low-beam bulb burned out

[bzwyatt]

I looked in the engine bay and couldn't see how to access the bulb, but looks like there's a spring/clip thing I have to get off... it's dark so I didn't mess with it and got my owner's manual out. The book says I have to go to the dealer! What the fuck?? So what's the deal? Can I get a xenon bulb at autozone and do it myself?

(Mods: should this thread be in another forum? we don't have a maintenance one and the general one seemed better than the other specific ones...)

[tddvrrn]

dude, go download the manual from the vip section. it will tell you how to do it. don't touch the bulb with bare hands if it's hid.

[ottoblotto]

just did this about a week ago. easy money.
1. lower wheel well shields. remove them from bumper work your way up to the halfway point. gives you plenty of room to get in there. i had the car on jackstands as i was going to take the bumper off anyway to check FMIC clamps.
2. theres a grey looking cover with a tab on it. turn it counter clockwise.
3. large silver igniter, turn cc.
4. carefully, pop spring clips off. slide out bulb. pay attention to tab location.
5. with gloves on, grab new bulb and insert it with tabs facing how they were and while holding the bulb with pointer finger, pop the spring clip back on.
6. reverse order the rest.

i got some philips 6000k D2S. i run my lights 24/7 and after a few years seemed dull to me. the difference is totally noticeable, much brighter, and they havent even seen the 50hr burn in yet. so im expecting much brighter in the next few weeks...

[Black(M)]

^^ good instructions

tons easier once you get familiar with the way the springs and tabs move.

Didn't you have a CAI? If so, the stock box should be out along with all that plastic labyrinth mess and there should be lots of space in the drivers side bulb? (which side bulb, btw?)

It was a total b8tch for me the first time but I was new and on a time crunch. In retrospect, changing the bulbs (and especially taking off/replacing that clip) is more of a "if it seems like its too much work - you're probably doing it wrong" kinda thing. Once you figure out exactly how to apply pressure to the clip, it moves fairly easily.

Oh and there's that rubber gasket thing you'd have to remove to get to the lightbulb housing

[bscar]

If, by Xenons, you mean the blue colored halogens, then yeah, you should be able to. If you mean the factory HID bulbs, I wouldn't mess with it and take it to the dealership

[ottoblotto]

Originally Posted by bscar If, by Xenons, you mean the blue colored halogens, then yeah, you should be able to. If you mean the factory HID bulbs, I wouldn't mess with it and take it to the dealership

it really is not that hard to do. seriously. it took me all of five min to lower the wheel well guard and like five min to remove the bulb. the spring clips is the standard bulb clip. thumb and pointer on the clip. push forward towards bulb, pinch, pull back, done.

i got better things to do with $80/hr labor money and the $300 whatever else they "find" that has to be fixed before i leave...

[Black(M)]

whoops! Mine's just a sport - I bought the aftermarket raptors for my hid lights.

If you have the GT, bswyatt, disregard my earlier post!

[bzwyatt]

In the daylight I could see in the engine bay better and I changed my bulbs from there. I started to take the fender shield off, but it seemed like it wouldn't be easier that way, so I tried another time to get the retaining clips off (that was the part I wasn't sure about with the visibility I had) and I figured it out. Had to reattach them by feel and it took a bit longer, but wasn't too bad. Thanks for the responses.

[Jerseyrican88]

i did my light about a week ago as well and didnt want to waste the money by bringing it to the dealer. it was simple and all i did was go off the manual and use it step by step

[mroclimbr]

Originally Posted by ottoblotto it really is not that hard to do. seriously. it took me all of five min to lower the wheel well guard and like five min to remove the bulb. the spring clips is the standard bulb clip. thumb and pointer on the clip. push forward towards bulb, pinch, pull back, done. i got better things to do with $80/hr labor money and the $300 whatever else they "find" that has to be fixed before i leave...

speaking the truth on the money thing....

[MS3-a(sore)ASS-rex]

Padiddle!

[jesseh627]

I have an '08 Sport. I'm confused about what is HID or just halogen? My low beams are projector, but not sure what that means in terms of what bulb it is. Also, the high beams look like normal halogen. Can someone help me out with an explanation?

[Nikon187]

Originally Posted by jesseh627 I have an '08 Sport. I'm confused about what is HID or just halogen? My low beams are projector, but not sure what that means in terms of what bulb it is. Also, the high beams look like normal halogen. Can someone help me out with an explanation?

the sports come with halogen and the GT comes with HID

[TonyN]

I just move the fender splash shield out of the way and had enough access to the bulb, took me 10min each side.

[lvdukerider]

Originally Posted by jesseh627 I have an '08 Sport. I'm confused about what is HID or just halogen? My low beams are projector, but not sure what that means in terms of what bulb it is. Also, the high beams look like normal halogen. Can someone help me out with an explanation?

High Intensity Discharge uses a ballest and converts 12 volt to higher voltage which arcs across two points inide the "bulb" not unlike arc welding as opposed to a conventional bulb which ue a filliment.