Headlight housing removal ..

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 24, 2015

• #1

Folks, I posted a thread about high beam replacements in the Accessories & Appearance forums, and it got me thinking of another question that I could pose. Has anyone actually removed the entire headlight housing here? I need to remove it to do my HID projector retrofit.

I checked the service manual and it states that pretty much the entire front end has to come off. This was the case as well with my old Tacoma, but I was able to contort and reach a little bit, and avoid the bumper removal. I'm just wondering if anyone has had the bumper off or removed the headlights and knows if it's at all possible to remove the headlights without removing the bumper.

Thanks in advance!

 

Chris_Top_Her

Banned

Moderator

Contributor

:

San Antonio, Texas

:

'15 CX-5 Miata AWD

• Sep 24, 2015

• #2

no you have to take the bumper off because there is a bolt under it on the side. If you dont replace the bolt, future removals wont require bumper removal.

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 24, 2015

• #3

OK. Thanks for the heads up!

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 26, 2015

• #4

Update .. You DO NOT have to remove the bumper entirely to remove the headlights. You only have to undo a few clips on the wheel well trim and the bumper itself. I was able to get the headlights out with only unclipping the sides of the bumper from the fender, and also the large clips that are clipped into the headlight itself around the grill.

Retrofitted Maxima projectors last night and blacked out the headlight bezel. Came out great! I'll have to get some pics later.

 

S

SayNoToPistons

Wheels, not rims...

:

CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'

• Sep 26, 2015

• #5

Pics please. How much of the mounting points did you have to modify (if any) for the Maxima projectors?

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 27, 2015

• #6

I don't have pics of the mounting, but you won't be able to go back to stock projectors, and I had to trim the outer portions of the projector shield as well to get them to fit.

I do have pics of the blackout though ..

I'll get some better day time pics, as the wife had to take the car to work and I didn't get any shots of it yet with the lights in.

 

Chris_Top_Her

Banned

Moderator

Contributor

:

San Antonio, Texas

:

'15 CX-5 Miata AWD

• Sep 27, 2015

• #7

well, yea you can bend the bumper and the trim but, I'd rather not

 

S

SayNoToPistons

Wheels, not rims...

:

CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'

• Sep 27, 2015

• #8

roboots21 said:

I don't have pics of the mounting, but you won't be able to go back to stock projectors, and I had to trim the outer portions of the projector shield as well to get them to fit.

I do have pics of the blackout though ..

I'll get some better day time pics, as the wife had to take the car to work and I didn't get any shots of it yet with the lights in.

Click to expand...

Pics not working. Either way, great to see someone put the effort in for proper (safe) lighting. I'm sure both you and all on-coming drivers appreciate it.

 

Chris_Top_Her

Banned

Moderator

Contributor

:

San Antonio, Texas

:

'15 CX-5 Miata AWD

• Sep 27, 2015

• #9

I'm interested in how the blackout housing looks, I'd like to match my fronts to my rears (including removing that orange reflector)... also after testing safely opening the taillight (the good one from my old pair) I will be taking that annoying red reflector out and putting the clear one in.

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 27, 2015

• #10

After doing a full Bi-Xenon retrofit in my Tundra, I don't want to drive anything with Halogen lighting, and doing the retrofit worked out great. Going to try the pics again ..

 

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R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 27, 2015

• #11

Couple more pics .. Tinted reflector and close up of sealed lights ..




Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Chris_Top_Her

Banned

Moderator

Contributor

:

San Antonio, Texas

:

'15 CX-5 Miata AWD

• Sep 27, 2015

• #12

lol got a picture with the whole front end visible?

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 28, 2015

• #13

Will get a pic for you later today when I get out of work of the whole front end/car.

 

S

SayNoToPistons

Wheels, not rims...

:

CX-5 GT AWD w/ Tech, RX-8 GT 6spd w/ 'goodies'

• Sep 28, 2015

• #14

Oh yes, that looks good. Real good. Was the disassembly difficult with the factory adhesive?

 

Hank3

Asian Persuasion <><

Contributor

:

2010 Mazda5 GT

• Sep 28, 2015

• #15

Looks good. IMO, some chrome amber bulbs would complete the overall clean and stealth look.

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 28, 2015

• #16

Not at all. Uses a type of butyl sealant. 250* for 8 minutes and they opened right up. Compared to my perma-sealed Tundra lights, these were a cakewalk.

 

R

roboots21

:

2017 Mazda CX-5 GT

• Sep 29, 2015

• #17

Couple of front shots to try and show the black housings again .. and a shot of the rear dummy fogs that I tinted as well.

 

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