Headlight Blew. WHY IS IT SO DAMN HARD TO JUST REPLACE A BULB?

[jagarundi]

Are the people at Ford complete IDIOTS or what? WTF is it so hard to SIMPLY REPLACE A HEADLIGHT BULB? The driver side low beam light went out last night. Okay, so I pick up a bulb and I'm ready to put it in. WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE OUT MY F--KIN' BATTERY? Once I do that, I STILL DON'T HAVE ANY ROOM to twist the housing to get the old bulb out and put the new one in! Does ANYONE have a way to get a SIMPLE F--KIN' HEADLIGHT BULB OUT on the drivers side and a replacement bulb in? Every other vehicle I've had, taking out and replacing a headlight bulb was SIMPLE! WTF is WRONG with Ford? Do they not have COMMON DAMN SENSE?

 

[Mirge]

Maybe your truck is different than mine.. I have a 98 EB... I had to replace both bulbs... was a piece of cake? Been a while.. maybe I'm not remembering correctly lol.

Anyway, sorry for your frustration!

 

[jagarundi]

Maybe your truck is different than mine.. I have a 98 EB... I had to replace both bulbs... was a piece of cake? Been a while.. maybe I'm not remembering correctly lol.

Anyway, sorry for your frustration!

I'm trying to understand what the headlight covers under the hood are there for. When you lift them up, YOU STILL DON'T HAVE ROOM TO TAKE ANYTHING OUT!!

 

[IZwack]

Yeah its tight but it doesnt take that long - maybe 5 mins per side. Unscrew the plastic retainer off of the back of the headlight housing, pull the bulb out, put new one in and reinstall the plastic retainer.

 

[jagarundi]

I don't think you guys are understanding me. I had to TAKE OUT THE BATTERY in order to GET to the lightbulb and I STILL don't have ANY ROOM to twist the housing so that I can take the old bulb out! Does anyone have any photos of HOW I'm supposed to do this? It's absolutely amazing that something as SIMPLE as replacing a headlight bulb has to be so damn hard. Leave it to Ford....

 

[IZwack]

I sliced up my Explorer with a plasma cutter so I dont have most of it anymore. But I dont remember having to remove the battery to replace a light bulb.

But on a side note, lets calm down a little bit - you seem to be on the edge.

 

[section525]

You're doing it wrong.

Lift the flap. Remove the two screws. Lens housing slides out (with coaxing). Twist off harness. Insert new bulb. Put back.

Wait.. thats the side markers. Hold on please.

 

[jagarundi]

I sliced up my Explorer with a plasma cutter so I dont have most of it anymore. But I dont remember having to remove the battery to replace a light bulb.

But on a side note, lets calm down a little bit - you seem to be on the edge.

On edge are the operative words here. Any other ride that I've had, replacing the headlight bulb was the easiest thing in the world. On this Ford, I don't see how they expect you to turn the blue ring that has the bult in it when you have no room to work.

 

[jagarundi]

You're doing it wrong.

Lift the flap. Remove the two screws. Lens housing slides out (with coaxing). Twist off harness. Insert new bulb. Put back.

THANK YOU!!

If I'm ever in your part of the world, the cold ones and hot wings are on me!!

 

[section525]

THANK YOU!!

If I'm ever in your part of the world, the cold ones and hot wings are on me!!

Looks like you may be right. The battery might have to come out.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116715

But I think you might be able to take the housing off from the front once the side marker housing is off. I'll look at my repair manual. Seems like more people would have needed to change their bulbs by now. Maybe someone will chime in.

 

[section525]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24257

 

[Dan Whitaker]

I've never had to pull the battery to replace mine. If you think the Explorer is bad try it on a 1989-1997 Cougar or T-Bird.

 

[Electrohacker]

it takes some patience but there's enough room to replace the headlights bulbs, I did mine this past summer

 

[storlied]

On the 2nd gens, the passenger side is cake... but the battery does make an issue for the driver's side... it's not impossible.. just a PITA. I've replaced the bulbs, installed HIDs..ect... you just gotta get used to how you get in there... and becareful not to scratch the bulb on anything in that area.

 

[TOMANDPAT]

My daughter has a '99 Chrysler 300M. When I replaced a headlight bulb on the drivers side, I had to remove the front tire in order to remove the FRONT BUMPER!!! It took me 4 hours to replace the bulb. I told her to sell the damned thing before another bulb burns out
Tom

 

[wpurple]

Did mine without removing the battery, just a little patience and small hands.

 

[TheJackal]

I changed the bulb without much difficulty.

Removing the headlight housing, well that's another story.

 

[alohamonte]

I used the remove-the-battery method as well. But dude, that takes 5 minutes. Also gives you a good excuse to clean the terminals.

 

[Joe Dirt]

No doubt- was that a bi-polar day?

I'm sure it would have been easier to re-engineer the engine compartment to make access to a part you'll replace maybe once every 5 years minimum vs. taking an extra 5 minutes to do it.

I hear your pain though- frustrating when you think it should be easier.

 

[martybaker]

I just replaced my bulbs on my 2001, just lifted the flaps on each side,reached down and changed the bulb, and put the flaps back down. Took about 10 minutes total. Is a 98 different?