Help- trying to change headlight bulb

R

rocketspeed

Member

:

03.5 Mazdaspeed Protege, Titanium Gray

• Dec 8, 2004

• #1

I've done this once before, but I've forgotten- the harness doesn't want to unplug from the bulb and I'm afraid of breaking it by pulling on it. They unplug, then the rubber boot, then pop the clip and swing it out, right?

 

T

t3ase

Banned

Contributor

• Dec 8, 2004

• #2

yup

 

R

rocketspeed

Member

:

03.5 Mazdaspeed Protege, Titanium Gray

• Dec 8, 2004

• #3

How to unplug? Its going to break by pulling on it, I think.

 

T

t3ase

Banned

Contributor

• Dec 8, 2004

• #4

pull straight off.

 

J

jersey_emt

Member

:

04 MSM #1089

• Dec 8, 2004

• #5

Heh I actually broke one of my harnesses getting a bulb out.

Kept on pulling, pulling, and the bulb finally came out. But left one prong still stuck in the harness! So I take a pair of pliers, pull, pull, pull, pull....and it comes out with a small piece of plastic from the harness.

Still works fine though

 

R

rocketspeed

Member

:

03.5 Mazdaspeed Protege, Titanium Gray

• Dec 9, 2004

• #6

I got it done, but man was it a PITA. I finally got it pulled off just enough to wedge a screwdriver in there and pry it off the rest of the way. I have blisters and cuts all over my hands from wrestling that thing!

 

P

Protege52003

Member

Contributor

:

'08 Jetta; '10 Wrangler Unlimited

• Dec 9, 2004

• #7

rocketspeed said:

I got it done, but man was it a PITA. I finally got it pulled off just enough to wedge a screwdriver in there and pry it off the rest of the way. I have blisters and cuts all over my hands from wrestling that thing!

Click to expand...

i just changed one bulb yesterday and the wire harness does take some effort to get off. you should see my wrists and hands from getting the oil filter off my g/f's new jetta when i changed the oil for the first time last week. that was a PITA......next time will be easy though. i did not overtighten the filter....

 

G

goldstar

Wayfarer

:

2002 Mazda Protege DX; 2013 Mazda3 iTouring SkyActiv

• Dec 9, 2004

• #8

Here's a suggestion to prevent future problems. The next time you remove an electrical plug, coat the terminals or contacts with Permatex Dielectric Tune-Up Grease. Squeeze some grease from the tube onto a toothpick and apply. Among other things, it prevents corrosion from building up on electrical contacts making it difficult to separate plugs from sockets. It's the same product used to coat the inside of spark plug boots to prevent tearing on removal.

It's available at Pep Boys as well as other places.

 

P

ping

Member

Contributor

• Dec 9, 2004

• #9

thumbs up on the dielectric grease...

 

S

SkinnyJoint

Member

Contributor

:

02.5 MP5

• Dec 11, 2004

• #10

ok i just pulled the rubber boot back and unscrewed a lil bit and poped the clip, harness is still on there, but now i cant get it back together so i do need to pull off that harness?

 

R

rocketspeed

Member

:

03.5 Mazdaspeed Protege, Titanium Gray

• Dec 11, 2004

• #11

SkinnyJoint said:

ok i just pulled the rubber boot back and unscrewed a lil bit and poped the clip, harness is still on there, but now i cant get it back together so i do need to pull off that harness?

Click to expand...

You need to unplug the bulb from the harness. Install is reverse- stick the bulb in the thing, pop the clip back in place, put the boot back and plug in the harness.

Thanks for the tip on the grease. I never had problems with bulbs before to need to use it for that, but its a good use for it.

 

S

SkinnyJoint

Member

Contributor

:

02.5 MP5

• Dec 11, 2004

• #12

ok ok im an idiot, i thought that it wasnt a clip thing. and i unscrewed the screw that was holding down the clip instead of just poping the clip. but everything is good to go now i got it back in.

and headlight aligning would only be needed if u take out the casing right?

 

R

rocketspeed

Member

:

03.5 Mazdaspeed Protege, Titanium Gray

• Dec 12, 2004

• #13

Right, you won't need to re-align.

 

S

SkinnyJoint

Member

Contributor

:

02.5 MP5

• Dec 12, 2004

• #14

so if i wanted to smoke/bake the headlights i would have to get them realigned?

 

R

rocketspeed

Member

:

03.5 Mazdaspeed Protege, Titanium Gray

• Dec 13, 2004

• #15

Probably, not sure.

 

G

Glowmunkey

Member

• Dec 14, 2004

• #16

SkinnyJoint said:

so if i wanted to smoke/bake the headlights i would have to get them realigned?

Click to expand...

Not if you don't **** with the alignment screws. You can always align your own headlights anyway, just use a wall or a garage door with some level ground, you'll be fine.