properly.

Oh, and the pic in the manual is your best bet on figurinng out that clip holding the bulb in place.

 

[Black Majik MSP]

Just put my Osram Silverstars in...only took about 10 minutes & I could probably do it in 5 now.

 

[Black Majik MSP]

Verdict is that the Osrams are awesome. The light isn't colored, just a very bright white. I always used to have to turn my brights on for the streets around my neighborhood & now with these, I don't. They look awesome too...I'll post pics this weekend.

 

[Wwing49]

this is all in the owners manual

 

[DaKidd]

OK, I am tring to just unplug the white harness in the back of the light but it seems like if I pull any harder its going to break! How hard do U have to pull to get this thing out? Is there a clip or something for just the white plug?

 

[Kansei]

OK, I am tring to just unplug the white harness in the back of the light but it seems like if I pull any harder its going to break! How hard do U have to pull to get this thing out? Is there a clip or something for just the white plug?

The white plug attaches to a black plug that the bulb attaches to. You can feel the black piece behind the rubber gasket.. unsealing the rubber gasket makes it a lot easier, then just separate the white plug from the black plug, get that big rubber thing out of the way, and then you can see the clip more easily. Do the driver's side first, it will make doing the passenger side less painful.

 

[Wwing49]

I remember pulling pretty hard while pushing the little button but yea drivers side is way easier some big tank was right by passenger and it was a b****.I think it was winsheild washer fluid or something. GL

 

[improte5]

are u guys sure it's an H7? last night i pulled out my oem low beam to swap in a PIAA H7 and the H7 was much smaller. The bulb, prong size & spacing was smaller than the oem that came out.

 

[Wwing49]

are u guys sure it's an H7? last night i pulled out my oem low beam to swap in a PIAA H7 and the H7 was much smaller. The bulb, prong size & spacing was smaller than the oem that came out.

I think what you need to do is take off the adaptor (black thing that makes the OEM bigger) and put it on the PIAA. I noticed that too on mine. It takes a bit of work but it separates where the plastic and metal come together.

 

[improte5]

aight - thanks man... i'll give it a shot tonight when i get off work.

 

[improte5]

I think what you need to do is take off the adaptor (black thing that makes the OEM bigger) and put it on the PIAA. I noticed that too on mine. It takes a bit of work but it separates where the plastic and metal come together.

man that was the little piece of the puzzle that i hadn't known about. after i read your reply - it took me about 5 minutes to change both bulbs!

 

[Wwing49]

glad to help

 

[666 sothis 666]

well i think i managed to "1up" everyone here...

the wire clip that holds the light in place... well i managed to break the plastic tab that holds the wire clip in place, and then i dropped the wire clip down inside the headlight... it just baffles me as to why they would make a whole seperate design for the low beam, rather than duplicate the same design they used for the high beam, which is 1000 times easier!!! so WTF am i supposed to do now? is there a how to on how to remove the whole headlight assembly? i need locations on all the screws/bolts

cant beat a GM for ease of replacing parts... headlights on my syclone... unscrew 4 screws, remove bulb, pull off connector, replace bulb, replace screws, and have a nice day.