first off, I'm not but this may be of use to anyone who is. I thought taking the headlight assembly out of my Octy mkII was a pain but.......

 

Some time ago someone I know had the DRLs go on his Peugot and they had to take all of the front end off the car to fix them ( a non-warrenty item too!) Cost him a shed load.

 

Anyway lsitening to radio 2 today seems like it's a french thing and not restricted to DRls either with people quoting in excess of £100 just for a blown dipped beam because the access is via the front wheel arch so wheel and inner wing/liner has to come off.

 

Apparently some are even worse with the whole front bumper assembly needing removing similar to the peugot above.

 

So does anyone know which specific manufacturers/models this applies to and is it just a french thing? :wonder:

You never had a 1.9 Fabia I, did you?

 

The 'disassemble half the car to change the bulbs' thing is pretty common, amongst all makes. I've learned my lesson and the last car we bought I first had them demonstrate infront of me that you can change the bulb without taking the car to bits.

Did my girlfriends Yaris t'other week. Drivers side didn't have me remove any parts to change the main bulb, but did see me perched on top of the engine twisting my wrist in to very funny shapes. Mostly its down to the fact you can't see what you need to do to the fitting to remove/replace it.

 

Passenger side needed the battery out and unbolt the fuse box and move it out the way. Was still a pig.

 

If the side lights/indicators ever go I'm selling the dam thing... I believe access is via the wheel arch.

 

Mines not so bad with small hands. 30mins to replace both main bulbs with nightbreakers.

 

Still, should be law that these things can be changed on the road side with no special tools within 5mins...

 

Edit: I did a colleagues Fabia 1 1.9 side light in a min... you just need small hands.

Edited 16 December, 201312 yr by DanHarper

The Renault Megane was famous for needing the wheel to come off to change a light bulb. You had to stick your hand in a little hole a bit like a game on I'm a Celebrity.

 

Edited 16 December, 201312 yr by Aspman

>>>

first off, I'm not but this may be of use to anyone who is

>>>

u

U

U devil u!

And i was just abt to strike u off my christmas card list!

Lol

Glad u were bluffing! :-)

My bmw is the same. Access bulb through arch lining

Bamboozling

As Aspman says it was the megane 

>>>

first off, I'm not but this may be of use to anyone who is

>>>

u

U

U devil u!

And i was just abt to strike u off my christmas card list!

Lol

Moi? Just intrigued to know what other automotive stupidness is out there so others don't fall into the frog trap. Peugot paid some form off goodwill gesture but IIRC he still had to fork out getting on for a grand to get his dlr fixed on his 3008 thingy. Its brown too which made me larf. All french cars should be ........

Moi? Just intrigued to know what other automotive stupidness is out there so others don't fall into the frog trap. Peugot paid some form off goodwill gesture but IIRC he still had to fork out getting on for a grand to get his dlr fixed on his 3008 thingy. Its brown too which made me larf. All french cars should be ........

Yes - YOU!

Lol

My V50 Volvo is pretty good for headlight bulb replacement which is a good job as they go every 9 months. 

Open the bonnet, go to back of headlight, lift out what looks like a flat tent peg and the whole headlight assembly lifts out the car.

Very clever, simple design.

 

I don't think the issue of bulb replacement being a bog job is a new one. I remember hearing about Megane and new Mini several years ago.

Edited 16 December, 201312 yr by loskie

Hi, there is nothing to worry about if a bulb is hard to get to. Like I had in my previous car, a Dodge Caliber. First you start with a nice cup of coffee, then dismantle the front. Then another cup ... and start to tear down the head lamp assemblies so that you actually can see the rear of the bulbs ... ;-) ... before you start to put it back together in reverse order ... This is a four hour job or so ...

 

 

Have a nice day!

Thinking of leaving Skoda? Yes

Thinking of buying something French? Hell no!

SWMBO's rav is similar, headlight bulbs are OK but sidelight bulbs are changed through the wheel arch liner (after removing part of it)

 

Our S-MAX is a little awkward, the headlight unit needs removing to replace ANY bulb, thankfully its only 2 torx screws

 

Incidently the 407 that I had was a doddle to change the bulbs (from what I remember)

I remember it being quite difficult to replace bulbs on a Mk 4 Golf - one side was OK but the other was a right pain. Tough when you got big hands!

I remember it being quite difficult to replace bulbs on a Mk 4 Golf - one side was OK but the other was a right pain. Tough when you got big hands!

 

Yep, my MK3 and 4 Golf were pigs of a job - the 4 I think I almost took the whole front off.

 

IIRC the drivers side was the PITA.

Must say that I am very impressed with the Octy II design for bulb changing, one note of caution though my mate that is a mechanic, has recommended that I release them every now and again to keep the locking mechanism free moving.

Still on the same bulbs on the Octy after 6.5 years. I think I've changed one brake light nothing else.

 

Ok 3 ABS sensors this year so far but only one bulb.