Change headlight bulb!

[glenn47]

I manged to replace the bulb by jacking the front up and removing the wheel, opening the bonnet and removing the flat plastic cover plate over the top of the light cluster (three plastic screws i think) and working in combination through the opening in the wheel arch. The hardest part was not losing the small spring clip that holds the bulb in. Managed it in about 20 minutes or £30 in garage speak!

[AlexB]

glenn47,

You are not the first who writes about loosing or not loosing that spring. IT MUST NOT BE REMOVED! The notch on its upper part catches the hook of the holder and keeps it locked. To unlock pull off the connector, then press on the notch in question and shift it 3mm to the right. Do it exactly in this order.* It will unlock and flip down. Then you replace the bulb, flip it back in place, lock and attach the connector.

Don't touch the glass with fingers and insert the bulb aiming the mark on the flange up.

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* If the spring is unlocked prior to connector removal, then the support for the bulb will be lost and it will be difficult to pull off the connector.

[nickbell69]

ALEXB you make it sound so simple!!! I've come the conclusion its luck as to whether the new bulb goes straight in or it takes the best part of an hour. Just looking at the number of posts on what should be a 2 minute job proves how frustrating it is to a lot of people.

[BurntCarcus]

I guess other ppl have maybe changed bulbs in many other cars so know what way the clip works and can do it without having to look at it. Best way is to remember what part of the bulb is at the bottom, then place the new bulb in your hand the same way, should just be a reverse procedure.

[72uoba]

The notch on its upper part catches the hook of the holder and keeps it locked. To unlock pull off the connector, then press on the notch in question and shift it 3mm to the right.

What AlexB said above is the crucial part of changing the bulb. I was fiddling around with the bulb and trying to remember how the spring hitched down for ages (mostly just keeping trying to push notch upwards). However, following Alexb's instructions, it really is very simple.

Remove connector, push top of spring upwards and then slightly to the right, it will fall down, remove bulb, replace bulb, fold spring back up and push so that it locks again and, finally, replace connector!

I did this in seconds and moved onto the other side which proved to be just as easy now that I knew what I was doing. It makes me even more angry that Renault would charge for bumper removal to do. I think I'll set myself up on the pavement outside the local dealer and offer to change peoples bulbs for a fiver.

[snowy]

my mate done mine in about 2 minutes. hes an ex renault mechanic though . no bumpers were removed, but he said for the drivers side it was a bumper off job!

[jimmy guy]

How about this for a laugh!

Total time taken to change both dipped beams and side lights..............

6 HOURS (on Xmas Eve)- What a numpty am I.

I must say that I did manage to pull out a wire from one of the block connectors, have to go back to Halfords and change the bulb's I'd bought, have 45 minutes with a cup of coffee to de-frost my hands, and remove the bumper so that I could see.

But bugger me, it was worth the time as I sure as hell wasn't paying Renault £70 to change them.

[kenny m]

hi new member,light change,(bulb) easy lift bonnet the easyest way unclip the windscreen,bottle push over to the right took plastic cover off,pulled wire clip over old bulb,took old bulb out,put new 1 in,and there. job done. mines a megane 1.5cdi 53plate,10mins max,this was drivers side,think other side will be just as easy,really...thanks ken,hope it helps

[renier]

My Megane II (phase 1) has factory fitted xenon and I have to change the small lights next to the xenon (don't know how they are called in English... )

I've tried to access it trough the opening in the wheel arche, but I think something is in the way from the xenon installation?
As I cannot reach the back of the light housing (the round rubber cap) this way. Seems a some object is in the way.

I can reach it at the side that doesn't have the battery, only the side that has the battery is giving me problems as it is really tight over there

Am i correct that with xenon, the only option is to try and "reach from above", not use the "wheel arche option"? Anyone with xenon did this themselves?

[BurntCarcus]

Just changed the bulbs on my 08 scenic II phase II and it was just as akward as the others. The fact that there is a small piece of plastic that serves no purpose only to dig into your arm as you push your way past is annoying. Least i saved myself some wonga. Saved some more too by fitting a new air filter myself. That was a joke too, had to saw a bit off the car to get the old one out, at least they peforate where needs cut lol

[megabus]

