Mine has blown and I was wondering is this simple job to replace, sounds
daft but a chappy at work reckons you have to take the entire front bumper
off! to remove the whole thing to do it.

I thought it might be possible to do it in situ and just squeeze about
behind it and slip it in. Ok I just realise how that sounded reading it back
erm....

looks fiddly at best but do-able ? .. any tips ...

Halfords want £9.99 for one h7 standard bulb!, the dealer want £11.75 one
bulb, have I missed something or is it the real price of a bulb these days.
Although haven't had to change one in 6 years!!

I think may be I'll try a small car shop or gsf or euro for a bulb bound to
be more reasonable.

Are all these h7 bulbs the same wattage or do golf use a specific one ?

On 06/01/11 18:44, Matthew.Ridges wrote:
Mine has blown and I was wondering is this simple job to replace, sounds
daft but a chappy at work reckons you have to take the entire front bumper
off! to remove the whole thing to do it.

I thought it might be possible to do it in situ and just squeeze about
behind it and slip it in. Ok I just realise how that sounded reading it back
erm....


Fnaar Fnarr.

looks fiddly at best but do-able ? .. any tips ...



Officially, yes you have to remove the bumper, though people manage without.

Halfords want £9.99 for one h7 standard bulb!, the dealer want £11.75 one
bulb, have I missed something or is it the real price of a bulb these days.
Although haven't had to change one in 6 years!!


Doesn't seem that wide of the mark:

http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_list.asp?cat1=39

I think may be I'll try a small car shop or gsf or euro for a bulb bound to
be more reasonable.

Are all these h7 bulbs the same wattage or do golf use a specific one ?



H7 is the fitting, various wattages available, but IIRC only 55W ones
are legal.

In article , says...

Mine has blown and I was wondering is this simple job to replace, sounds
daft but a chappy at work reckons you have to take the entire front bumper
off! to remove the whole thing to do it.

I thought it might be possible to do it in situ and just squeeze about
behind it and slip it in. Ok I just realise how that sounded reading it back
erm....

looks fiddly at best but do-able ? .. any tips ...



I'm not a natural car job person, and I keep a bit of text to remind me
how I fared when I attempt something again. I dug out the bit below for
you, in case its any help, but use at your at your own risk.


A while back I changed the passenger side bulb, from behind (engine
side) and managed without much difficulty. Without the battery to worry
about, I thought doing the same on the driver's side would be much
easier. Not so. In case anybody is interested I put my description of
the passenger side job below, but here are a couple of points that could
possibly aid somebody (as rubbish as I am) attempting the driver's side.

Once you have access to the back of the bulb (headlight back cover and
the 2 cable terminal removed) you have to contend with a clip that holds
the bulb (lamp) in place. Its hinged at the bottom, but you can only
partially see the top, by getting you head low over the engine. I spent
a lot of time straining my fingers flexing this up and down with no
effect. What worked was I got a short flat bladed screwdriver underneath
the top part of the clip, levered it upwards, and then moved it to the
side - not to towards the passenger side as somebody said (maybe a
different version) but towards the driver's side. So driver's side
dipped headlight clip towards driver's side. This unclipped it pretty
easily, carefully put the bulb in the right way up, without touching the
glass - and boy, does the clip do up more easily than it undoes!




WARNING - on both sides, before you remove a bulb, take very good note
of the orientation of the flat connectors on the back of it so that you
can put the new back in the correct orientation. I have proved
conclusively that you can fit an H7 dip-beam bulb in almost ANY
orientation and it will work - but the beam won't point where you want
it to!

Front lights
I changed the passenger side headlight (dipped). Not too awful, but a
bit fiddly.
You can lift off the battery cover, I managed to break one of the 2 side

clips, this gives you better access the front light cluster. There are 2
phillips screws on the top, then you can lift off the outer cover.

Underneath this there is a slightly fiddly plastic cover held on by a
retaining clip which can be pulled to the side.
BTW, there's further cover of sorts on top of the battery, and if you
slide it back, it is hinged and you can lift it up for a bit of extra
wrist room.
At this point, make sure you are targetting the correct bulb. I had
interpreted the Haynes photo wrongly, but the dipped headlight is the
outer bulb. Pull off the connector, and move it gently out of the way,
now there's a retaining clip holding the bulb in, it is hinged at the
bottom, with a loop (sort of) at the top, which you can get a finger
under. You won't be able to see this unless you have hinged, extendable
eye sockets or have removed the battery itself. Much wiggling later,
this suddenly and gently lifted free, and I was able to carefully remove
the bulb. Check the spec of the replacement against the old one, and
carefully replace, wothout touching the glass. Its actually helpful to
bend down and look through the headlight glass to see if the pesky
little rascal is going in straight.
Okay, now reverse the previous steps, checking its working after you
have pushed the connector back on, I mean you wouldn't want to put it
all back together and find...... yeah.
That's it, it took me about 40 minutes, but I've never been confused
with Speedy Gonzalez.
On finding that the bulb I'd put in was dodgy and didn't last the day. I
put in another, and it took 15 minutes total, and that wasn't hurrying.
All the best,
Angus Manwaring.






