And so it begins... (Updated!)

"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike) 08/23/2017 at 10:40 • Filed to: Fixing stuff...

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Update post on September 10th, 2017: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Update FINAL saga post on September 16th, 2017: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

4:25pm - It’s headlight replacement time Oppo, come with me on this brief phone-posted Liveblog journey...

4:28pm - YouTube searches take me to a 1A Auto video showing 7 plastic bloody clips (I hate those wretched things) and 4-ish bolts will be leaving their places of slumber...

4:40pm - After 10 more minutes of (possibly unrelated) video watching outside in the 30C mugginess, I’ve decided a stiff drink is in order for this complicated surgery to continue...ergo, enter:

Crush Cream Soda...the Canadian red stuff, not that wimpy clear stuff you get elsewhere. This is the real deal, and I’m drinking it on the rocks as that is how real men drink their cream soda. BUT, BEFOREHAND, the cat looked at me all sad as I came in, so I had to give her some obligatory pieces of grass...because real men love their furry buddies.

4:50pm - After returning outside and discussing the refrigerator purchasing habits of elderly grandparents with a friend on WhatsApp for ten minutes, it’s time to take out your tools and Cream Soda and get started.

4:55 pm - After taking all the clips out, you find, of course, the last one stripped and stubborn to remove...

5:12pm - Now that your implement of prying has made short work of the stubborn clip, remove the bolts to find one stubborn as the whole side of the headlight assembly is split and cracked off...curse some more.

5:25pm - Finally remove old assembly, realize the crack was NOT the worst of it, be extra glad you’re replacing the light...no wonder my headlight was dim, a whole mounting point was sheared off and it must’ve been dropping down! (Accident damage from previous owner, very minor fender bender, the light is apparently the worst of the damage, but I only knew about the crack!)

5:31pm - Open up the new hotness!

5:40 - Examine the old assembly thoroughly for awhile to find it is actually even worse than thought. Be extra super happy you are replacing it.

Swap over your better Phillips bulbs (made in Poland!) and begin reassembly!

....5:55 - And then find out apparently there are two connector types for the Accent and your new headlight assembly has the wrong one........

6:51pm - Welp....not sure what to do now as the connectors are COMPLETELY different. Guess I am going to have to order another new light and hope that one is the right one. I had ordered this one way back in December and didn’t even open it when it got here as the ad said it was for my car (same model year and everything)....I never found anything that said there were different plugs either! Going to contact the EBay seller and see what, if anything they can do for me, as it’s a waste of $70 CAD otherwise! It was a North American seller as well, supposedly. The only bulbs in the entire Accent assembly are just low/high and the turn signal, so no idea why there would be vastly different connectors. I know in Europe, the same assemblies also had parking lights, but my new assembly has no place for that, so unless I somehow got a NA-spec assembly with a Euro-spec plug, I have no idea what is going on!
Plugs for reference:

Plug on old assembly / the one on the wire in the car.

Plug on the new assembly - different to the car.

It looks like the plugs and wires actually pry out to be swappable, but I tried it gently on my old light and the tab that seems to be meant to pry on just bent like crazy and I didn’t want to force it. ARGH, why do things never work out? :/

6:55pm - Drowning sorrows in more Cream Soda.

Update - called a company that sells connectors for many automotive brands and they quoted me $203 DOLLARS for the new connector so I could make a pigtail. Ridiculous! A new light is like $90 CAD!

Shoop > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 15:42

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*gasp*

Justin Hughes > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 16:17

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I was only just introduced to Crush cream soda during my visit to Montreal last week. But I only had the clear stuff. It’s pretty good, but now I’m curious about this red stuff. I’m used to the amber colored stuff back home.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Justin Hughes 08/22/2017 at 16:27

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The Crush has been keeping me going :P Amber you say? Never heard of Amber Cream Soda!

gin-san - shitpost specialist > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 16:54

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Poor Accent. It’s not a fast or beautiful car but damn it works fine and is incredibly cheap to run. I kind of miss my old 2009 Accent since it was my first car.

If you live somewhat close to Ottawa, I have a set of Blizzaks on steelies that I need to sell. The size is 185/65R14 if I recall correctly - they fit my old Accent sedan, and I think the hatch uses the same wheels.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > gin-san - shitpost specialist 08/22/2017 at 17:03

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Agreed! I quite like mine and it has been very reliable and economical. Mine is a hatch. Sadly, I am way out in Nova Scotia! :P

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 18:02

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This is oppo gold

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 08/22/2017 at 18:03

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The ending isn’t the best from my perspective :/ :P

But thanks! :D

DutchieDC2R > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 18:10

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Im sorry about it not working out, but damn this is a good read! xd.....

