Front Bumper to Change a Light Bulb??!!

[StokeMusicDude]

This is only my second post . . the other being about erratic system readings and tracing the fault (via a new battery) to a failed alternator.

On my journey, I noticed that the front nearside side light is out. No probs I thought, I'll get to that after new alternator next Tuesday. But from a meander around this site, I can recall a comment on removing bumper to change bulbs. Got to my Haynes manual and sure enough it states the on "facelift" C5's (2004 onwards?) changing any front light bulb starts with taking the front bumper off then the full headlight unit!!

The manual does state the access to the lights is possible without this faff but is problematic . . it also states that taking the front bumper off and on is a two man job. My car is a Citroen C5 Exclusive Auto . . 2ltr . . first reg 30/01/2006 . . VIN no. . . VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]. On a "55" reg plate and done about 57K.

Please tell me this is a nightmare and I will wake up gently in a min.

Thoughts

[myglaren]

It is possible but certainly isn't easy without practice. On my pre-facelift I find it simpler to drop the bumper.
Having the same problem with daughter's C3 - had to admit defeat yesterday and will make another attempt next weekend.

Might be worth letting the dealer or Halfords do it for the sake of a tenner.

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, so you have the halogen lights. On my MK II Facelft like yours I had the Bi-directional Xenon headlamps, so different bulbs and layout - however, I changed the D1S bulbs and the sidelights and the supplementary Main Beam bulb all myself without any bumper removal. Don't ask me how, but I wasn't going to accept a partial bumper off for that task!

Twiglet fingers and a lot of dexterity is called for, but if it can be done on a Xenon headlamp unit, I can't see why not on a halogen. Battery out will probably be a must to provide extra room (remember BSI procedure first).

[van ordinaire]

Of coiurse the real joke is that in France (& some - many? - other European countires) you are required to carry spare bulbs because, unlike here, you cannot - legally - complete your journey with a bulb out. Their legislatures clearly have not caught up with the fact it is no longer a roadside repair - or don't care!

Marc, do I understand from your comments that not only is it more difficult - & expensive - now but something that needs doing more often?

[StokeMusicDude]

Hi Guys . . Thanks for the advice. As I said in the other post, I'm disabled but I'll try to have a go at most things . . but not taking the front bumper off!! Left arm paralysed which is why I love the C5 auto . . beautiful power steering. I did have an earlier model C5, so didn't hesitate to get another, but can't believe that they have made such a simple thing so difficult!!

I think I've got 3 options . . 1- Try it myself . . 2 - ask the garage guy to do it whilst he's doing the alternator next Tuesday . . or 3 - Get Halfords to do it for a tenner?
What do you think?

Cheers

[myglaren]

Ask the mechanic if he will do it along with the alternator would be my choice, one stop shopping and likely cheaper too.

[GiveMeABreak]

Marc, do I understand from your comments that not only is it more difficult - & expensive - now but something that needs doing more often?

That's a good question Van.

Taking my C5 X7, (also with Bi-directional Xenons) there are a lot less bulbs in this headlamp - a single D1S and no additional headlight bulbs! There is a Side light - but it is where a main beam would be. Now I can change these easy peasy. Now the not so good - the Angular lighting (bend or cornering lighting as it is also referred to) is fiddly to get to and very awkward to get into position 0 but doable - and I've replaced these with LEDs as the bespoke halogen bulb is about £40 at Citroen . But there the fun starts, because the indicators are contained in the lower bumper skirt area with the fog lights. To get this off can be a bloody nightmare - as you have to take the lamp cluster out, move the parking sensor and then fiddle with the brittle plastic to retrieve the bulb holder and finally the bulb. They cost a bomb too. I swear taking this off once before led to a leak in the housing, so I had to fork out to get a new one as it would not seal with any form of sealant.

Then there are the lights under a wing mirror - the whole unit has to be replaced.

The the rear lights - that is one hell of a module to get out with the tailgate in the air and really fiddly and neck aching to do.

But I have to say for newer models it certainly could be worse as I've read that a lot of newer cars require bumpers off to get at them. With the LED lighting now prevalent on newer cars, I guess they are hoping they will last for the life of the car - but I've already seen plenty of LED fails on newer cars - so I'm not complaining!

[Gibbo2286]

It's certainly much quicker to take the bumper off than to fit side lamp bulbs without doing so on the C5 2006.

I stubbornly tried to do it without, even making a tool to feed the bulbs into place, but gave up and pulled the bumper after a couple of hours faffing about.

[scas]

im relatively new here and just got the wife a c5 06 with halogen headlights. both sidelights can be changed without taking the bumper off, offside takes a couple of mins but the nearside takes about 10 or 15 mins. remove battery, remove rubber thing over sidelight and using an inspection mirror and 45 degree long nose pliers pull out the bulb holder, change bulb and the only fiddly bit when sticking it back in again is lining up the grooves in the holder with the housing.
and youll get used to every time you move left it goes right-the mirror

[StokeMusicDude]

Hi All
It's been a while, but I thought I'd update this thread.

I chickened out of trying to get the side-light bulb changed myself, and opted to let the mechanic do it as he had the car to change the alternator (see other thread). My mechanic was thankfully completely unphased when I sheepishly asked if he could renew a bulb whilst he'd got the car . . apparently quite a common thing now for ordinary driving folk to not being able/expected to change a light bulb. What on earth is the world coming to when motorists can't even do this for themselves. God forbid you might want to try changing the brake disks . . however I digress.

My mechanic said he managed to get it done by carefully tilting the light unit forward (I don't know if he loosened the front bumper in whole or part to do this) just enough so that he could get the access needed. I was just grateful he got it done without any fuss and saved my blushes to boot.

Now all I have to do is remember to take a mechanic and a full tool chest if ever I drive across France and my side light bulb blows!!!

Hmmmm