So I finally worked up the courage to remove my passenger headlight today after watching the YouTube video showing how to do it. I located my headlight "wrench" and was then promptly amazed at how easily the entire assembly came out.

Changing my marker light was no problem, and I was able to test the LED marker light...which worked flawlessly (great color but certainly quite a bit less bright than the stock bulb on the other side).

However, I wasn't expecting to have such a hard time getting the headlight re-installed. So, I lined up the 3 tabs and was able to make the physical connection for the lights, but the headlight assembly remains loose and I can pull it out by hand. I monkeyed with the position of the wrench quite a bit, attempting to move that bar into various positions, but can thus far not get the headlight to stay firmly in.

So again, it looks like it's fully installed and is sitting flush with the fender and bumper cover, but if I grab the headlight I can pull it out by hand. Any suggestions are welcome, and I'm obviously way too chicken to take the drivers side out now until I get this figured out. Thanks in advance!

 

while gently pushing the light fixture into place, move the wrench back and forth until it latches onto the fixture and pulls in into position. As I recall, the start with the wrench in the anterior position and push to the posterior position in order to lock the fixture in place.

good luck!

 

Thanks, I will give it another shot. I watched the video again and at the end they mention just making sure the bar if flat before you put it back in. I'm convinced that something is off, since it's obviously supposed to make a good firm seal when it's truly back on (as I can see from my other headlight of course).

This is the video I speak of by the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D65x8G1f6AI

 

Steve,
Take a good look at metal that hold headlight in place. It is a wide U shape matal spring and rotatable by spinning bolt from trunk. Also you will see notch under Headlight to catch that U and let U keep it in place under tension.
Start:
Left side. When you push headlight in make sure the U stay at bottom to make clearance. While press/hold headlight in place, rotate bolt (link to U metal) clockwise 200-220degree). The U will come to latch housing of HL. You will hear U spring make little pop after past 180 degree as U past bottom of HL and catch itself to notch under HL.
Right side. Same but rotate counter clockwise.

 

Thanks, will absolutely put your advice to work.

 

In addition to the video you may want to check out the procedure in the owners manual. It has nice pics of the position of the wrench handle.
I trouble with my right also when I pulled them to remove the front bumper and clean out the radiators.
Trust the position of the handle, it will feel a little too hard and all of a sudden it pops into place and you see the handle in the correct position.

 

I'm happy to report that with my owners manual in hand this was no problem at all. I have now changed both parking light bulbs and got the satisfaction of hearing the "snap" sound as the bar lodged into place. Thanks to all for their input, and this really turned out to be no big deal (did the second headlight in seconds!). It's always fun to learn more about your car!

 

Great info. Will be removing my headlights over the weekend to clean up the lenses and install LEDs.

 

Haha, brings back memories. I'm sure you'll be fine Val!

 

Heck I didn't even know there was a headlight removal tool; or a video that shows you how to remove them until I searched and found your thread. I bought some Halo 194 White LEDS for my city lights that I want to install as well as polish up the lenses on my headlights, so this thread has been useful.

 

I bet you'll be impressed when you see how these headlights work (meaning the connections) relative to any other cars I've ever worked on. I tell my friends about the connections but most people just scratch their heads since you have to see them to believe them.