Has anyone here ever tried to change a nearside headlight bulb on a Focus? I've just done it and i had to:

1. Remove the plastic battery cover.
2. Try and remove the plastic cover on the back of the headlight.
3. Swear alot because the cover in 2 (above) wouldn't come out for the plastic battery tray.
4. Remove the battery strap.
5. Remove the 3 bolts bolding the plastic battery tray in.
6. Try and lift the battery and tray high enough (with tight wiring) to remove the cover on the back of the headlight.
7. Swear lots, again.
8. Finally get the cover off.
9. Try and work out how to un-do the wire clip (that you can not see) that holds the bulb in.
10. Swear more.
11. Finally undo the clip.
12. Remove old bulb.
13. Fit new bulb.
14. Twat about again with the metal clip.
15. Lift the bloody battery and tray again with one hand while trying to get the cover back on the back of the headlight (while swearing).
16. Fit the three bolts back into the battery tray (which are at finger-tips reach).
17. Fit the battery strap.
18. Fit the plastic cover back on to the battery.

WTF! I thought you were supposed to be able to change bulbs easily and quickly at the side of the road!

If it blows again, I'm getting rid of the car, it'll be easier!

[Edited on 18/1/05 by Northy]

Thats not too bad, Golf mk4 starts off with the front wheels off, archliners off, front bumper.......

next time, just use a hammer, and change it from the front - much more satisfying!

Yep modern car designs/designers are ABSOLUTELY LURVERLY. ----- NOT

i changed the bulbs on a sport ka the other day...
jacked it up took out wheel liner thingy about 6 screws...
get to back of headlight that way...
much the same on a focus?
and i got to keep my hand skin too...
dave.c

To change the head lights on the mondeo you have to remove the front bumper! as welll as that it takes the whole engine subframe dropped twenty five mm to change the antiroll bushes.

you know, some people are even daft enough to want to make a whole car from SCRATCH instead of just popping out and buying one - theres apparently about 28m of them out there already.

takes all sorts, i suppose

atb

steve

...but the Ford procedure says to remove the wheel arch liner (or at least remove the front screw and push the liner to one side), then you can get to the lower screw (1 of 3) holding the lamp unit in place. Should take approx 20mins according to the dealer service times

[Edited on 19-1-2005 by Donners90]

I had similar problems with a 2001 Passat. Was told replacing the headlight bulbs was a main dealer only item. Phoned them and spoke to a mechanic. He said lucky it was the passenger side as that only required removing a few parts, the drivers side needed to remove power steering reservoir etc!!

I now have a 2003 Audi and it cost me £20 to get a tail light replaced, £18 in labour and £2 bulb.

Not make that mistake again, I'll be doing it myself. GRR!

Next time, remove the whole headlamp unit as since it is held in by three or four screws. Still a bit of trim removal but much quicker !

First time I had to change that bulb I nearly removed half the engine, Then my wife walks over and suggests just undoing the 4 bolts that hold the whole unit on. Yeh I felt like a jackass.