How hard can it be to change a bulb?

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c63chris

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
1,291
Location
Sussex
Car
SL63 + BMW 335d Touring
So I took the SL out today as it's been sat for a few weeks while I've been away. Cold but sunny so great for a quick blast in the country. On the way home I get an error message from left parking bulb. No problem I think. Plenty of time to take it out, get a new one from Halfords and fit it. No chance! There's no room at all under the bonnet of the SL63. You can just take the cover off the rear of the headlight cluster. Can't see inside but managed to find the bulb holder. Pulled it out and there's a blue led. Success! Off to Halfords and they only have white ones! You can't see where the holder goes back in so ended up fishing around like a gynaecologist to try and get it back in. Now have to go to the dealer to get a bulb and hope with that on the end it will relocate back in the cluster easily. There must be an easier way? Used to be one of the easiest DIY jobs around. Any tips from anyone else who has done this before gratefully received.


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You may find that somebody has fitted aftermarket "blue leds" to your car ;ˆ)

Tip: When buying replacement leds. It is best to replace as a pair. Do not buy the cheapest - they usually fail as you drive off.
 
You may find that somebody has fitted aftermarket "blue leds" to your car ;ˆ)

Tip: When buying replacement leds. It is best to replace as a pair. Do not buy the cheapest - they usually fail as you drive off.



Thanks Bruce, the owners manual says W5W Blue Vision so think they are the original ones. Good point about fitting pairs.


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How hard can it be to change a bulb... quite hard, difficult to reach and the wire clippy thing never wants to unclip!
 
How hard can it be to change a bulb... quite hard, difficult to reach and the wire clippy thing never wants to unclip!

Changing headlamp bulbs on my old Saab 95 was a job and half, hardly any access, cant actually see the clip that holds the bulb in, usually manage to pull the clip off, which is then a faff to get back on, sharp edges everywhere usually scraped hands to shreds...
 
Changing headlamp bulbs on my old Saab 95 was a job and half.

The NG 9-3 was the complete opposite , two bolts and the entire light unit was out.

Nothing like changing ANY of the bulbs at the front of our previous Scenic , i believe the "easy" way to do it is to remove the bumper :wallbash: , the job should be sponsored by Elastoplast and Nurofen.

Kenny
 
Most cars these days require the headlamp removal.
 
On my W166 ML 250, there are no space to change the head lamp bulb, the user manual tell me there is a method , under the wheel arch there is a cover that can be pull out to get access to the head lamp.
 
My previous Subaru required the headlight removing, which in turn required the bumper to be slackened and dropped, just to change the sidelight bulbs - which blew a few times a year for absolutely no apparent reason.
 
On my W166 ML 250, there are no space to change the head lamp bulb, the user manual tell me there is a method , under the wheel arch there is a cover that can be pull out to get access to the head lamp.

Same on my W166 but my SL is easy to replace bulbs.
 
Got the bulbs now. Only £3.50 from the dealer which was surprisingly ok. Now just have to try and relocate the bulb holder!


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