348: help needed, can't get headlight out

What you need to do first is unplug the connections to the light from the bottom of the car.

Take of the covers on the bottom that go from the bumper to the wheel well. You'll be able to see the connections from up under the bottom now.

Now you are gonna need to open the hood. Once you have it open look between the crack at back of the headlight housing, and the front fender. You will see a knob on the top of the headlight motor. Make sure that you have the power to the motor disconnected because the motor is VERY strong and it can break your finger.

Turn that knob until the light has popped up so you have access to the screws that hold it in place.

Undo the screws and the light comes out.

 

If you are trying to take the whole thing out you will not be able to do it from the top. There are two big screws that hold the light housing in place. You can only get to them from up under the bumper.

 

Okay the other thing you can try is unscrewing the nut that holds the control arm, coming off of the housing going to the headlight motor. Once you have that disconnected you will be able to lift the headlight housing all the way up. There is an adjustment nut in the middle of the arm. Do Not mess with that one. Just take off the one that holds the arm to the motor, or the housing.

 

I just changed mine.

1.) Steps where crank the light up via the knob on the motor.
2.) Remove four screws holding the plastic cover on.
3.) Pop off the three tabs holding the light into the housing with a flat head screw driver.
4.) Wiggle the damn light assembly around for a good 15 minutes trying to get it to come out over the front bumper. I put a towel down on the paint so as not to scratch it. Just have to keep wiggling and get it into a position to have it pull out.
5.) Simply replace the halogen bulbs. In the states the bright is a 65W 9005 type and the low beam is a 55W 9006.
6.) Reverse steps 1-4 to put it back together.

All in all took me an hour in a half.

 

First I got the top end of the light out which requires some effort as you have to force it a little bit to get the clips that usually hold the light in to pop out. Once you have those out I slide the light towards the middle of the hood. When getting it over to the middle I just pulled the rest out.

Did that for both lights and it worked. You have to use a little force to get it out as they are a tight fit but use only what you need. I pulled hard enough that I thought I was going to break something but didnt.

 

When you are done, do you have to crank the knob on the motor back to where it was?

 

No. If the position of the spring-loaded electrical contacts in the motor/gearbox doesn't match the steering column switch position, the motor will run the headlight pod to the correct, matching position automatically. That's why it's important to remove battery power from the car before moving the knob.