I did once feel a failure......

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 03 Jan 2011, 17:13

.....and how many hours does it take to change a C5 MkI headlamp bulb?

Offside lighting issues: (a) headlamp, (b) side lighting and now (c) fog light

Well I've given up after I thought what would end up being a 5 minute job has instead frozen my fingers off after 2 hours of struggling.

So take off the shroud that covers coolant reservoir, suspension sphere etc struggling with stupid clips and losing one down side (grrrrrr)

First the easy one (part b). Side lighting assy came out easily after a slight twist and pull, but after bulb replacement, assy seemed to push right through the aperture at the back of the lens assy. Is there a collar that may have been lost as I pulled it out, or does it just simply rest fairly loosely?

Headlamp: well after scraping the back of my hand twisting the cover off, the lamp came our fairly easily, but getting it back in? Mirror and torch to hand, can I get the stupid spring clip back on the latch to hold the bulb? Not a chance. Fiddling around with the connector was bad enough but this trauma.

Then I thought I'd have a go at the fog lamp to see if I could fair better practicing with that spring clip. What a mistake!! Can I get the spring clip back on the latch? Not a chance.

So at the moment I have two loose main lamps and and an unconvincing side light.

Is ti just me, or are these designs just bl**dy stupid?

I'll try again tomorrow in the dark just before work. Agrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Happy New Year all

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 03 Jan 2011, 17:17

Think yourself lucky, a Golf 5 owner has a 4 hour stealer labour bill for changing a headlight bulb !! Ludicrous absurdity !!!

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 03 Jan 2011, 17:21

HDI wrote:Think yourself lucky, a Golf 5 owner has a 4 hour stealer labour bill for changing a headlight bulb !! Ludicrous absurdity !!!

I shuddered as a neighbour suggested I take it to a dealer, clearly bemused that I'd want to torture myself on a BH Monday just after New Year.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 03 Jan 2011, 17:30

Thing is, car manufacturers are offering the cars most people now want;
the majority that don't even know how the bonnet opens and the only
maintenance is opening the petrol filler cap godforbid changing a punctured
tyre. The only real reason new cars have an opening bonnet still is so
the dealer can [allegedly] change the oil and plugs.

They're not designed by design engineers to be DIY friendly; in fact I'd say
these engineers are sadistic lonely gits that, like Clarkson commented once,
read about children in a book once!

Andrew

evilally · Post by **evilally** » 03 Jan 2011, 17:53

Yes, absurd indeed, and in my opinion it should be illegal for a car manufacturer to produce a vehicle that does not have easily accessible bulbs. It's the law in many countries to carry a spare set of bulbs in the vehicle in case of failure. Pointless in the case of many modern cars, which often require a dealership visit to have them fitted.

It's a sad fact now that things are not built to be repaired, that goes for cars, washing machines whatever. I like the thinking behind the new McLaren car, everything on it is designed to be easily replaceable, even the rolling chassis. The idea is that you should never have to buy a complete new vehicle. We all get our knickers in a twist over CO2 emissions, when it's still the done thing to throw your car away after 3 years and buy a new one

Post by **myglaren** » 03 Jan 2011, 18:04

It is a pain.
I spent an hour trying to get one out a few weeks ago - what should have been the easiest, offside main/fog, only to discover that it was the wrong bulb I was trying to remove and it was the nearside dip that was out. Much more difficult, except it only took between five and ten minutes altogether.

I suspect that the one I tried to remove was out - I did check prior to the failed attempt - and it was just corroded contacts and was fixed inadvertently. I have a workmate who had a Xsara Picasso and he found the same thing.

Diabolical · Post by **Diabolical** » 03 Jan 2011, 18:14

Could try taking to Hellfrauds, they say will change headlight bulb for £2.50 if purchased in shop.

Could be fun just to watch IF

they will do it on C5.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 03 Jan 2011, 18:24

Ive only done a N/S headlamp bulb on S1 C5s, that took a few minutes. Ive changed both sidelight bulbs at the front, that only took minutes too. Though the headlamp on the O/S looks harder to get to, though it shouldnt be impossible.

