How to Replace a Headlight Assembly in Vehicles

The headlight assembly Vehicles a Vehicles houses the front headlights and turning signal lights. The Vehicles unlike some Vehicles does not require you to change the assembly in order to replace the headlight bulbs. Unfortunately, removing the assembly itself if you wish to replace it is quite a task. The front bumper has to be removed, with a myriad of bolts and clips to boot. The good news is that the job is fairly straightforward, and with the help of a friend to hold the bumper shouldn't take more than an afternoon.

Under The Hood:

• How to Replace a Headlight Assembly in a VW Passat
• How to Replace the Headlight Assembly on a 2000 Accord
• How to Replace the Headlight Assembly on the Lincoln LS

 How to Replace a Headlight Assembly in a VW Passat

Put on the gloves. Park the vehicle and turn the engine off. Inspect the front wheel-wells of the Passat and locate the eight screws used to keep the wheel well in place. There are eight screws on each wheel well. Remove them from the side of the vehicle that requires a new headlight assembly using the Phillips screwdriver.

Remove the two screws on top of the grill of the vehicle using the Phillips screwdriver. Remove the four bumper-mounting screws found on the top of the bumper. Two screws are located on the far top-left of the bumper and the other two on the far top-right.

Slide the bumper out by pulling it away from the vehicle once all of the screws have been removed.

Use the socket wrench to remove the holding bracket underneath the headlight assembly. With the bumper removed the headlight assembly should be exposed, allowing easy access to the holding bracket.

Pull the headlight assembly out of the vehicle. Unplug the electrical connector by squeezing the tabs and pulling it away from the headlight assembly.

Slide the new headlight assembly into the vehicle and connect the electrical connector to the headlight assembly by pushing it into the unit until a click is heard. Reattach the holding bracket.

Reattach the bumper and replace all of the screws that were removed from the bumper, the grill and the wheel wells.

 How to Replace the Headlight Assembly on a 2000 Accord

Turn off the 2000 Accord and pop the hood.

Remove the two bottom bolts on either end of the front bumper.

Remove the six bottom clips below the bumper. Insert the flat end of a flat-head screwdriver below the head of the clip and the mating surface and pry the clip off. Repeat this process for all the clips.

Remove the five retaining clips on top of the bumper, including the ones near the grille. Perform the same procedure on these clips that you used to remove the bottom clips.

Unscrew the two screws holding the side of the bumper to the Accord, and with your friend, move the bumper off of the vehicle. Place the bumper on a blanket or another soft surface to avoid scratching it.

Reach into the engine compartment through the open hood and disconnect the wiring harness at the rear of the headlight assembly. Lay the wiring harness aside.

Remove the five bolts on the perimeter of the headlight assembly and set them aside. Pull the assembly straight out of the cavity.

Install the replacement assembly by mounting it in the empty cavity with the five bolts you removed earlier. Connecting the wiring harness and reattach the front bumper.

 How to Replace the Headlight Assembly on the Lincoln LS

Park the LS in a level area and turn off all of the accessories including the headlights. Remove the key from the ignition. Raise the car's hood.

Pull the radiator shield straight up to remove it from the retaining pins. Set the shield aside. Locate and remove the three bolts on the top of the headlight assembly with a wrench.

Pull the light assembly out far enough to reach the wiring harness connections behind the bulbs. Push in on the tabs on the clip and pull the connections apart.

Push the connectors onto the new light assembly. Position the assembly inside the front of the car and replace the mounting bolts. Tighten them with a wrench.

Repeat the process to change the second headlight assembly. Replace the radiator shield by pushing it back into place, securing the shield on the retaining pins. Close the hood and test the lights.