I have just spent almost an hour trying to get the headlights out of the Octy to fit a HID kit. Trouble is the IDIOTS who built it made the cables so short I can't get the unit fully out to attack the catch. I am genuinly at a complete loss as to how to get the connector off because its even worse on the driver side - I can only get to the connector through the engine bay.

I am so ****ed off - I've got a set of LED sides, silver "blue" indicators and one of HIDS DIRECT's expensive kits to fit and I'm completly stumped at the first hurdle.

Why do manufacturers make a simple job such as changing a bulb so bloody impossible? I'm pretty mechanically adept but even this has got me scratching my head.

Any ideas guys because so far its cost me an hour and a gashed finger?

Edited 1 November, 200916 yr by wardth

Hi,

Do some searching in the forum. I'm sure that you are not the first to encounter this problem and from memory the answer is always remove the whole light unit.

Have a look at post #16 here :-

http://briskoda.net/octavia-ii/after-market-hid-conversion/152552/?highlight=headlamp

D

Sorry - ignore my previous post :(

Look at this one instead - there's pictures and you may be able to work out if there's something peculiar to your situation

http://briskoda.net/general-guides/new-octavia-headlight-bulb-change/69565/?highlight=headlamp

D

Edited 31 October, 200916 yr by dsr
Forgot the link...

Im guessing that he is trying to remove the whole light unit, but just cannot get enough cable out to get to the release catch.

I had the same problem when I removed the headlight on my last Octavia.

Just make sure you are extremely careful, as I must have pulled too hard and broke some wires.

Luckily got it done under warranty as it needed a whole new cable

Have you tried turning the headlight upside down when you slide it out?

It might just give you enough slack to get to the connector block

Best of luck, and please be careful

Regards

Damian

My near side light wiring loom is really short, I had to pull it out as much as possible and then rotate the fitting out over 90 degrees on the horizontal so the light is facing towards the kerb if you know what I mean. Only then could I just about get to that damned connector that is a total pig to get off.

I know what you mean about the butchered fingers as well, all for the sake of a few inches of wiring loom.

No chance of rotating the unit - I can't get it out sufficiently far to do that. I can't even get the the connector from underneath and I've even tried brute force. This is ridiculous!!!

I'm considering butchery on the catch next.........

Try and get that little plastic tab out of the way and the plug should disconnect with a bit of brute force.

Can you get Skoda involved? Not being able to remove the headlight unit for bulb replacement represents a safety risk, The whole point of that elaborate release mechanism is to allow access to the rear of the headlight and the short loom impedes this function :thumbdwn:

Regarding the short cable, can you not follow it back and release a cable clamp to give you a bit more free play.

It's not so bad - I had to remove the headlights on my son's Citroen C2 to check a fuse, to remove the headlight I first had to remove the wheel arch liner then the bumper :(

Personally, I think a lot of it is a conspiracy to force you to use a dealer rather than DIY and this is borne out by the unavailability to the public of proper service manuals, computer protocols and fault finding information.

D

No cable clamps are holding the feed and I've got the maximum amount of available cable to play with.

I am actually seriously considering giving the dealer a call as this is just silly. OK, my old Punto had to have the fuse box unbolted to access the rear of the passenger side cluster but my partner could get her hand in and perform the bulb change at a push. In this case I quite literally have no access to the connector catch so simply cannot remove the light unit. I can't even twist a screwdriver around at an angle suffieint to prod away in the hope I can dislodge the catch. Last night I tried leverage on the catch and actually bent a decent electrical screwdriver with the firce but these nylon connectors are pretty tough. When and if I do get the bloody thing off, I'm faced with no choice but to cut the stub of the catch off to prevent this issue happening again and hope the conenctor doesn't dislodge on the road. Ridiculous.

This is really not rocket science and its not just me being stupid - I'm a technical consultant working on high end computer backup systems, I have an electro-mechanical past and I was even a pipe fitter/welder in a previous life. I suppose what I'm trying to say is I'm not an incapable numpty with no common sense and even less engineering skill yet I can't even unclip a connector and remove a bloody light cluster because some tit at Skoda made the cables too short.

As for a conspiracy to force me to use a dealer - I have no idea how they would release it either unless they have a very small spanner monkey with little hands and a super special secret tool nobody has seen before!

Edited 1 November, 200916 yr by wardth

I know what you mean. From a similar background myself and have always done my own cars but get so frustrated because we all KNOW it should be easier.

