My left hand now has very little skin remaining on it.

My Mother's ****roen Xsara's nearside dipped beam no workee. Being the responsible son I jump into action, purchase bulb for £7, pop bonnet open, and peer inside.

There's a square pump looking thing sitting right dead square behind the headlamp. Not sure whether it's anything to do with the ABS or central locking but it's annoying whatever it is. It's got a big plug thing on the front of it with a load of cables coming out of that.

Now I've got small girly hands, but I'm absolutely completely and utterly unable to get the bulb out of the bulb holder!!!! I've sworn every swear word known to man and still the bloody thing won't play ball.

Oh and I don't have any spline drive thingys either so can't take the headlamp out.

I hate cars. :thumbdwn:

I hate FRENCHcars. :thumbdwn:

Its french get use to it hehehe!

The gf has a 1.2 8v clio, its a right beggar to work on!

Well as I'm assuming the big square thingy is the ABS unit I just have to work out how to get the electrical connector off it so I can get a little bit more access. It's just that it is seemingly not wanting to come off and I don't want to force the thing.

Has anybody ever taken an ABS unit out and thus knows the secret of unplugging the loom from it or is it just that this one is very tight after being left in peace for 7 years?

I have a merc A class, the off side dipped head light bulb blew last week, I got the manual out and it says to take the coolant tank off to access the bulb, I did that and couldn't get it out, so I took it to the garage and they spent half an hour trying and couldnt either. So I had to give them the car for a day so they could take the bumper and wing off to get the bulb changed.

At least the fabia bulbs are within reach if a little ackward.

lol VW are as bad we had a lupo Tdi sport and to change the bulbs ment removing battery and a boost pipe

Its the ABS pump.

Yes it took me 2hrs and a lot of swearing etc before giving in and removing the headlight to change the bulb!!

The worst thing about the Xsara is having to remove a trim panel with those horrible clips to top up the washer fluid.

The Megane I had was a nightmare. There was an access panel in the wheel arch liner to change the headlight bulb - but you had to be a 5 year old to get your hand in there. Ended up being a "bumper off" job. :thumbdwn:

Halleluljah! as Leonard Cohen and some Kareoke singer once said.

Amazing what a bit of daylight does for ones eyes. There's a big red slider toggle that needs to be slid and toggled to remove the loom from the ABS pump which in itself is a bit stiff and fiddly. Then the loom lifts out of the way (sort of) and the back of the lamp can be accessed assuming you're double jointed and have knitting needle fingers.

Anyhow a bit more blood spilled and the bulb was out, new one in and God must be in a reasonable mood because the fuse wasn't blown either.

Mother no longer has a one eyed frog and my hands are sore.

Anyhow thanks for all the sympathy! Much appreciated.