$120 plus parts to replace a headlight bulb

[MonsterDad]

So, yesterday my wife comes home and tells me one headlight on her car is out. No big deal right, quick run to Napa and get two bulbs. Opened the hood and my eyes crossed. No access to the headlight unit.

So, off to YouTube I go. I find out both front wheels need to be removed, both liners in the wheels wells need to be removed and get this the entire front fascia of the car. 29 bolts, about a dozen plastic rivets and at least 2 hours of labor.

Local Chevy dealers says $120 plus parts.

[Sodey]

I'm in the automotive industry. This is becoming more and more common. It's just as frustrating for us on the service end to have to tell our customers how much it costs. Makes us look like the bad guys, when it's really those fine engineers and designers that never have to touch a vehicle for service. I could go on and on and on, but I won't. If you are interested in attempting it yourself, I can give you a step by step (possibly with some short cuts from the you tube way). Just let me know the make, model, and year.

[MonsterDad]

Its a 2009 Malibu that otherwise has been a great car. You have to wonder what idiot would design a car like this. There are other bulbs in that assembly as well that can't be accessed without all that either. Nuts. Can you imagine doing all that to change the directional bulb?

[Neil]

That is just stupid. Seems that the bulb did have a good life, though.

Although not true, the truckers in the 60's used to say a Rolls Royce had the hood welded shut, as there were no user servicable parts. It is getting almost that bad.

[Mountaineer]

$120 is still cheaper than many body shop bills.

[Sodey]

Those are a bit of a pain but i think it'll be easier than you think. You don't have to remove the tire. Take the few screws or push pins loose to pull the inner fender liner back. There are two vertical screws at the corner of the bumper fascia. Remove those and give the corner of the fascia a quick tug to disengage the quick clips. Then pull the fascia upwards to disengage from the fender on the other side of the headlight. That is as far as you'll need to remove the fascia. It will reveal a screw that holds the corner of the headlamp assembly. Take that screw out, as well as the screw on the inboard side. Pull up and out on the outboard side and then up and out on the inboard side. That should give you enough clearance to change the bulb. The assembly doesn't actually have to come all the way out of the vehicle.

Hope you get it figured out.

[Neil]

Got to add this to the things to ask whe purchasing a new car, not that I have much confidence the salesman would, or even should be expected to, know.

[Ruffshooter]

Step Daughter got a Volkswagon Bug: :roll: Near $300 for the buckets if you break a lens. She did.

[MonsterDad]

I just dropped it off. The guy said don't feel so bad because on Audi's he has to remove the radiator.

[ezzy333]

I just dropped it off. The guy said don't feel so bad because on Audi's he has to remove the radiator.

They have done more and more of this each year. I am sure it adds to their pockets but too bad the consumers can't get together and fight back. In the mean time I will be feeling for you.

Ezzy

[Neil]

I don't remember the details. but the 07 or 08 Ford F-250 Super Duty diesels had some kind of recall they had to pull the cab to repair. I was in the dealership and there were a dozen chaises sitting around with the cabs hanging from the ceiling.

That is just dumb.

[Susie]

I just dropped it off. The guy said don't feel so bad because on Audi's he has to remove the radiator.

OMG you don't have to remove the radiator to replace a headlight bulb in an Audi...gotta love service writers LOL

[displaced_texan]

I don't remember the details. but the 07 or 08 Ford F-250 Super Duty diesels had some kind of recall they had to pull the cab to repair. I was in the dealership and there were a dozen chaises sitting around with the cabs hanging from the ceiling.

That is just dumb.

Most newer Ford Super Duties you have to pull the cab to pull the heads.

[Neil]

I don't remember the details. but the 07 or 08 Ford F-250 Super Duty diesels had some kind of recall they had to pull the cab to repair. I was in the dealership and there were a dozen chaises sitting around with the cabs hanging from the ceiling.

That is just dumb.

Most newer Ford Super Duties you have to pull the cab to pull the heads.

So how do you think the design meetings might have gone? "Well, we can shoe horn the motor in there easy enough, but that nice cab you all designed will have to come off, if you need to pull the heads" "That won't be our problem, it will be well out of warranty before anything would go wrong". Our bigger dealerships can handle pulling the cabs easy enough, they don't need to be going to some little shop for repairs. The head guy, "Let's do it. We can save $20.00 a unit with that design."

[MonsterDad]

Next car for the Mrs. is the new Mazda 6. Nearly a full sized car that gets 40 highway mpg with a 185 HP engine and a 16.5 gallon gas tank.

I have had three BMW 3 Series in a row and never pay a penny for service. The one I have now is still worth 70% what I paid for it after 4 years.

[Max2]

I feel your pain. I had an exhaust leak on my 08 super duty and the mechanic told me to fix it the cab had to come off the truck. My neighbor had a 2001 F-150 same engine same problem. Why in 08 was that problem still around ? I now have a Silverado

[displaced_texan]

I don't remember the details. but the 07 or 08 Ford F-250 Super Duty diesels had some kind of recall they had to pull the cab to repair. I was in the dealership and there were a dozen chaises sitting around with the cabs hanging from the ceiling.

That is just dumb.

Most newer Ford Super Duties you have to pull the cab to pull the heads.

So how do you think the design meetings might have gone? "Well, we can shoe horn the motor in there easy enough, but that nice cab you all designed will have to come off, if you need to pull the heads" "That won't be our problem, it will be well out of warranty before anything would go wrong". Our bigger dealerships can handle pulling the cabs easy enough, they don't need to be going to some little shop for repairs. The head guy, "Let's do it. We can save $20.00 a unit with that design."

Lifting the cab only takes a few hours, it's not a big deal at all for a shop. It also makes the actual repair itself go much faster than trying to work under the cowl. It balances out.

[Neil]

But it should only take a few hours to pull and replace the heads. And only the big dealers have the equipment to pull the cab. I assure you my local shop could not. That kind of thinking is OK for a new $60,000 rig, but what about when it is 15 years old?

[markj]

Lifting the cab only takes a few hours, it's not a big deal at all for a shop

Same thing on early s-10s, to do the engine, cab was lifted up a bit. Use the lift for this, makes it easy.

(Former mechaic, now network engineer) did engines for 20 years, got old, now work at a desk.

[dan v]

But it should only take a few hours to pull and replace the heads. And only the big dealers have the equipment to pull the cab. I assure you my local shop could not. That kind of thinking is OK for a new $60,000 rig, but what about when it is 15 years old?

Neil...they use the twin post lift to raise the cab, along with the front clip. IMO, the engine repair work is of much higher quality because of the ease of access once the cab/front clip of in the air.

Any shop short of a homeowner garage has a twin post lift.

[whatsnext]

I think it is easy to blame the engineers and while i agree there are times when it is just bad engineering i do believe that trying to fit more in a smaller package has a good bit of influence on the subject. It is not just in cars either i have had to take ball nut's off of ball screws to install them on certain twin spindle lathe's, but if you have the right tool's usually it is more the change of doing something different than the actual work that shuts people off at first look of certain jobs.

[displaced_texan]

But it should only take a few hours to pull and replace the heads. And only the big dealers have the equipment to pull the cab. I assure you my local shop could not. That kind of thinking is OK for a new $60,000 rig, but what about when it is 15 years old?

Neil...they use the twin post lift to raise the cab, along with the front clip. IMO, the engine repair work is of much higher quality because of the ease of access once the cab/front clip of in the air.

Any shop short of a homeowner garage has a twin post lift.

Took the words out of my mouth...

[MonsterDad]

So with tax $250. No point in not replacing all the bulbs if half the car had to be taken apart.