Offside Headlight Removal

[taxi3528]

The sidelight bulb popped last week and I managed to extract the bulb but on refitting disaster struck and I lost the thing inside the headlight unit, I can't even get a hold of the wires to hook it out now. All I can see is the two screws on the top of the unit and wonder is it possible to remove the unit without a major dismantle of the front end?

[MDA123]

According to my Haynes manual you'll have to remove the front bumper and then you can remove the headlight unit.

[taxi3528]

I was afraid of that, hopefully I can get my son to do the necessary.

[MDA123]

I've just had an idea which may work, assuming you haven't already managed to get the bulb out: try using a vacuum cleaner. Attach a small tube with some duct tape and poke it through the sidelight hole in the headlight unit - it might just suck it out.

[taxi3528]

It's a bit too late for that as I have got it round to the headlight hole and looking at using some heavy gauge electrical wire in an attempt to get it round to the side light hole, I have also got a drain cleaning spring that might just do the job.

[taxi3528]

Job done, my son came round tonight around seven thirty and did it in about an hour, I just wandered off and left him to it and appeared just as he was finishing. He told me that in future it would be easier to replace the bulb from the wheel arch just by simply turning the wheel out (front offside) to gain access and remove the fixings that secure the wheel arch liner.