Many cars require the removal of the bumper to gain access, i didnt think the S1 did though.

Post by **myglaren** » 03 Jan 2011, 18:26

Diabolical wrote:Could try taking to Hellfrauds, they say will change headlight bulb for £2.50 if purchased in shop.

Could be fun just to watch IF they will do it on C5.

I heard the horror stories and after losing the clip on my first attempt after buying the car went to Halfords where they did it very quickly. It was £5 + the price of the bulb so £15 all told.
They made it look easy so I thought I would have another go.
Once you have done it a few times I suspect it isn't too bad but being completely unable to see what you are doing makes it a challenge.

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 03 Jan 2011, 19:33

I did the n/s last year and I seem to remember that going okay. Perhaps the usual hand scraping, but nothing as bad as this. Really frustrated. I won't let it beat me, so will keep going - even if I end up like this:

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 03 Jan 2011, 20:21

The trick is to look through the headlight lens to see where the bulb is when you're putting it in. It's one of the few advantages of clear headlights. Once it's located you can hold it with one finger while bringing the clip round with another.

I can do it reasonably quickly now but it does involve quite a lot of bleeding.

HDI Dave · Post by **HDI Dave** » 03 Jan 2011, 21:47

andmcit wrote:Thing is, car manufactures are offering the cars most people now want;
the majority that don't even know how the bonnet opens and the only
maintenance is opening the petrol filler cap godforbid changing a punctured tyre. The only real reason new cars have an opening bonnet still is so the dealer can [allegedly] change the oil and plugs.

They're not designed by design engineers to be DIY friendly; in fact I'd say these engineers are sadistic lonely gits that, like Clarkson commented once,
read about children in a book!

Andrew

My thoughts entirely pal

Cars these days seem to be deliberately over engineered/designed..to make it more harder for normal folk to even change a bulb etc,without dismantling half the car on some models

...so it goes back to the dealers

*

OP, don't beat yourself up:

* I've been messing with cars/bikes/owt with an engine,mechanical etc for over 30 years,I enjoy the challenge/hobby/get one over on the, "yes mate, mmm,you're looking at £££££ etc"
Pfft,shut up, I'll figure it out myself

I had a mate ask me to change his bulb on his new car..I could NOT suss it out!
Luckily, another mate owned a motor factors,so I called in - "Yeah,no problem pal", wipped out a wire,down the wing or summat,sorted,30 seconds!
There's definately a knack I suppose,once you know it.
Cars these days are just NOT diy friendly..mind you, in the bigger picture, if we could all fix everything, there'd be no aftercare dealer/garage profit would there

R9UKE · Post by **R9UKE** » 03 Jan 2011, 22:01

Diabolical wrote:Could try taking to Hellfrauds, they say will change headlight bulb for £2.50 if purchased in shop.

Could be fun just to watch IF they will do it on C5.

They did it for me on the Mégane. Wasn't a bad price for what looked like half an hour of pure torture.

birksy · Post by **birksy** » 03 Jan 2011, 22:31

Just think how bad it would be if we were without the internet.

I changed the Mrs Audi A4s headlights the other week, handbook helpfully says under Headlight Bulb replacement....Take to dealer...

Checked on t'internet and its four cunningly hidden screws. The whole unit slides forward once released.

Now my C5 S1 today, has lost its side light (again) which I did previously when sunny and warm by loosening the bumper cover at the grille. This lets you loosen the lamps and gain a little more movement lessening the blood loss. Wouldn't like to say if you could get enough access do all the bulbs but defo sidelight and next one along.

frenchcarnut · Post by **frenchcarnut** » 08 Jan 2011, 21:22

Had a go at this again today in decent sunlight with the glow of a warm engine keeping my hands from feeling like raw, exposed bones. 5 minutes to get two o/s clips back on (fog and headlamp) and about 5 minutes getting the headlamp rear cover back on - for some reason I found this a little awkward this time. Obligatory scraped hands again, but at least no mental anguish this time.

Hallelujah!!!