I need to replace the N/S dip bulb on a 53 Focus. The manual and Haynes say remove the battery cover - yes - and push down the retaining spring clip - yes.
The plastic cover comes loose but I can't get it off. It seems to be retained at the top but no amount of pushing or wiggling, short of breaking the cover, seems to work. Is there a trick to it ?

Sounds like mine, there's a tab to pull that I had to pull so hard I broke one and nearly broke my hand on the bonnet with the second (it came out suddenly)

hmm. i did mine, and i had a similar problem, sadly i cant remember how i fixed it, i think i removed several bolts around the mounting and in the end found i hadn;t needed to. all i can say is keep looking at it cuz it comes out somehow!

:0) thank me later for my helpfulness

tisk modern cars...

ok - I've got a Focus.

Release the spring clip (at the bottom of the cover) and lift the bottom of the cover up (rotating about the top of the cover) - about 90 degrees. Then pull the cover away from the back of the light unit.

There's a tag at the top of the cover, which you can't see because of the top of the slam-panel, that locates into the light housing. Lifting the cover up, through the 90 degrees, should disengage this tag and then the cover should come off.

Obviously you will need to insert this tag back into the slot in the light cover to refit it. Try and do it during daylight otherwise it will take you ages to get the covers off and back on again.

Thanks all. JAG - to do that I would have to remove the battery and battery box completely ? There's no way the headlamp cover would swivel up 90 deg otherwise.

I had a similar problem with my Fiesta a couple of years ago. It was actually easier to remove the headlight unit. It's ridiculous that you have all of this hassle to do a simple job. No wonder you see so many cars driving around with only one working headlight.

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Originally posted by RichN
I had a similar problem with my Fiesta a couple of years ago. It was actually easier to remove the headlight unit. It's ridiculous that you have all of this hassle to do a simple job. No wonder you see so many cars driving around with only one working headlight.

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Changed mine the other day, yes it is a bit of a fiddle but no need to take the battery out. Second time I've done mine and only took a couple of mins.

On the same sort of note I seem to get through headlamp bulbs like mad! 3rd one to go on the car in just over a year 25K miles. Was chatting to the bloke in the local motor factors and he agreed that they have tried all different makes from cheap to pricey bulbs in their own cars and all seem to fail very quickly. Perhaps that thats why we see so many cars with flty headlamps.

I now play a game with the kids when driving at night. I pick a figure say 10 and they have to guess if we will see more or less cars with a headlamp not working before the end of our journey...keeps us all amused for hours!

No need to remove the battery - it's very close and you need to have supple/flexible hands but it is possible with everything still in place.

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Originally posted by zetec
On the same sort of note I seem to get through headlamp bulbs like mad! 3rd one to go on the car in just over a year 25K miles.

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Hi, it is possible to remove the cover but quite tricky we do them on a regular basis and it is difficult but yo have to try and get the nearside bit out and then the other side getting it back in is even harder be carefull or you will break the tabs off.
worth removing the drivers side first so you can see how it fits.
remove the battery cover and put some gloves on to save the skin on your hands.
Ray

On some years/models of Focus it's not possible to lift the cover far enough for the top clips to disengaged and if you do fiddle it out they won't always go back. Either remove the battery and bottom half of the box or cut away (side cutters/junior hacksaw) the corner of the box thats restricting the cover (you cant see it once the top cover goes back).

Update:
tried again and there is no way the lamp cover will hinge out. It maybe goes 20 deg before hitting the battery box. I may have broken the nearside tab, which will help. I think it's going to have to be cut away part of the battery box but it's getting dark so it's a job for tomorrow.

So reminiscent of the Haynes manuals - " undo the hub nut " Right - with a blow torch and a sledge hammer