I’m a newcomer and thought I would add my experience of changing a headlight bulb which screws into the fitting rather than being held in place by a clip.
I started replacing the dip bulb on our 2007 megane 1.5 DC,by taking out the battery-wrong move,not useful for me.Except to see how inaccessible the light bulb was from above.
So I googled and joined the meganeowners club web-site.Saw the removal of the wheel[mine was the passenger side],removing the circular hatch in the wheel-arch,and then having access to the circular cover* on the headlight unit,to unscrew[1/2-1/4 turn anti-clockwise] to have access to the dip bulb with it’s electrical connection.
The access hole to the light bulb is small,and access and movement is awkward.My hand[I’m 6 ft] is scraped on both sides.
I couldn’t be bothered taking of the wheel[to be honest],so after a bit of googling someone had loosened the wheel-arch plastic shielding,secured by two 7mm screws and a couple of studs[used pliars to get them out] and pulled the plastic shielding away from the arch,giving me enough room to put my hand up to the circular cover* on the headlight and unscrew it[a bit sticky].Which worked.Scammy awkward.
This was helped by turning the wheel into the drivers side-more access.
I did this in the dark and didn’t get anywhere though I had a headtorch.
The day-light helped.
I then detached the connection from the bulb,and released the bulb by blindly jiggling it about.
At this point,I thought I had lost the clip that secures the bulb due to the blind jiggling,’cos I couldn’t find a clip.
More googling about where to find clips,and then discovered ,care of the meganeowners site,that sometimes the bulb is not held in by clips[the facelift,projector type].
I think the clue to this is that it takes a bit of effort to dislodge the clip.
Otherwise I dont know how to tell whether it uses a clip or has a fitting-useful bit of information.
I googled ‘the facelift,projector type[megane]’.Could not find much so proceeded with this info on the clipless bulb. The bulb is actually held in by metal lugs on the fitting,so you can ‘screw’ the bulb in.

So loosening a section of plastic shielding on the wheel arch,I was able to get my hand up to circular cover* and undo it,undo the connection on the bulb,and remove the old bulb.Having found out that I had not lost the clip,and that the bulb could be ‘screwed’in,I was able to carefully put the new bulb into the socket.

Securing it evenly was not straight forward.A couple of times I thought I had done it,but I could see[being able to see was a great help though not easy either] that I hadn’t,and the rim of the bulb was sitting unevenly.
I had to align the cut out section of the circular metal bulb collar with the socket,otherwise there was no chance of it fitting[between 'half-past' and 'twenty to' on a clock].There was a ‘spike’ on the cut-out section of the lightbulb collar that fitted between two lugs on the light fitting.That took a while and some pain to see.
Once I had inserted the lightbulb as above,I started twiddling with it,pressing it in.I cant tell you more clearly how,but eventually it was sitting securely and evenly in the socket.
I actually re-attached the connector to the light bulb and used that to get more grip on the bulb to ‘twiddle’ it in place.I’m not sure if that’s a good idea,but it helped.
Hard on the hands and knees.

Unscrewing the circular hatch and loosening the plastic shielding, to improve access,is quite easy and quick.[having turned the wheel into the driver’s side].
Undoing the circular covering to get to the bulb was alright though a bit sticky.
Undoing the connection was handy enough.
Releasing the bulb was easy,though I dont know what the mechanism was.

The above took me about 8-10 minutes.

Manouvering and moving my hand through the access hole in the metal frame of the car was awkward,difficult and sore.

Once I had sussed out the aligning of the cut-out section of the lightbulb collar and'spike' with the socket-a major battle,it took about five minuteds of very deliberate ‘twiddling’to secure the new bulb,seated evenly.I’m not sure about the how of this,but it responded to twiddling and being able to see what was going on which wasn’t easy-possible.I would fiddle a wee bit,and then look to see what was what.


Putting it back together took a five minutes max. The round plastic/rubber cover for the headlamp will only fit oncethe bulb is snugly in place,otherwise the connector sticks out and prevents the cover from fitting.
Maybe the clips are easier.
I think I would do it again more easily.

[silky1525]

try halfords , they do it for about £6 and cost of bulb , its alot cheaper than renault if you cant manage yourself

[phildenholm]

sorry for reserecting a old thread but I have just spent an hour with my hand up inside the cars inner wing trying to change the bulb but for the life of me I cant get it out. Its a facelift 2009 plate the type without the clip (i'd give anything for it to have had a clip) it simply wont move and now one of the pins has broken of it so ive just put it back together and left it.

Im going to have to take the headlight out right? can anyone point me to a giude about removing the bumper? Why do they make them so hard!

[taffyhl]

It is definitely possible to change the bulb via the wheel arch - done both sides and sidelights.

Even if the bumper has to come off this is a 15 minute job for me to take it off and put back on and I've only done it maybe 6 times. A Renault Mechanic with a lift etc shouldn't need more than 20 mins to take it off, change the bulb and put in back on. My local garage wanted an hours labour to change my horn (failed MOT as not loud enough) as it's behind the bumper. I think everyone, including garages, think this is a lot harder than it really is.

[ambrettagold]

Hi i drive a Megane 1.6 Dynamique 2006 and my local mechanic changed the bulb in about 15 minutes flat, and definitely didnt take the bumper off and charged me £10 which included the bulb! Think you have been had. These dealerships are a joke.