May I suggest petrol and matches ?

Regards,

D

May I suggest petrol and matches ? D

It's coming close I can tell you

Not only that but my bloody finger is killing me!!

This is really not rocket science and its not just me being stupid - I'm a technical consultant working on high end computer backup systems, I have an electro-mechanical past and I was even a pipe fitter/welder in a previous life. I suppose what I'm trying to say is I'm not an incapable numpty with no common sense and even less engineering skill yet I can't even unclip a connector and remove a bloody light cluster because some tit at Skoda made the cables too short.

Mate you're not alone. I got mad while trying to adjust the correct height of the headlight after having finally managed to exchange main beam. And I didn't find a way to get it right!

If you do ever get it out, I'd be tempted to splice in some extra wiring and connector to make it easier to disconnect in future.

Anyway, I'm following your pursuits with interest as I wouldn't mind upgrading the dipped beam bulbs on mine when it arrives.

Its raining cats and dogs out there at the moment and the GP is on in a bit so its just going to have to wait for now!!!

I had the same problem fitting my Philips X-tremes. I'm a big bloke and my hands and fingers are big, so working on modern cars often presents problems! On my car I managed to move the headlight forward slightly, twist it at a slight angle and force my hand in to get to the connector. Managed to cut and graze my hands doing it though.

I'd say it's a dealer issue to sort out for you.

Could you actually take it to a dealer ? It's a 59 plate if the pictures are correct so still under warranty - what would they say when you go in and ask them to sort out a problem which to be honest wouldn't be there if you weren't trying to make a car non-standard ?

You need both headlights to stop working, e.g. the bulbs need to burn out....

D

You wanted to swap the bulbs for better ones as do lots of night driving

Dont mention HID upgrades.

DONE IT!!!!

I had a eureka moment - pulled headlight out as far as possible and unclipped the ballast cover at the rear. Folded the retaining clips flat and this gave me >just< and I really do mean just enough space to rotate the light 90dg and attack the connector.

Sorry guys - I really couldn't be bothered to do a photo story, partly because the battery in the Nikon was flat and partly because I want to go and get some lunch!!

Suffice to say the whole kit fitted without issue, I've tucked everything down the side of the dipped beam unit and got the rest in the OEM ballast cover so no drilling of the headlight required with this kit. Worked first time brown to black, brown purple to red for reference. Can't wait until tonight when I get to check them out properly but they do look nice and blue / white. Only annoyance is the fact I've mislaid my LED sidlights so they've got to come back out again at some point. Bugger!

To be honest looking at the £56 kit from HIDS DIRECT the difference is minimal in quality but it can be perceived and I've been assured by the company that these really are exceptional kits. I suppose the old addage you pays yer money and takes yer choice applys here.

Still annoyed about the fact I've got to remove the ballast cover to get the unit out - all for the sake of another 2" of cable..........

ckckckckckckckckc Crowd goes wild

My passenger side wire is short, all i did was get the lamp out as far as it would go then use a thin blade screw driver and jam it into the gap in the clip to prize it off, from underneath

I'm a little puzzled by your reference to a 'ballast cover'. Presumably if these are OE halogen lights then there is no ballast. Do you mean the rectangular cover that goes over the back of the headlamp?

DONE IT!!!!

I had a eureka moment - pulled headlight out as far as possible and unclipped the ballast cover at the rear. Folded the retaining clips flat and this gave me >just< and I really do mean just enough space to rotate the light 90dg and attack the connector.

Great job

I'm a little puzzled by your reference to a 'ballast cover'. Presumably if these are OE halogen lights then there is no ballast. Do you mean the rectangular cover that goes over the back of the headlamp?

I would guess so, held in by two torx screws and 2 metal clips. The OE ballast/ignitor fits inside said cover.

Glad you got the thing off though.

OK the Pre FL headlight be it "standard" halogen or HID equipped has a cover on the rear which in the OEM HID equipped vehicle houses the ballast but is unused in the Halogen so I figured its as good aplace as anywhere to fit the aftermarket kit into. To be fair I think others have done this before me - I seem to have read something on here previously that somebody did this quite recently.

Just checked them out this evening in the dark and to be honest, they don't seem that bright. Thats could be (a) because its still wet out and ( due to the red wine I had this evening my eyesight may not be all that.

Hopefully the wiring won't melt............I wonder how hot it gets in that headlight?......:eek: