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Author: Subject: Megane headlamp bulb? How long does it take to change one
mangogrooveworkshop

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:31 PM Reply With Quote
Megane headlamp bulb? How long does it take to change one

As seen on 5th gear

Megane headlamp bulb?
Mon, 19/12/2005
stuart

Go on, have a guess... One bulb. How difficult can it be... Ten minutes? Thirty minutes? What do you reckon...
FOUR HOURS
Yes, that's right - four hours to change one bulb. You have to undo the access panel inside the wheel arch, reach in where you can't see, undo the plastic door that you can't see, pull off the cable connector that you can't see, remove the clip that you can't see (you get the idea), and then the spring and bulb all fall out.

Then all you have to do is replace the clip by lining up the metal arms with, you've guessed it, the holes that you can't see. Insert the bulb, lining up the tab with the bit you can't... Attach the spring, then the cables, and then you're done.

I tried for two hours last night (and got a little bit frustrated - sorry Nikki!) Then I tried for an hour at work. In the end I phoned the dealer and they said...

"Oh yes, the bulbs are really hard to fit. You need to book it in so we can remove the bumper and fit it for you. It'll be one to two hours labour, and we can do it a week on Friday."

Let me get this straight - TWO HOURS LABOUR TO FIT A FIVE QUID BULB, and it's currently Monday so that's nearly a fortnight before they can do it?!?!?!

In France it's a legal requirement to carry spare bulbs, and this is a French car, but you can't fit the bulb without having the bumper removed. But hey, at least you'd have a nice shiny set of unusable bulbs in your boot. A bit like I have... Hmmm...

Officer "Did you know that your headlight is not working"
Me "Yes, I did. But I have to wait a fortnight before the garage can remove the bumper for me"

I had one last go tonight and finally got it to work. Overall I really like my car, but this was just ridiculous. The garage's argument is "Bulbs don't go very often these days, so it's not too much of a problem to bring it in to have it done.". Doh! Silly me, and there was me thinking it was illegal to drive with a faulty headlight.

Apparently Halfords refuse to fit Megane headlamps and refer you back to your dealer cos they're so bl**dy awkward to get in.

Grrrrr.

Ok, rant over. I have two headlights now (but very bruised hands from doing a James Herriot impression on with my wheel arch).

[Edited on 11-10-08 by mangogrooveworkshop]






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joneh

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:37 PM Reply With Quote
Two hours of dealer labour!

Probably cheaper to smash the light each time and fit a whole new unit.

They must do it for the continuing labour charges - as bulb aren't covered under warranty. Rip off by design.

[Edited on 11/10/08 by joneh]






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McLannahan

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:39 PM Reply With Quote
Many modern VW's are a bumper off job to fit the headlight bulbs too.

I'm a dab hand at removing the bumper now - 5 min job and takes a leisurely 20 mins from start to finish now.






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mangogrooveworkshop

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:42 PM Reply With Quote
smart takes the whole front off the car.....






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adithorp

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:43 PM Reply With Quote
They're a nightmare. We put them on the ramp and remove the wheel. This gives better access as you can stand underneth and don't need to be quite as double jointed. Then if we don't get the bulb back in the first couple of tries, we undo the wing liner. Get it done in about 20mins on average.

If you think the headlight bulb is hard then try the indicator! Thats futher from the access hole.

adrian





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theconrodkid

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:48 PM Reply With Quote
son une pile française de merde quoi encore vous prévoirait d'un groupe de fromage mangeant des singes de reddition







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smart51

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:54 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by mangogrooveworkshop
smart takes the whole front off the car.....


Nah! you remove the grille above the light with your key or a screwdriver and you can get to the bulbs with your hand, if its small.

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smart51

posted on 11/10/08 at 07:56 PM Reply With Quote
The RAC man on 5th gear didn't remove the bumper. He went in through the access panel in the front of the wheel arch. He did remove the front wheel to give him more space, but he replaced the bulb in something like an hour IIRC, removing nothing but the wheel and the access panel.
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froggy

posted on 11/10/08 at 08:13 PM Reply With Quote
ive made a tool for doing the front ind bulbs on fat arse meganes as they dont come out without a fight ,i welded a couple of flat strips onto an old pair of very long thin nose pliers so i can turn and pull the holder out without any blood loss





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David Jenkins

posted on 11/10/08 at 08:32 PM Reply With Quote
The best bit on the 5th gear program was when the presenter sat on the front of a Golf with a coffee in one hand - and reached back and removed the headlight bulb with the other... took about 20 seconds.

The point being that Renault say that it's the safety features required to get a high NCAP rating that makes the headlight so hard to get at - but the Golf has the same rating...






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chris_smith

posted on 11/10/08 at 08:33 PM Reply With Quote
remember watching that on fifth gear and yes your right HALFORDS wont change them my bro works there





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liam.mccaffrey

posted on 11/10/08 at 08:52 PM Reply With Quote
crikey i have a chevy venture (bit like a zafira) and you have to take the whole light unit out. it still only takes a minute or 2 and you don't need any tools to do it





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BenB

posted on 11/10/08 at 08:52 PM Reply With Quote
Aaaaaaaaaaaaah borrocks!!!!!

There's me feeling smug having driven my cut-price second-hand Megane home.

At least the headlights work at the moment!!!


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davie h

posted on 11/10/08 at 08:53 PM Reply With Quote
the wife has a 03 plate megane and i changed the passenger side in about 10 minutes.this was with the wheel on and the steering turned full lock and sitting on the drive. i did end up with some scrapes on my forearm but no real hassle.


Mango if a buld goes again bring it over and i will help you out

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Mansfield

posted on 11/10/08 at 09:13 PM Reply With Quote
My first old Tigra headlight bulb took me three hours! Would have been two but the wires to the connector got wrapped around the bulb clip. I was working in a mirror with a long pair of pliers. Now I just take the bumper off and it is 30 mins start to finish.

I do know a girl who had to pay £120 to a dealer to change a headlight bulb on a 51 plate clio, unbelievable that they made her pay it - she thought it would be done under warranty.

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prawnabie

posted on 11/10/08 at 11:39 PM Reply With Quote
Was the clio a 172 with xenon bulbs though lol?
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rusty nuts

posted on 12/10/08 at 05:30 AM Reply With Quote
At least on the newer Mondeos the head light comes out in 5 seconds.
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02GF74

posted on 12/10/08 at 12:08 PM Reply With Quote
the engineer(s) who designed that deserved to be shot.

tell me about it.

On the volvo 850, one side is a nightmare as there tantalisingly is just not quite enough room to get your (my) fingers in to hook the bulb in.

ridiculous.

give me a series 3 landy anyday.






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rusty nuts

posted on 12/10/08 at 12:44 PM Reply With Quote
Have had several Volvo 850s with the spring clip bent so that the bulb doesn't fit properly . Only takes a few minutes to remove the light assembly so thats how I now do them
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