Please, more of this...:P Well, not of things failing, but the step-by-step explanations, more!...

sony1492 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 18:15

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I’ve had good luck with ebay, try complaining that the item has the wrong plug for your car. If your lucky they’ll just give you your money back and you can keep the light(and rig it up to work) if not you’ll probably have to send it back for said refund. Bought a coilpack recently and a tiny insignificant chip was missing out of the connector and they just gave me my money back and let me keep it. Many eBay sellers are afraid of a poor review.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > sony1492 08/22/2017 at 18:32

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Just sent a message to them. I THINK, sadly, I had left them positive feedback when I received it as I opened it when it arrived, looked it over and it all looked great and arrived quickly. Never got around to installing it until NOW and only NOW found out the plug doesn’t match.....didn’t leave them any ‘Reviews’ though yet, so maybe they will be worried about that. Will post an update when I find out what they say!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > DutchieDC2R 08/22/2017 at 18:35

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Haha, thanks! :D

I actually got the idea from another fellow Oppo who did a slightly inebriated version of a similar ‘liveblog’ post awhile back (I can’t remember who it was tho, HoneyBunches maybe?)

Bummed about the outcome, but hopefully once I hear from the Ebay seller, there will be a “And so it begins...: Part 2 - The EnLIGHTening” (see what I did there? Light? Headlight? I’m so clever.)

sony1492 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 18:44

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(Just realized I have too many eBay stories). About a year ago I bought brake rotors and pads that were literally the cheapest I could find on eBay. A couple months ago I noticed tiny cracks(possibly from me overheating them) and hit the company up about it, they sent a brand new set of rotors after a couple days messaging back n forth. I’m fairly sure I left positive feedback when I bought them. Point is these companies tend to be helpful regardless, and like you said there is always time to write a review a fact of which they are probably aware.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 19:08

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You could in an act of desperation, jumper the plugs with some 12 gauge wire.

DutchieDC2R > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 19:19

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HA! Very clever!

As for the inebriated version post, yeah, I can totally see how that fits HoneyBunches’ style....:p

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 08/22/2017 at 19:22

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Well, considering the old light assembly WILL stay mounted, just not well, I put it back in for now. Will see what I can do when I hear back from the Ebay seller!

I have another burner, try to guess it! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/22/2017 at 20:56

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Are you the one who had the clutch problem a while ago? If so what happened?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > I have another burner, try to guess it! 08/22/2017 at 21:35

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I don’t remember a clutch problem......maybe I was, but if I did, I’m not remembering it, haha! My suspension is worn and I had some CV joint and possibly wheel bearing issues awhile back that were fixed quite a long time ago.

Curious what you remember about the issue?

I have another burner, try to guess it! > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/23/2017 at 02:00

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Some kind of noise when actuating the clutch.

NojustNo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/23/2017 at 02:45

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Maybe they specify euro standard headlights there?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > I have another burner, try to guess it! 08/23/2017 at 07:26

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AH, yes - the clutch, itself, is fine. The noise is a squeaking noise when the car is in gear with my foot off the clutch, but the second I put my foot on the clutch, the noise goes away. Haven’t had it checked, but some people are thinking it is a bearing somewhere in the trans. Will get it looked at when I have my suspension repaired in the coming weeks.

TheHondaBro > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/23/2017 at 10:56

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Why is your camera lens so greasy?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TheHondaBro 08/23/2017 at 12:03

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Not greasy - scratched. From the previous owner of the phone. I tried to order a replacement back plate but the new one was for a slightly different model of the same phone (mine is apparently the less common version of it) and the backplate would not fit. :/

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 08/23/2017 at 12:27

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Wow, you have terrible luck with getting the correct parts :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time 08/23/2017 at 15:38

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Apparently...looks like I’m going to have to order a whole new headlight with the right plug too...full story tonight when I get home. :/

boxrocket > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 09/10/2017 at 17:23

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I wonder if your original has 4 pins because it has a low-voltage wire for DRLs, not just high/low/turn/park?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > boxrocket 09/10/2017 at 18:17

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That’s the thing, on the connector on my old headlight, it has 4 pin SLOTS, but only 3 of them in use....so did Hyundai just change the connector they used the first year (2006) to the connector they used in the later cars (2007-2010)?

(Footnote - I found out the new assembly I have was supposedly for a 2006 car as it seems like they have the different connector and all the later cars had the connector my 2009 Accent has)