Dear all,

I couldn't see a thread, but numerous counts on how difficult this is!
After just completing said task, here's my How To guide.

Right hand side first.

1. Flip the silver catch wire to your right, and off the plastic
backing. This simply comes away.

2. There is a little square brown fixture directly behind where the
headlamp bulb is. Pull hard on this, and it comes away revealing the 2
pins on the back of the bulb itself.

3. If lighting is good, you willl then see a very small silver wire,
which is the second catch. Above the bulb terminals is where you un clip
it (this is what took me ages to work out!) Simply push this forward
(towards the headlamp unit) then slide it to the left. You will hear and
feel this relieve all the pressure on the bulb, which will start to move
around.

4. Pull it out, place the new one in, and ensure it lies flush
(remember the terminals go vertically, not horizontally)

5. Snap the clip back over the top

6. Connect the brown plug

7. Place the plastic cover over it, ensuring the fit the 'sticky outy'
bit on it into the gap for them on the left

8. Snap back the silver wire catch.

Left hand side

1. Slide out the battery cover using the push in tabs on either side
(careful not to catch your fingers as it slides up!)

2. There lies a plastic cover with the headlight symbols on it and 2
screws, which you unscrew and slide out.

3. There there's the familiar plastic cover and wire clip we saw on
the right hand side, and the process is mirrored.

This just took me around 30 minutes, but after doing it the once, should
take 15.

Hope this helps!

"Chris Bartram" wrote in message
...
On 06/01/11 18:44, Matthew.Ridges wrote:
Mine has blown and I was wondering is this simple job to replace, sounds
daft but a chappy at work reckons you have to take the entire front
bumper
off! to remove the whole thing to do it.

I thought it might be possible to do it in situ and just squeeze about
behind it and slip it in. Ok I just realise how that sounded reading it
back
erm....


Fnaar Fnarr.

looks fiddly at best but do-able ? .. any tips ...



Officially, yes you have to remove the bumper, though people manage
without.

Halfords want £9.99 for one h7 standard bulb!, the dealer want £11.75 one
bulb, have I missed something or is it the real price of a bulb these
days.
Although haven't had to change one in 6 years!!


Doesn't seem that wide of the mark:

http://www.powerbulbs.com/product_list.asp?cat1=39

I think may be I'll try a small car shop or gsf or euro for a bulb bound
to
be more reasonable.

Are all these h7 bulbs the same wattage or do golf use a specific one ?



H7 is the fitting, various wattages available, but IIRC only 55W ones are
legal.

Ahh I see. I managed to find the bulb for £3 at a local car shop I got a
spare aswell whilst I was there. I fitted it in about 3/4 minutes more
fiddly than anything, mainly that metal clip tbh.

Although a new problem has come about. The problem is the side light
randomly works. I haven't touched any connections to it, or
anything. I lightly tap the headlight and it come on. All wires ar
connected tightly and are intact. The bulb is evidently working

"Angus" wrote in message
.. .
In article , says...

Mine has blown and I was wondering is this simple job to replace, sounds
daft but a chappy at work reckons you have to take the entire front
bumper
off! to remove the whole thing to do it.

I thought it might be possible to do it in situ and just squeeze about
behind it and slip it in. Ok I just realise how that sounded reading it
back
erm....

looks fiddly at best but do-able ? .. any tips ...



I'm not a natural car job person, and I keep a bit of text to remind me
how I fared when I attempt something again. I dug out the bit below for
you, in case its any help, but use at your at your own risk.


snip helpful guide

Thanks for the post Angus, it proved very helpful. My nemisis was indeed
that damn clip, but I managed to free it and do the job. Once upon a time it
was a 20 second jo to change a bulb these days it fiddly and a zillion parts
to get to it lol ... but glad its done.

I shall save that text as its very handy.

In article , says...



Thanks for the post Angus, it proved very helpful. My nemisis was indeed
that damn clip, but I managed to free it and do the job. Once upon a time it
was a 20 second jo to change a bulb these days it fiddly and a zillion parts
to get to it lol ... but glad its done.

I shall save that text as its very handy.

No probs, glad it waw some help.