head light bulb change

[james2512]

Guys,

If your ever thinking of changing your dipped beam bulbs (H1 55W) for something a little more power full or need to change due to blown bulb..........

Ensure you own some long skinny arms and lots of patients!

I swapped out the stock halogen bulbs for s set of ultra bright 100% xenon for 120% more light! Well I'd say there is about 30% better than the original's however they reach further down the road and a lot whiter.

Worth doing the swap for £25 but not easy to fit. Halfords won't touch these cars with a barge pole!

Didn't get any pics as my arm was being eaten by the accord.

 

[A-EX]

Guys,

If your ever thinking of changing your dipped beam bulbs (H1 55W) for something a little more power full or need to change due to blown bulb..........

Ensure you own some long skinny arms and lots of patients!

I swapped out the stock halogen bulbs for s set of ultra bright 100% xenon for 120% more light! Well I'd say there is about 30% better than the original's however they reach further down the road and a lot whiter.

Worth doing the swap for £25 but not easy to fit. Halfords won't touch these cars with a barge pole!

Didn't get any pics as my arm was being eaten by the accord.

I have the OEM fitted HIDS so I guess whenever the time comes for those to be replaced, it will be a dealer jobbie too. Like you, I found it very difficult just to change the sidelight bulbs from the engine bay. On the "plus" side, I didnt have to go through the wheel arch or strip the front of the car naked to do so! :lol:

 

[james2512]

With the dipped beam its through the wheel arch! Removing the screw and bending round the plastic arch isn't to bad, just getting the air intake pipe off was a pain in the .......

All in all you need small hands as there is just no room.

 

[A-EX]

With the dipped beam its through the wheel arch! Removing the screw and bending round the plastic arch isn't to bad, just getting the air intake pipe off was a pain in the .......

All in all you need small hands as there is just no room.

I could be wrong but am sure the handbook suggest the same or similar for the sidelights too.

Thankfully I can get those replaced much easier now that the car has helped me savage my hands to fit the gaps! :lol:

 

[james2512]

You can just about get the side lights from under the bonnet but indicators are defo from in the wing.

 

[A-EX]

You can just about get the side lights from under the bonnet but indicators are defo from in the wing.

Yeh I know - I have a nice pair of orange LED's lying indoors somewhere waiting to be fitted. Will have to wait to a dry, sunny and warm day in 2012 before that happens now. Not gonna muck around now - its cold/cool enough as it is!

 

[james2512]

Yeah know the feeling, but lucky for me our Caterpillar warehouse makes a good garage/work shop! The size of some of our diesel engines in here make the car look like tiny!!

 

[crolandc]

I found my best friend when changing bulbs in our cars is a little round mirror ( telescopic I think is best ). You can get these extremely handy things from most motor factors. They make a fiddly job a little easier

 

[james2512]

I rang the dealer for a price to do this work, £37.50 + vat, so worth the effort to keep money in your pocket.

A lamp helped too as its dark in there!

 

[malcoa]

I rang the dealer for a price to do this work, £37.50 + vat, so worth the effort to keep money in your pocket.

A lamp helped too as its dark in there!

Ha you were lucky and for that price bite his arm off. I just changed mine after dealer quoted £65 ( 18 mins per side Honda allow the dealer). Took me 1.5 hrs on off side and 2.5 hours near side. Both round plastic headlight covers were impossible to remove without the use of a screwdriver to push against the tabs. I ended up removing the wheels, wheel arch liner and on the nearside, the battery as well as the airintake pipe.

All in all I would say that the section in the handbook that explains how to do it was written by someone who used a large degree od authors license with the description, and I will gladly pay someone else to do the job if it ever needs doing again.

 

[Azzy451]

I have some nice LED bulbs for the side lights, on quick inspection (8G) the offside has plenty of room to work but the near side is in front of the battery.. looks like i'd have 'enough' room by taking the battery bracket off. I don't want to remove the battery or wheel or go in through arches..
so is it doable with the bracket removed or should I just leave it OEM?

comment welcome
ta
J

 

[vile]

I have some nice LED bulbs for the side lights, on quick inspection (8G) the offside has plenty of room to work but the near side is in front of the battery.. looks like i'd have 'enough' room by taking the battery bracket off. I don't want to remove the battery or wheel or go in through arches..
so is it doable with the bracket removed or should I just leave it OEM?

comment welcome
ta
J

Jason mate the side lights are very easy indeed and no need to take anything apart.

 

[A-EX]

I have some nice LED bulbs for the side lights, on quick inspection (8G) the offside has plenty of room to work but the near side is in front of the battery.. looks like i'd have 'enough' room by taking the battery bracket off. I don't want to remove the battery or wheel or go in through arches..
so is it doable with the bracket removed or should I just leave it OEM?

comment welcome
ta
J

Its fiddly, but you can do it without going thru the arches. All I will say is that if I can do it, anyone can! :lol:

 

[Azzy451]

y'all have small hands!! but ok I'm now game, they a twist n pull type?
J

 

[A-EX]

y'all have small hands!! but ok I'm now game, they a twist n pull type?
J

Think its an anti-clockwise twist then pull down and then out. Because the sidelights are in at an angle, simply twisting and pulling will not result in the plug coming out, you have to pull down a bit before the bulb is clear from the back of the light socket.

Its a fiddly and frustrating jobbie, but worth it in the end. See my pics in post 5 here.