Headlight Bulb installation advice

It is better to unscrew the one M8 bolt (ICE coolant and intake hose holder) to make more room for the install. I agree with your procedure - disconnect the bulb connector, rotate the bulb left (anticlockwise), carefully insert the new one to fit in gaps (do not touch bulb's glass to avaoid short bulb life), connect wires, check if everything is tight and secure, return the holder to original position and finally screw in the bolt.

 

Agreed with PaJa - that bolt to move the hose and the air intake out of the way makes it MUCH easier.

Just remember, always test your lights before you secure that bolt and the hoses back down. That way, you won't be kicking yourself later on if you have to re-do the process - not that it's hard, though.

 

I tried it both ways, with and without removing the bolt (and the bolt is about ten times longer than it needs to be), and, at least for me, it doesn't make any difference. I'm able to wedge my hand in there without the intake or coolant hose being in the way.

As for John1701a's advice - BRILLIANT!

 

Thanks John for the info. I will have to remember this.

 

BTW: one headlamp is okay for the "safe" driving and it gives you have a chance to replace the bulb in your garage.

 

John,
Thanks for the advice. as you said, I scraped my wrist trying to put it back with the wire harness. Hard thing is to remember this the next time I have to replace.

Thanks
VJ

 

I just tried unsuccesfully to do passenger side ... it was even hard to take it out. The driver side worked at once then I struggled for an hour no avail ... THANK GOD I decided to put the old (notworking ) back as a practice NO way... gave up and now it is too dark to try again ...

I wish I looked at first here (actually I did but did not see this pot) I will give try tomorrow the idea makes a lot of sense should work. I do not have a wrench to take air intake off and will not help that much anyway.

Thanks again for sharing.

 

I really really thankfull for the advise ... this way (not attaching the cable first) was very much possible just a little tight to install the bulb did not take the air-intake bolt off and still worked.

I saved 15$ !!!! that is what pep-boys would charged to install them something like 70$ at dealer ship....

OK have some scrapes on my wrist to trying quite a bit last night but this way it is doable ..

And putting the cable back was quite easy (although it is blind just by feel) ...

So a BIG thanks for john1701a !!!!!

cheers

 

You couldn't employ an urchin for such tasks?

I had a hard time even buying a pair of H11 bulbs in Australia in other than standard colour and output. Decided on Philips Bluevision for whiter and slightly brighter light but had to wait a few days for the order.

Apparently, the connectors on H11 and HB (9000-series) bulbs were designed to be much easier to attach and detach compared to H1-H7. Having changed my fair share of H1, H4 and H7 bulbs I can agreed that it can be very difficult to attach and detach from those other bulbs.

A colleague had a dead bulb and I offered to replace it. He drove his Holden Commodore (Aussie-made and badge engineered as the Chevrolet Lumina, Chevrolet Omega and Pontiac G8) to my place, bulbs in hand. Opened the bonnet to find 15cm (6") of space from the rear of the headlight housing to the nearest solid object! The bulb was visible for the entire installation process. Daniel (his real name) is a nice bloke but you can tell that he studied Arts.

 

Urchin ??? please we do not have those here

I got Philips Vision Plus or something like that middle/low but not the elchipo china shit. H11 is readily available both in stores and online. But Toyota sells it as parts like 2x almost 3x the store price.

And it was really impossible to put it in with wire connector attached on the passenger side ... so I am again thanking for the advise. Whoever designed this must have been a really small person with a really small hand.

 

There are some good videos on youtube that show how to change the bulbs. Bentley publishing also has nice step-by-step instructions (google Toyota+Prius+Headlight+Bulb,+Replacing\ Bentley). Trickiest part was the wire. It takes a bit longer than on some other cars, but it is not that hard to do.

 

I did watch some videos and I realized it seems so easy because ALL showed the driver side which IS a lot easier.

And yes the key for me was the advise here that DO NOT reverse the removal process. It is easier to take it out WITH the wire attached but almost impossible to put it back that way. So put the bulb back first and then attach the wire ... that is the way.

Just my experience !!!

 

Count yourself lucky. At least you don't have to remove the front wheel to replace a headlight bulb, like a Renault Megane...

 

that is INCREDIBLE !!!!

 

There are a few videos for the passenger side. Not that difficult on that side either once you see it, but harder than the other side.

 

I remember that some Chryslers and Plymouths had to remove the bolts for the engine mounts and to lift the engine a few inches in order to change the spark plugs... There was no clearance from the top otherwise... That was a real pain....

 

Spark plugs in my Rover P6B were tricky. The engine was derived from the Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac 215 and was modified to become the Rover 3500 V8 and to rev over 4000rpm. I had to find a thin-walled spark plug spanner, in effect a pipe spanner, to remove the spark plugs. Not as drastic as lifting the engine.
Once I replaced the spark plugs and started the car, but the engine was running rough. Then I realised that I had only connected the HT leads on one bank. Starting on half its cylinders... not bad.
I never had to replace its sealed beams, though.

I also have a Citroën. The running joke about repairs is something like this:
Headlight bulbs
Step 1 Remove rear bumper.

 

John, you have NO IDEA how grateful I was to read your post. I literally tried FOREVER to put in the passenger side headlight with it already plugged in. It took me literally 30 seconds once I reversed the process. Live and learn INDEED. It's physically impossible to insert the bulb with it already plugged in because the wires aren't long enough! I think what messed me up is the fact that the drivers side can be installed with the bulb already plugged in. Man, I'm so glad I read your post. If I could hug you I would!