Change bulbs at the front + rear of the car
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- glasgowjim
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 4830
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND
Change bulbs at the front + rear of the car
When working on any of the front lights you have to raise the popup headlamps and keep them raised the correct method as given be Volvo is ..
turn on ignition raise popups then release the bonnet catch (at left hand side of passenger footwell in a RH drive car) then turn the lights off and swtich off ignition. The popup headlamps will remain up allowing you to work at your leisure
HeadLamp bulb:
Locate the 4 screws the 2 at the top as shown in picture below and the two ( one on each side as shaon on second picture
undo them and do not lose them they are a specific size. now removethe black cover.
Next remove the top cover .
Warning do not apply any pressure downwards as the plastic hinges are designed to snap under pressure
Before removing the top cover trace round the edge of the cpver flange so that you can reseat the cover when you are finished in the correct position.
Using a 4 mm allen key (hex key) remove the front retaining bolt on each side and loosen the rear bolt , pull the top cover clear.
turn on ignition raise popups then release the bonnet catch (at left hand side of passenger footwell in a RH drive car) then turn the lights off and swtich off ignition. The popup headlamps will remain up allowing you to work at your leisure
HeadLamp bulb:
Locate the 4 screws the 2 at the top as shown in picture below and the two ( one on each side as shaon on second picture
undo them and do not lose them they are a specific size. now removethe black cover.
Next remove the top cover .
Warning do not apply any pressure downwards as the plastic hinges are designed to snap under pressure
Before removing the top cover trace round the edge of the cpver flange so that you can reseat the cover when you are finished in the correct position.
Using a 4 mm allen key (hex key) remove the front retaining bolt on each side and loosen the rear bolt , pull the top cover clear.
- glasgowjim
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 4830
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND
- glasgowjim
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 4830
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND
Re: Change bulbs at the front of the car
Indicator and day running lights
Raise the headlamps as shown in the headlamp section. then...
loosen and remove the screw shown in the picture below.
and a clearer picture
or bulbs and day running lamps.
do not unscrew the other 2 screws
retain screw carefully as it is a particular size.
Now the tricky part you need to be careful when removing the cluster as the plastic around the day running lights in UK cars is very brittle as the bulbs are 21W . Cars or front clusters from Europe are luckier as they only use a single element 5w bulb.
You have to locate and hold down (depress) a retaining spring as shown on the photo below..
When you look at the approx position of the screwdriver from the same level you will see the double metal of the retaining clip you depress it with a screw driver and hold it in . Now carefully prise out the whole of the front cluster.
Raise the headlamps as shown in the headlamp section. then...
loosen and remove the screw shown in the picture below.
and a clearer picture
or bulbs and day running lamps.
do not unscrew the other 2 screws
retain screw carefully as it is a particular size.
Now the tricky part you need to be careful when removing the cluster as the plastic around the day running lights in UK cars is very brittle as the bulbs are 21W . Cars or front clusters from Europe are luckier as they only use a single element 5w bulb.
You have to locate and hold down (depress) a retaining spring as shown on the photo below..
When you look at the approx position of the screwdriver from the same level you will see the double metal of the retaining clip you depress it with a screw driver and hold it in . Now carefully prise out the whole of the front cluster.
- glasgowjim
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 4830
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND
Re: Change bulbs at the front of the car
The auxiliary or long range lights ,
the light shown in the picture below...
Raise headlamps and completely remove the front cluster.
Having done this look carefully at the exposed SIDE of the light unit there are 2 black plastic clip lugs push these in ( they will be stiff ) and free the side of the unit . To remove the unit the other side has a hinge lip so you pull the freed side out as if it where a little door and the unit can then be freed bulb changing is straightforward after that.
Reassembly is the reverse blah blah......
Hope this helps .
the light shown in the picture below...
Raise headlamps and completely remove the front cluster.
Having done this look carefully at the exposed SIDE of the light unit there are 2 black plastic clip lugs push these in ( they will be stiff ) and free the side of the unit . To remove the unit the other side has a hinge lip so you pull the freed side out as if it where a little door and the unit can then be freed bulb changing is straightforward after that.
