Replacing headlight, side & indicator bulbs

[Jay Bee]

Evenin' all,

My first posting, only joined the forum tonight. I'm considering buying a Yeti, but I've read a horror story on another forum that to change the above bulbs, the front end of the Yeti has to be removed by the dealer to get at the bulb. If this is so, I'm appalled at such a bad design & it might well dissuade me from buying one. The thought of being in the middle of France, say, & being unable to try & explain in in my fractured French to a traffic policeman why I can't change a bulb fills me with horror.

Is it true that you can't change these bulbs easily yourself, or have I read that since 1st January EU rules have made this possible? How do other Yeti owners feel about this & are there any solutions to this problem? Yes it could be done under warranty if a bulb fails, but outside of warranty, how much ---£200-£300?

Any thoughts & comments would be very gratefully received. (I apologise if this topic has already come up in the 90-odd pages of this forum.)

Jay Bee

[The Plumber]

Hi and welcome,

yes its true that the bumper and light unit have to come off, however a number of new cars not just Skoda have similar issues for what should be a quick fix. Think your get out clause with the French policeman is (if they can read English ) that it's written in the handbook as with xenon bulbs to visit the dealer to get specialist service.

Not at all concerned by this, mind I do have the skills to DIY in my case as long as I've got the required bulb kit and new blanking plate for the light unit.

Regards,

TP

[HKPhooey]

It's not just new cars, my friends Audi A2 has to have the light units removed and professionally realigned to replace a bulb.

My Mazda's headlight units need the wheel arch liners removing to replace any of the bulbs, not something I ever intend to do on the side of the road, French policeman or not!

From what I understand the last generation Renault Megane needed an hour of workshop time to replace a bulb - and that's a French car!?

[My_Yeti]

I have not tried changing bulbs on my 1.2, however, there seems to be enough room to fit the bulbs on mine, will check tommorrow.

[Terfyn]

It is only the indicator bulbs and xenons that need dealer interference. If you have halogen headlights,both the heads and the sidelight bulbs can be changed by yourself.

The problem is the limited room behind the light fittings. It is difficult to get your hand inside the housing to release the bulb spring clip and to insert the new bulb, but it can be done. i have replaced the heads (H4 bulbs) on my Yeti for higher brightness units.

Edited 9 March, 2011 by Terfyn

[w4rn3r]

my mates mondeo has to have the headlights removed to replace the bulbs also

[Llanigraham]

I can confirm that you are able to change the halogen bulbs in the headlights on the side of the road reasonably easily, having already changed mine. Since the sidelights are in the same place those should be just as possible. The fog light bulbs look a bit more of a squeeze. Smallish hands are helpful!

[Macdemon]

Evenin' all,

My first posting, only joined the forum tonight. I'm considering buying a Yeti, but I've read a horror story on another forum that to change the above bulbs, the front end of the Yeti has to be removed by the dealer to get at the bulb. If this is so, I'm appalled at such a bad design & it might well dissuade me from buying one. The thought of being in the middle of France, say, & being unable to try & explain in in my fractured French to a traffic policeman why I can't change a bulb fills me with horror.

Is it true that you can't change these bulbs easily yourself, or have I read that since 1st January EU rules have made this possible? How do other Yeti owners feel about this & are there any solutions to this problem? Yes it could be done under warranty if a bulb fails, but outside of warranty, how much ---£200-£300?

Any thoughts & comments would be very gratefully received. (I apologise if this topic has already come up in the 90-odd pages of this forum.)

Jay Bee

Welcome Jay Bee.

I would not worry too much, the French policeman would just be just mesmerised by the fact he's seen a Yeti

Edited 10 March, 2011 by Macdemon

[Agerbundsen]

It's only the front indicator lights that require major disassembly. All the other bulbs are accessible, although a little finicky at the front.

Since the indicator bulbs see very little time use, they will last a long time. Come to think of it, I cannot remember ever having replaced one, and I have been driving for 50 years.

Fergettabautit.

[Sanqhar]

It's only the front indicator lights that require major disassembly. All the other bulbs are accessible, although a little finicky at the front.

Since the indicator bulbs see very little time use, they will last a long time. Come to think of it, I cannot remember ever having replaced one, and I have been driving for 50 years.

Fergettabautit.

I have replaced plenty. Not because they stopped working but because the orange colouring on the bulb had burnt off. MoT failure.

You see plenty of cars/vans with pale orange indicators, same issue.

tom

[ukcruiser]

Mk1 Smart Car had to have the front end removed to replace a bulb too...

Al.

[Sturmblau]

Evenin' all,

The thought of being in the middle of France, say, & being unable to try & explain in in my fractured French to a traffic policeman why I can't change a bulb fills me with horror.

