What's it take to change a headlight?

[mbrood]

Malibu Headlamp Replacement

 

Rob Spiegel, Senior Editor, Automation & Control

11/23/2011

 

GM seemed to get a lot of things right when it introduced the new Generation 7 Chevy Malibu in 2008. I got one of the higher-end models with a six-cylinder engine and a very smooth shifting six-speed automatic transmission. I was generally happy with the car until a headlamp bulb burned out.

I went to the local auto parts store and bought a replacement bulb for about $12. Then I popped the hood and found that I couldn't get to the back of the headlight assembly. The owner's manual was no help at all -- its advice was to consult the dealer for bulb replacements.

A quick Internet search revealed the awful truth: To replace the headlight bulb, you needed to remove the front bumper (among other parts). The dealer confirmed this and quoted $150 labor to replace one bulb.

 

 

The steps needed to replace the headlight bulb are as follows:

1. Open the hood and remove the plastic cover above the radiator (14 screws).
   
2. Jack up the car and remove the wheel (five lug nuts).
   
3. Remove the wheel-well liner (15 screws and pop-rivets).
   
4. This exposes two bolts that hold the bumper in place; remove these bolts and slide off the end of the bumper.
   
5. Now, you can reach the three bolts that hold in the headlight assembly; remove the headlight assembly and replace the bulb.
   
6. Replace everything (29 screws, nuts, bolts, and pop-rivets).
   

If you think you might as well replace both lamps while you're at it, you'll still have to remove the other front wheel, wheel-well liner, the other side of the bumper, and the other headlight assembly (25 additional fasteners). In my Toyota Camry, I could replace both headlight bulbs in less time than it takes to read this paragraph -- without needing a single tool. Just open the hood, twist the bulb socket a quarter turn to remove it, and plug in the new bulb.

 

What's next? Will we have to remove the dashboard to change the oil? Remove the rear seats every time we get gas? I can't believe that there wasn't a way to provide easier access to parts that require replacement many times over the life of a car. Maybe the monkeys who designed the car don't think it's going to last very long?

[twigg]

I bet none of the Malibu ads mentioned this

[leo3wheel]

Repair certainly seems excessive........

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

Two years ago I sold my 1973 VW bus. It had the original factory made in Germany head lights in it as well as about half of the other lights. My 1989 Honda I had would tell me if it had a dead light on it.... does a new car? My 04 GMC does not.

 

What I want to know is WHY we see cars that are worth upwards of 75,000 plus dollars in this day and age and they have dead lights on them. They can make a freaking spark-plug last 60,000 miles or more why the hell are they installing lights that only last a year or two?

 

I think that the car makers should be required to warrant every light bulb and its' replacement for the same time as the rest of the warranty.

 

Ok now that is off my chest I am going to go warm up the Venture and go out for lunch some place.

[bongobobny]

Awwwww Crap!! And I bought a new Malibu this summer!

 

Funny thing, we were just talking about this subject at work today. A worker's 2007 Nissan had a burnt out headlight and according to the owner's manual you had to remove the headlight. In reality it was accessible from under the hood. The guy who replaced it for him said that I would have problems when I have to replace one, but he thought I had an Impala. Guess it's true for Malibu's too! Hmmm, wonder if my bumper to bumper warranty will cover it!

 

So much for converting to HID...

[Flyinfool]

Hmmmmm

On my '96 GMC P/U I am only on the third set of lo beam headlight bulbs, The Hibeams are still original. I am sneeking up on 300K miles and do a LOT of night driving and a lot of off road driving, at night. It takes about 10 minutes to change a bulb.

 

Now brake light / turn signal bulbs seldom last a year. The threads for the screws have worn out they have been in and out so many times.

[SilvrT]

Two years ago I sold my 1973 VW bus. It had the original factory made in Germany head lights in it as well as about half of the other lights. My 1989 Honda I had would tell me if it had a dead light on it.... does a new car? My 04 GMC does not.

 

What I want to know is WHY we see cars that are worth upwards of 75,000 plus dollars in this day and age and they have dead lights on them. They can make a freaking spark-plug last 60,000 miles or more why the hell are they installing lights that only last a year or two?

 

I think that the car makers should be required to warrant every light bulb and its' replacement for the same time as the rest of the warranty.

 

Ok now that is off my chest I am going to go warm up the Venture and go out for lunch some place.

 

I TOTALLY AGREE !!!

 

I see more and more newer vehicles and in many cases, expensive ones, running around with either one or both headlights out or taillight / brake light out and it's probably because the owner either a) doesn't know; b) knows but doesn't give a crap; c) knows but can't see the point in spending $150 to fix a light bulb; d) knows but can't afford to have it fixed.

 

This is absurd and just one more way that automakers are forcing us back to the dealer for parts and service coz that's really where they make their money.

[SilvrT]

Hmmmmm

 

The threads for the screws have worn out they have been in and out so many times.

 

YUP!!! :smile5:

[Kirby]

I've got a '93 GMC pickup that has 230,000 miles on it. So far the only bulbs I've had to replace..., 1 taillight bulb about 10 years ago.

[mbrood]

I had a wake-up call when my wife's radiator started leaking on her 2001 PT Cruiser... the manual starts out.. remove the front grill...

 

The darned thing has to come out the front AFTER all of the framing is removed... lot's of parts on the garage floor just to pull a stupid radiator.

 

Then last year one of the radiator fans went south so I looked in the book... remove the front grill... Yep, it's the last thing available until the radiator is out... sigh !!!

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

I had a wake-up call when my wife's radiator started leaking on her 2001 PT Cruiser... the manual starts out.. remove the front grill...

 

The darned thing has to come out the front AFTER all of the framing is removed... lot's of parts on the garage floor just to pull a stupid radiator.

 

Then last year one of the radiator fans went south so I looked in the book... remove the front grill... Yep, it's the last thing available until the radiator is out... sigh !!!

 

Yup, did a motor swap on my wife's' old 1977 Ford 350 Econoline van with the 460 under the hood. First step.. remove front licence plate... remove bumper........ that was not an easy task... then put the new engine in in the EXACT reverse order or it don't work.

 

BUT a headlight should not take more than 10 minutes and a cup of coffee.

[RandyR]

And I'll bet it doesn't come with a cassette deck either.....

[jfoster]

At least it was researched before hand....unlike me I took the whole grill off my 98 Chevrolet pickup just to replace the oxidized headlamps. For some dumb reason I thought the two screws holding it in were for the aiming adjustment.

 

My dad used to tell me as a kid I always did things the hard way!

[Wolf]

you do not have to remove the bumper. I can send you the directions if you like, but it only calls for .5 labor by the book.

[dacheedah]

Instructions, aren't u supposed to read that after you fix it to see if u done good??

[Wolf]

that is why I always end up breaking things!!