Hi folks

 

I'm trying to replace a H4 headlamp bulb on the Citigo but cannot get the connector off for love nor money.  Is there a catch or technique I'm missing.  Tried a bit of brute force but the spring catch just flexes and the connector won't let go.  Don't want to force anything in case something expensive breaks.  Cheers

2 hours ago, beezera10 said:

Hi folks

 

I'm trying to replace a H4 headlamp bulb on the Citigo but cannot get the connector off for love nor money.  Is there a catch or technique I'm missing.  Tried a bit of brute force but the spring catch just flexes and the connector won't let go.  Don't want to force anything in case something expensive breaks.  Cheers

You do have to pull quite hard sometimes to separate an H4 connector. I don't know what access on a Citigo is like, but you may be better to release the spring and pull with the bulb in one hand and the connector in the other.

As above, it can be hard the first time, only yesterday did a 15 plate car for a friend and it seemed impossible, 

With a bit of a fiddle took the bulb out still with the cover on. Once out was able to hold the metal of the bulb and pull, with some effort.

 

Thanks gents.  I did notice that the bulb and connector could be released together - access is pretty good.  I'll do what you suggest and use this method, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.  Citigo is 2014 vintage and never had a bulb yet.

 

Tell you what though, saw a video on removing the headlamp if needed - what a faff.

 

Thanks again.

Just to chime in on this - I had to replace bulb on mines and it was very hard to release on the drivers side. The connector snapped in the housing and I had to replace the whole lamp unit - total cost including labour was over 500 Euro. 

The other side - no such problems, connector was easy enough to slide off. 

Thanks mate - this is exactly what I didn't want to happen - 500 Euros, Jeez.  I've yet to get to the job of replacing the bulb but, when I do, I'll make sure I take the bulb plus connector out first then try to separate.  Not sure why it's so difficult??  It was easier when they had the little clip that had to be eased up with a small screwdriver - connector then came straight off.

In the manual, it shows some models have twist-off bulb holders and some with spring clips. Be careful!

If you can get the bulb holder out, it should be fairly easy to prise the bulb out a bit at a time with say, a small screwdriver....

 

It's strange to have such a delicate set up that requires so much effort to dismantle - I'd have thought the connectors would come off easily.  The twist-offs are a bit easier to deal with, I find.

Mine seemed to be trivial to deal with - I changed bulbs in them a few months ago for brighter versions. One of the easiest changes ever. Try an old Smart, if, like me you have chunky hands/sausage fingers, or even (one side of) an Octavia or some Golfs

 

Having said that, you can, over time, get corrosion between the bulb's spade connectors and the bulb-holder's female terminals - they are different metals and not of great quality. It's probably not a good idea to leave them for several years without checking that they can be separated, because sod's law guarantees that they will be very hard to remove when a bulb blows, and you are about to embark on a long night-time journey....

Edited 6 January, 20224 yr by freemansteve

On 02/01/2022 at 18:48, beezera10 said:

I'm trying to replace a H4 headlamp bulb on the Citigo but cannot get the connector off for love nor money.  Is there a catch or technique I'm missing.

 

For the H4 bulbs use a big flat headed screwdriver between the bulb and the connector.

Lever one connection at a time just a little bit at a time and slowly / gently work it off.

 

 

5 hours ago, freemansteve said:

In the manual, it shows some models have twist-off bulb

H7 type bulbs with two connectors.

 

5 hours ago, freemansteve said:

In the manual, it shows some models come with spring clips.

H4 type bulb with three connectors.

 

Thanks. AG Falco

Don't confuse the connections between the bulbs and the bulb holders, and the holders into the body of the lamps which is what I was talking about. Whether bulbs have 2 (H7) or 3 (H4) spade connectors, isn't what I was saying... The bulb holder is the part with wires on one side and female spade receptacles on the other. Some variants have different fittings for the bulb holder to the lamp unit.  I think you can still remove the ones with spring clips even if the bulb is stuck in the holder, if you are deft with fine-nosed pliers.

 

 

Edited 8 January, 20224 yr by freemansteve

Sorry, let me give more details.

 

For the cars with 2 x H4 bulbs with 3 connectors , they are held in to the headlamp unit with a spring clip pushing on to the back of the metal collar part of the bulb.

 

For the cars with 4 x H7 bulbs with 2 connectors, are held in to the headlamp unit by a twist clip which the bulb is fitted to first.

 

So the tyre of bulb you have determines what way the bulb is held in/on to the headlamp unit.

 

HTH

 

Thanks. AG Falco

Cheers.  Mine is the former rather than the latter.  My original query was whether I needed to employ a different method of pulling  off the connector as it was stuck fast and I didn't want to damage anything.  I'd figured out about removing the bulb and connector together, but just wondered why such a simple task proved so difficult.

1 hour ago, beezera10 said:

just wondered why such a simple task proved so difficult.

 

Headlamp bulbs tend to blow when they are turned on.

 

If you have loose / poor wire connectors this can lead to the bulbs momentarily going off then.

 

If you have loose / poor fitment of the bulb to the headlamp unit then bulbs tend not to last as long due to vibrations.

 

See here from about 8.00 minutes in:- 

 

 

 

Glad you sorted it.

 

Thanks. AG Falco