DRL Bulb location

[Myles mansfield]

Hi all, I've read several posts about replacing the daylight running bulb on the C5 2008 onwards.
What I can't seem to find is a photo off the back of the light with an arrow or circle showing default where it is. I've taken dozens of photos from all angles and I just can't see the torch screw to undo.

[mickthemaverick]

You may find this video helpful:

[Kees]

When I did it by myself, i loose the front bumper, because you see what you are doing, and the torx you looking for is at the back of the lampfitting, so there's no screw/bolt to look for.

[Richard_C]

Not done it on that model, but 2 general points. One is to lay a cloth or old towel below the light unit so if you drop a clip or spring you can recover it. Second is to point a torch at the unit and use your phone camera in selfie mode as a sort of mirror to work out what does what.

I wouldn’t put my car key where the guy in the video did, imagine knocking it off into the dark recesses of the under tray with an hour long search before you can drive it again.

[the-termin8r]

Having pulled the bumpers on both my C5s (not for the DRLs specifically), you absolutely don't need to do that to replace the DRLs as it's way too much effort.

First of all, handle the new bulb without touching the quartz/glass, specifically get very used to how the bottom face of the base feels without looking at it. This is crucial as you need to know what to look for with only your fingers as you have to go in blind on the car.

Take the cluster covers off if you have them and also the end cap from the dip beam access hatch to give yourself as much room as possible. Surrender your bare hand under the cluster. Note, you're not going into where the dips are, you're starting your approach from the back of the cluster where the hatch is. Feel around first, get used to how the cluster feels to your hand because you're not going to see anything with a torch, mirror or phone. Find the base of the bulb towards the front of the cluster. Once you've found it, pull your hand out and practice that motion of getting to the bulb by hand until you can do it without too much fumbling around to find it. Do this for both clusters.

Here's a random image I found online of a cluster, you can see the DRL with the yellow-ish blob at the bottom of the photo.


When you're ready, get an L-shaped T45 key and go in the way you've been practicing. I find that Blue Tack gets in the way for me (especially if it's cold out like now). Make sure the short side of the key mates into the base properly first before you start turning. Otherwise there's a very good chance you'll drop the key into the bowels of the car and then you're in for a bad time. Turn the key clockwise when looking at the car from above to loosen them. When you reach the end of the turn travel, don't pull the key out. Use the key to jiggle the bulb a bit from side to side (without turning) to loosen the seal between the rubber O-ring and cluster.

When the seal lets go try to slightly lower the key and bulb simultaneously such that while still holding the key you can get your fingertips around the base to hold it down on to the key. With your fingers holding the bulb to the key, pull them both out slowly and gently without dropping either of them into the car. If you do drop something you might get lucky and be able to get it out by removing the fog light cluster (T20 screw to remove the black trim and another T20 for the cluster) and fishing around a bit.

If all has gone well, you've now extracted both bulbs.

Fitting the new ones doesn't have to be anywhere as much of a faff as removing them if you get a pair of keys printed for the new bulbs. I'd also recommend installing LEDs like these so that you won't have to replace them potentially ever again. The keys reduce the replacement time down to about 10 seconds/bulb to fit the new bulbs or 20 if the old bulbs already have keys fitted from before. And you wouldn't need to remove covers or caps.

If you don't want to do the printed-key method, you can do it with the T45. Just note the positioning of the new bulbs relative to the T45. With the long end of the T45 at 6 o'clock you want the big tab on the base of the left bulb to be at approx 4 or 5 o'clock when you put it on the T45 and you want the right bulb to be at approx 7 or 8 o'clock (i.e. big tabs facing the inside of the car). When you slot the bulb back into the cluster, it will only go in one way, don't force it, let it settle into place on its own. Turn the T45 anti-clock once settled and extract the T45.

Put your caps and covers back on.

Job done.

[wheeler]

Yes definitely no need to remove bumper, the biggest issue is not unscrewing the holder, it's the holder sticking with the rubber O ring. Before you re fit the holders i would recommend a smear of silicone grease on the seal before re fitting & its a doddle of a job the next time.

[Myles mansfield]

Having pulled the bumpers on both my C5s (not for the DRLs specifically), you absolutely don't need to do that to replace the DRLs as it's way too much effort.

First of all, handle the new bulb without touching the quartz/glass, specifically get very used to how the bottom face of the base feels without looking at it. This is crucial as you need to know what to look for with only your fingers as you have to go in blind on the car.

Take the cluster covers off if you have them and also the end cap from the dip beam access hatch to give yourself as much room as possible. Surrender your bare hand under the cluster. Note, you're not going into where the dips are, you're starting your approach from the back of the cluster where the hatch is. Feel around first, get used to how the cluster feels to your hand because you're not going to see anything with a torch, mirror or phone. Find the base of the bulb towards the front of the cluster. Once you've found it, pull your hand out and practice that motion of getting to the bulb by hand until you can do it without too much fumbling around to find it. Do this for both clusters.

Here's a random image I found online of a cluster, you can see the DRL with the yellow-ish blob at the bottom of the photo.


When you're ready, get an L-shaped T45 key and go in the way you've been practicing. I find that Blue Tack gets in the way for me (especially if it's cold out like now). Make sure the short side of the key mates into the base properly first before you start turning. Otherwise there's a very good chance you'll drop the key into the bowels of the car and then you're in for a bad time. Turn the key clockwise when looking at the car from above to loosen them. When you reach the end of the turn travel, don't pull the key out. Use the key to jiggle the bulb a bit from side to side (without turning) to loosen the seal between the rubber O-ring and cluster.

When the seal lets go try to slightly lower the key and bulb simultaneously such that while still holding the key you can get your fingertips around the base to hold it down on to the key. With your fingers holding the bulb to the key, pull them both out slowly and gently without dropping either of them into the car. If you do drop something you might get lucky and be able to get it out by removing the fog light cluster (T20 screw to remove the black trim and another T20 for the cluster) and fishing around a bit.

If all has gone well, you've now extracted both bulbs.

Fitting the new ones doesn't have to be anywhere as much of a faff as removing them if you get a pair of keys printed for the new bulbs. I'd also recommend installing LEDs like these so that you won't have to replace them potentially ever again. The keys reduce the replacement time down to about 10 seconds/bulb to fit the new bulbs or 20 if the old bulbs already have keys fitted from before. And you wouldn't need to remove covers or caps.

If you don't want to do the printed-key method, you can do it with the T45. Just note the positioning of the new bulbs relative to the T45. With the long end of the T45 at 6 o'clock you want the big tab on the base of the left bulb to be at approx 4 or 5 o'clock when you put it on the T45 and you want the right bulb to be at approx 7 or 8 o'clock (i.e. big tabs facing the inside of the car). When you slot the bulb back into the cluster, it will only go in one way, don't force it, let it settle into place on its own. Turn the T45 anti-clock once settled and extract the T45.

Put your caps and covers back on.

Job done.

This is brilliant! I now see the place where the bulb is from your photo! I'll follow your instructions, thank you so much

[the-termin8r]

No worries, I don't know what they were thinking of with these bulbs when all the other ones are dead easy to get to. The procedure becomes a lot easier once you've done it once or twice and you get to grips with what it actually is that you're doing. Funnily enough Citroen's official documentation says that you should drop the bumper which is ridiculous.