How to Change Headlights on Gmc Cars

by Contributing WriterUpdated June 12, 2017

In the Gmc car model year, the Gmc car separated the Gmc car from the pickup, giving it a more luxurious look and feel. This redesign made the Gmc car more desirable, but it also led to additional work to replace a headlight bulb. Replacing a headlight on a Gmc car requires removing the front fascia assembly.

Under The Hood:

 How to Change Headlights on a Jimmy

Park the Jimmy and turn off the ignition and any accessories. Open the hood.

Pull up on the black retaining clips on each side of the top of the headlight assembly. Slide the assembly forward out of the front of the truck.

Squeeze the locking tab and pull the electrical connection apart to disconnect the wiring harness. Remove the assembly from the truck. Grab the back of the bulb socket and turn it counterclockwise to remove it.

Insert the new bulb into the Jimmy's headlight and turn it clockwise. Insert the headlight assembly into the truck and push the wiring harness connection together. Push the retaining clips straight down to secure the headlight.

Repeat the process on the second light. Close the hood.

 How to Change a Headlight in a GMC Envoy

Open the hood of the GMC Envoy. Pull up on the retaining tabs at the top of the headlight assembly.

Push in on the retaining tab on the wiring harness connector. Pull the connector apart to disconnect the wiring harness.

Remove the headlight assembly from the front of the truck. Pull the plastic cover off of the rear of the light assembly. Turn the bulb counterclockwise, then pull it out of the headlight assembly.

Pull the bulb from the socket, and discard it. Insert the new bulb into the socket. Position the bulb in the headlight assembly, and turn it clockwise to lock it in place. Snap the plastic cover back onto the back of the light assembly.

Position the light assembly in the front of the truck. Push the wiring harness connection together. Hold the assembly in place, pressing the retaining tabs down to lock the assembly in place.

Repeat the process on the opposite side, then close the hood.

 How to Replace a Headlight on a 2008 GMC 1500

Proceed to Step 2 if you are replacing the driver-side headlight bulb. To replace the passenger-side bulb, loosen the four screws securing the top of the air filter housing to the lower half, using a Phillips screwdriver. Lift the cover upward to gain access to the rear of the passenger-side headlight assembly.

Reach behind the headlight assembly and rotate the headlight bulb counterclockwise to unlock it. Pull the headlight bulb and its wiring harness from the headlight assembly. Lift upward on the locking clips on the headlight bulb wiring harness to unlock it and unplug the headlight bulb from the harness.

Hold the new headlight bulb -- No. H11 for the low beam or No. 9005 for the high beam -- by its plastic base to avoid contacting the glass part of the bulb with your bare hands. Plug the wiring harness into the new headlight bulb, then insert the headlight bulb into the headlight assembly and turn it clockwise to lock it in place.

Install the top half of the air filter housing onto the lower half, if applicable, and tighten its screws until they are snug. Close the hood.

Items you will need

  • Phillips screwdriver

  • New No. H11 headlight bulb (low beam)

  • New No. 9005 headlight bulb (high beam)

 How to Replace a Headlight on a 2007 GMC Yukon

Open the Yukon's hood and remove the six bolts on top of the front fascia, using a ratchet and socket.

Raise the front of the Yukon off the ground, using a floor jack, and position jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the Yukon onto the jack stands.

Remove the two bolts on the front of the wheel-well liner -- the black plastic shield inside the wheel well -- on both sides of the Yukon, using a ratchet and socket. Pry the two push pins out of the front of the liner on both sides of the Yukon, using a flat-head screwdriver.

Remove the two fascia-to-fender bolts on either side of the Yukon, using a ratchet and socket. Remove the two bolts on the front underside of the fascia, using a ratchet and socket.

Pull the outermost part of the fascia that connects to the front fender outward until the fascia disengages from the fascia-to-fender mounting bracket. Pull the entire fascia forward to disengage it, and downward to expose the headlight-mounting hardware. The aid of an assistant helps in this process.

Loosen the lower outside bolt connecting the headlight assembly to the front fender, using a ratchet and socket. Don't remove this bolt, as it provides a guide to help line up the headlight on reinstallation.

Remove the two upper headlight bolts, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the headlight assembly forward to disengage the retaining clips. Unplug the two wiring harnesses -- one for the turn signal and daytime light and another for the headlight -- from the rear of the headlight assembly, by pressing the locking button and pulling the harness from the assembly.

Twist the headlight bulb counterclockwise to unlock it and pull it from the headlight assembly. Insert a new H13 headlight bulb into the headlight assembly and twist it clockwise to lock it into place. Make certain you only touch the plastic part of the bulb, touching the glass may lead to premature bulb failure.

Plug the wiring harnesses back into the headlight assembly. Line the headlight assembly retaining clips up with the holes in the Yukon and line up the slot on the outer part of the headlight with the bolt in the fender. Press the headlight assembly until the retaining clips snap into place.

Tighten the three headlight-retaining bolts to 4 to 5 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket.

Lift up the front fascia -- an assistant helps in this process -- and guide it into place on the front of the Yukon. Press the outer ends of the fascia into the fascia-to-fender bracket and tighten the four bolts -- two on each side -- to 5 to 6 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and socket.

Tighten the two front underside fascia bolts to 7 to 8 foot-pounds, and the six front upper fascia bolts to 4 to 5 foot-pounds.

Insert the two push pins into the wheel-well liner and press them into place. Tighten the two liner bolts to 4 to 5 foot-pounds.

Raise the Yukon off the jack stands with the floor jack, and remove the jack stands. Lower the Yukon to the ground.

Items you will need

  • Ratchet

  • Socket set

  • Floor jack

  • Jack stands

  • Flat-head screwdriver

  • Style H13 bulb

  • Torque wrench

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