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Changing Fabia headlight bulbs- tips.


barney_b

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Not sure if this has been posted before but having just ripped my hands to shreds changing the sidelight & main beam bulbs (purely for vanity) I thought I'd post up some tips!!!

Getting at the bulbs:

Drivers side headlight: Loosen cover at the rear of the unit by unclipping the two clips at the top, some spring thing seems to want to hold the cover in place in the lower left hand corner, i presume this is to stop it falling off? Anyway there's enough room to work with the cover being held by the spring thing.

Passenger side: Loosen cover at the rear of the unit by unclipping the two clips at the top, you can remove this cover by carefully moving it out of the tight gap between the headlight unit and battery box. You won't be able to make much progress without it removed!

Changing the bulbs:

The full beam bulb is simple enough, push the retaining clips towards the headlight (towards you) and squeeze together (to unhook), it should now open. The bulb can now be removed, unplug spade connector. Fitting reverse of removal.

Side light bulb- remove the main beam bulb (see how below) as this obstructs the dipped bulb. Use a pair of long nose pliers to grip the bulb holder (black) and pull the bulb towards the engine (ie. straight back) there is no need to twist or bend! The bulb pulls out of the holder. Fitting a replacement bulb can be fiddly, the holder doesn't seem wide enough but after a few attempts it'll slot straight in (not sure of the techinique!). You can refit the bulb hold by hand, just push it back into it's er...hole!

Mean beam: Remove plug- can take some effort. Push the retaing clip towards the headlight (towards you) and then push them down towards the ground, it should now be unhooked and should open. Remove bulb. Fitting reverse of removal.

Hope that helps someone.

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Don't know whether it's still true with more recent models, but on my 51-reg PD100, there's a piece of plastic which clips to the front of the battery. It's only a thin piece of plastic but changing bulbs on the passenger side is so much easier if you take this out before changing bulbs. (Those extra few mm make all the difference!)

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  • 1 year later...

I followed someone else's tip. Easier to get to bulbs on passenger (battery) side if you first remove the front cover from the battery. If you look carefully the front part of the battery cover is seperate and clips off easily and can be slid upwards giving enough roome to remove bulbs without skinning your knuckles. I found what first seemed a erally nasty little job quite easy.

Leogee

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  • 5 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Thanks very much for the advice! I spent 20 minutes this afternoon cursing and swearing and ripping my hands to shreds too, all in aid of changing my nearside sidelight. I even got a blister from trying to twist the stupid thing out. So I gave up. But having read your tips about this and then removing the thin plastic battery cover and using the long nose pliers to pull the plug out I just got the job done in 2 minutes. It left me laughing at the simplicity of the thing!

:thumbup:

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I do wish car manufacturers where obliged to make bulb changes a quick task that can be achieved at the roadside if necessary without the need for tools. I have heard of models where the front bumper had to be detached to change a light bulb - which is utterly rediculous.

Jo

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  • 5 weeks later...

Just wanted to say thanks for this advice. I was dreading having to change the dipped beam bulb on the passenger side as my last car was a Smart ... an absolute no no for an owner to change them!

Anyway, after reading this thread, job done in two minutes. Removing the cover from the battery is well worth doing.

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  • 3 months later...

Again, thanks for the advice. No option but to remove the battery cover on our skud.

To avoid accidental contact with the bulbs I used some disposable gloves - gives your hands a minuscule(!) amount of protection but more importantly means you don't drop the bulb whilst trying to get it in the hole the right way round!

Edited by andycap
sp
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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...
Not sure if this has been posted before but having just ripped my hands to shreds changing the sidelight & main beam bulbs (purely for vanity) I thought I'd post up some tips!!!.....

Just done it- 20 mins!! And kunckles still intact!:D:thumbup:

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Problems changing long light bulb (Skoda Fabia 2004)

Hi I changed the park light, light bulb using the tips and it was simple. However I don't know how to change the long light, light bulb (apologies don't know the proper name, it is the one to furthest left on passenger side). I opened the two metal prongs that hold the light in place and had a look at the bulb but it is in a metal casing and the end of the bulb had a long metal piece that is connected to the electric wiring. Once I saw the metal casing and then the connection to the electric wire I gave up:confused:. Any more detailed tips or pics on how to replace the bulb or should I just leave it for when I get the car serviced?

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  • 8 months later...

Hi All,

My first post is to say a big thank you - changed the passenger bulb on my VRS no problem at all once the front cover had been moved it is so simple slide up and jobs a good-un; getting it back is a little fiddly but nowhere near as fiddly as taking the battery out as reccommended by Haynes or going to a dealer to do it as recommended by Skoda.

Thanks guys n gals!

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My first post is to say a big thank you - changed the passenger bulb on my VRS no problem at all once the front cover had been moved it is so simple slide up and jobs a good-un; getting it back is a little fiddly but nowhere near as fiddly as taking the battery out as reccommended by Haynes or going to a dealer to do it as recommended by Skoda.

Thanks guys n gals!

OT: Welcome to Briskoda :hi:

Now get yourself over to the Introductions area and do a proper job :giggle:;)

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Got a 2005 Fabia VRS using normal headlight bulb set-up.

Question:- What is the code number for Full beam AND Dipped headlight bulbs please. Get confused hearing about different codes H7 or H2 ??? Thanks to one and all. Merry Christmas to all that read this.

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  • 5 months later...

When my passenger bulb went again I thought I was going to have to take it into a garage and pay £10 - 20 to get it done. Found the tips on here about taking off the battery panel and it was no problem...

Nice one Briskodians!

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  • 2 months later...

Got my new bulbs the other day and was dreading the change over. Have to say that it was an absolute doddle, took about 10 minutes max. This thread makes is so much easier, just as you say, take the front of the batter cover off. Thanks for the advice ;)

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