Jay Bee

RENAULT, yes RENAULT Modus. Same thing. Front off. £90 a time.

I did it myself the first time... but then it was during the summer.

[Yeti-RS]

Retro fitted HID's and changed the fog light bulbs without any issue.

The only bulb that cant be changed without removing the bumper is the day time running light inside the fog lights........ odd i know, but thats the way they designed it.

[Llanigraham]

Retro fitting HID's in the UK is dubious legality without certain other things being fitted.

The indicator bulbs need some dismantaling to fit.

The DRL bulbs are VERY long life and aren't expected to need changing for the life of the vehicle.

Edited 11 March, 2011 by Llanigraham

[Guest]

I thought the indicator bulbs were the ones you needed to remove the bumper to gain access too? If not then how have people managed to get at them?

[CJJE]

I thought the indicator bulbs were the ones you needed to remove the bumper to gain access too? If not then how have people managed to get at them?

Perhaps it depends on the engine fitted and the size of their hands?? On my old Mk4 Golf, the official way to change headlamp bulbs was by removing the bumper, but I managed to squeeze my fingers between the battery and headlamp assembly to do it from inside the engine bay.

On the other hand if you're really concerned about this problem buy an Octavia as on mine you just release a clamp and slide the headlamp assembly forward to change bulbs or alter it from LHD to RHD. I was really impressed by this clever design, and have fitted higher output bulbs and also alter the beam when I go abroad.

I have also fitted silver-coated indicator bulbs that shine orange when activated but avoid the fried egg look when inactive.

Chris

[roguebrit]

Judging by the wide variety of cars I have owned or experienced over the last years - it seems to be more usual than not for some, at least, of the bulbs to be 'not user changeable'. Although it may be becoming normal, I think that it's a cop out by the manufacturers. Bulbs can be thought of, almost, as consumable items - conventional ones at least. IMO provision should be made for them to be easily accessible. I wish it would be made 'law' - exceptionally, it is one of the things that EU lawmakers could do that would be sensible, rather than the nonsense they seem to focus on.

GRR

[Llanigraham]

Perhaps it depends on the engine fitted and the size of their hands??

Chris

Nothing to do with engine spec, Chris, just the way the bulbs are fitted in the flasher units requires some dismantling.

As has been said headlights, foglights and side lights can be done reasonably easily, but small hands help.

[freedie]

Yes, small hands make light work... or something like that.

[RogN]

Then again, if the Xenon bulbs are 160 quid a shot - I'd rather have somebody else do it and then if they drop it, its their fault.

[CJJE]

Then again, if the Xenon bulbs are 160 quid a shot - I'd rather have somebody else do it and then if they drop it, its their fault.

I'm told the Xenon units have a much longer life than the normal bulbs, and the high voltages probably rule out a DIY approach anyway. Perhaps I'm lucky - or do less night time driving than others - but other than fitting higher output bulbs in my Octavia it its first year, I haven't had to replace them since!

But I agree with roguebrit, it seems daft to make spare bulb kits compulsory in Europe when you can't actually change a bulb out on the road anyway.

Chris

[hmibennett]

I'm told the Xenon units have a much longer life than the normal bulbs, and the high voltages probably rule out a DIY approach anyway. Perhaps I'm lucky - or do less night time driving than others - but other than fitting higher output bulbs in my Octavia it its first year, I haven't had to replace them since!

But I agree with roguebrit, it seems daft to make spare bulb kits compulsory in Europe when you can't actually change a bulb out on the road anyway.

Chris

I think many of our European cousins have a much more healthy approach to European 'rules' - a shrug of the shoulders and just get on with things as they've always been! I shall carry my old Octavia spare bulb kit when I set off for France on Friday and am quite confident that, should I have any bulb malfunction, it would satisfy a passing gendarme!

[BillN_33]

I'm told the Xenon units have a much longer life than the normal bulbs, and the high voltages probably rule out a DIY approach anyway. Perhaps I'm lucky - or do less night time driving than others - but other than fitting higher output bulbs in my Octavia it its first year, I haven't had to replace them since!

But I agree with roguebrit, it seems daft to make spare bulb kits compulsory in Europe when you can't actually change a bulb out on the road anyway.

Chris

Euro rules have not been made just for the Yeti - or in spite off

Edited 14 March, 2011 by BillN_33

[skipper]

Help needed ! I have tried changing my halogen bulbs but cannot work out how to release the spring clip. I don't want to force it and damage it - anyone help me please?

[skipper]

SORTED ! I persevered and with a little bit of fiddling around worked out how to release the clips. Roll on tonight to see how much brighter the Nightbreakers are