Headlight replacement?

[bradgarbus]

On the way home tonight I noticed one of my headlamps is out. (driver side) Has anyone had to replace one of these bulbs yet, and do you know how much it's gonna cost me?

I find it odd that I only have 21000 miles on the car (1 year 6 months old) and I am already replacing headlamps?!

[rfernatt]

My passenger side went out recently (about 20 months, 34K miles) and I replaced it with the following from Amazon (about $13):

Amazon.com: Hella H83145101 H7 Series 55 Watt 12 V Xenon Premium…

Amazon.com: Hella H83145101 H7 Series 55 Watt 12 V Xenon Premium…

I went ahead and bought 2 to get free shipping and figure the other side isn't too far behind.

[Brabus007]

Just stop over to Wal-Mart... H-7 is a common size...

[bradgarbus]

Are they easy to replace? Any special tools needed? I have not looked very closely to how they come out. I had a Towncar before this and they were really easy to swap out...

[jwight]

Shown here: Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

[Smart Enuf]

They're real easy to replace -- 5 minutes tops.

Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

Head lamps

By the way, one of mine also went out at about 21k miles. Maybe 20-21k miles is about the average life for these bulbs?

[rfernatt]

Yep, easy to replace - no tools required. Just make sure you orient the bulb properly or it will look funny (experience).

[mvaldes]

Also, be careful not to pull the clip that holds the bulb free and drop it. (It swivels out of the way when you release it to take out the bulb. Don't pull it out of the little holes it swivels in.) That's been described and a replacement is apparently a bit difficult to find.

[BB Benz]

Brad, don't feel so bad, mine burned out at under 6000 miles. Got a warning, no ticket. You can always borrow a high beam bulb. They are the same.

[SmartDigger]

I will put the high beam in the low beam and get some ne High beam bulbs. a bit brighter.