Reassembly is the reverse blah blah......
Hope this helps .
- glasgowjim
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 4830
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND
Re: Change bulbs at the front of the car
FOR REAR LIGHTS
first open rear hatch then open the side cubby as shown below . Then lie the cubby door fully open on the boot carpet out of the way.
Now pull / prise the rear cover off as shown it is only clipped in place and NO you cant break anything even if you are the incredible hulk . When you prise it off start from the inside end as the other end has a lug (shown below that fits into the edge of the cubby.
first open rear hatch then open the side cubby as shown below . Then lie the cubby door fully open on the boot carpet out of the way.
Now pull / prise the rear cover off as shown it is only clipped in place and NO you cant break anything even if you are the incredible hulk . When you prise it off start from the inside end as the other end has a lug (shown below that fits into the edge of the cubby.
- glasgowjim
- 480 Is my middle name
- Posts: 4830
- Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: GLASGOW SCOTLAND
Re: Change bulbs at the front + rear of the car
This is helpful stuff.
Thanks Jim.
Thanks Jim.
1991 480 Black Turbo
2012 Seat Exeo ST
2013 VW Polo TSI DSG
2012 Seat Exeo ST
2013 VW Polo TSI DSG
Re: Change bulbs at the front + rear of the car
After replacing all interior lighting for warm light leds It was time to move to exterior lights.
I bought different kinds of bulbs on Ebay to try on different positions. Here's my market research results this far. All of them in warm white tones. Avoiding MOT issues and keeping the car looks as less tunning-deal as possible makes me run away from ultra white 6000k tones.
This one seemed to me like the best for DRLs. Best amount of light.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/1156-Ba15s-P21W-20 ... ING_ACTIVE
Wrong choice. They get hot as hell. They have so many high power leds packed that the thing gets hotter than filament bulbs. I think they're designed for blinkers or reverse lights but not to be kept on for a long time. The thing got so hot that it melt the leds soldierings to the bulb body and the led panels started to fall from the body. So hot this could substitute uranium at nuclear power plants. Do not buy.
This other one stays quite cool but having only a front beam is not ideal for obvious reasons.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/2-x-Warm-White-Car ... ING_ACTIVE
This one is the right choice. They have a great illumination power. I did not understand the metal isolation between the leds until I tried the first ones. This acts as a dissipator.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/1-x-700lm-1156-BA1 ... ING_ACTIVE
Still to receive and try theese ones. Will report soon.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/Coche-1156-BA15S-S ... 6311577009
Filament bulb on the right, led on the left
I bought different kinds of bulbs on Ebay to try on different positions. Here's my market research results this far. All of them in warm white tones. Avoiding MOT issues and keeping the car looks as less tunning-deal as possible makes me run away from ultra white 6000k tones.
This one seemed to me like the best for DRLs. Best amount of light.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/1156-Ba15s-P21W-20 ... ING_ACTIVE
Wrong choice. They get hot as hell. They have so many high power leds packed that the thing gets hotter than filament bulbs. I think they're designed for blinkers or reverse lights but not to be kept on for a long time. The thing got so hot that it melt the leds soldierings to the bulb body and the led panels started to fall from the body. So hot this could substitute uranium at nuclear power plants. Do not buy.
This other one stays quite cool but having only a front beam is not ideal for obvious reasons.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/2-x-Warm-White-Car ... ING_ACTIVE
This one is the right choice. They have a great illumination power. I did not understand the metal isolation between the leds until I tried the first ones. This acts as a dissipator.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/1-x-700lm-1156-BA1 ... ING_ACTIVE
Still to receive and try theese ones. Will report soon.
http://m.ebay.es/itm/Coche-1156-BA15S-S ... 6311577009
Filament bulb on the right, led on the left
1991 480 Black Turbo
2012 Seat Exeo ST
2013 VW Polo TSI DSG
2012 Seat Exeo ST
2013 VW Polo TSI DSG
Re: Change bulbs at the front + rear of the car
Thanks for taking the time to do this comparison,can you now give a definitive choice as to which led bulb is the best suited ?
1992 480 Turbo Auto with richmod