A Case for Better Engineering

"V6 or Bust" (j-turn)
02/15/2016 at 20:16 • Filed to: None

So my car has a headlight out. I pulled up the service manual, and I see:

Remove the front bumper? Remove the front bumper for the headlight?!?!

I can’t help but wonder if the dealership cartel said to Mazda, “Hey, we need you to make mundane jobs impossible so that we can bill hundreds to change a $10 part.” Or, maybe the engineers were just lazy. I don’t know. Whatever it is, I now have to drive around with one headlight because I won’t have time to do this until this weekend, and the cops around here are brutal about this sort of thing.

I’m sure all of you have stories about how you have to remove the front wheel to change the battery on your PT Cruiser, or how doing spark plugs on your Audi requires removal of the engine, disassembly of the timing components, and a dozen Hail Marys, so feel free to commiserate.

DISCUSSION (39)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:19

Changing the starter on an XJS requires removing the exhaust.

PorkchoPlissken > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:23

Removing the bumper for a headlight should be illegal. Come on Bern, this should be your first action.

iSureWilll > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:27

What car do you have? Just replacing the bulb?

V6 or Bust > PorkchoPlissken
02/15/2016 at 20:27

Kinja'd!!!

DoYouEvenShift > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:29

Sucks, but this is now very common among many new cars regardless of brand.

Urambo Tauro > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
02/15/2016 at 20:30

On a Northstar, you have to pull the intake:

Mercedes Streeter > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:35

At least it’s not a V10 Ford pickup or van. “Oh, you wanted to change your spark plugs?”

Kinja'd!!!

Khalbali > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:35

What kind of Mazda?

BKosher84 > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:35

Screw them for requiring bumper removal to replace a stupid lightbulb.

Spoon II > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:38

I would posit that it’s caused by cost cutting measures, combined with increased safety and fuel economy. The car has to be tough, aerodynamic, and as cheap as humanly possibly. Doesn’t leave a lot of space for ease of access. That being said, cost is definitely the driver here.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:39

Headlights on my EK Civic required bumper removal. Thankfully most of the front end of the car had disintegrated already so it was just two screws and two plastic snaps and the bumper fell off

Luke's Dad Sold His 2000TL To Get a Sienna > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:41

I think that when my dad had to change the headlight in the GX470 and the formal instructions were to remove the front bumper but informal instructions were just for my dad to send me under the car to feel around the front end of the car next to the lukewarm engine to find the plastic bulb holder thing and go from there. You can also go from the top under the hood too. Lexus loves options.

Berang > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:43

I’m waiting for that guy who complained about Torchinsky’s 5mph bumper post to show up and angrily tell you how removing a bumper to change a light bulb is super brilliant engineering that cost millions of dollars to develop.

Brian > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:43

I believe that is for removing the entire combilamp or headlight assembly. Bulb replacement is nearly always through a trap door.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:55

I can relate. My Subaru required removal of the bumper to change headlights. As an added bonus there are permanent rivets on the corners of the bumper skin. You have to break those to remove it, and they aren’t easy to find. At least yours has instructions that are more detailed than Subaru. Theirs say “to change headlight bulbs take your car to your nearest Subaru dealer.”

MM54 > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 20:56

I... don’t have much room to talk. Other than the rear shocks, pretty much everything I’ve fixed on my crown vic (and it’s been a LOT) has been pretty straight-forward.

I did help a friend change the clutch on an e39 M5, that was a little more involved but still pretty straight-forward.

V6 or Bust > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
02/15/2016 at 21:05

Oh, that’s what the owner’s manual says. This is the service manual.

V6 or Bust > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
02/15/2016 at 21:06

Now that’s clever engineering!

V6 or Bust > iSureWilll
02/15/2016 at 21:06

2005 Mazda6. Yes.

V6 or Bust > Khalbali
02/15/2016 at 21:07

2005 Mazda6 V6 ATX.

V6 or Bust > Brian
02/15/2016 at 21:08

Not on this one. Step one for changing the bulb is to remove the entire assembly.

Khalbali > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:11

You shouldn't need to remove the bumper, it's been a while since I've done a headlight on one but with a little patience and dexterity I think it's doable.

sdwarf36 > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:20

http://forum.mazda6club.com/electrical/156…

wafflesnfalafel > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:29

I don’t have to take the whole bumper off, but the headlights on my 09 Mazda 3 are far and away the most difficult I’ve changed. It surprised me since Mazda seems to have their stuff together regarding many other engineering issues.

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:29

I had a Conquest. Service manual for changing the alternator. Step one. Discharge the AC system. Flat rate for an alternator R&R paid something like 3.5 hours.

Or you could do it like Drakkon- jack up left corner, remove splashliner in left fender. Took about 25 minutes.

Those manuals are written to maximize technician hours.

V6 or Bust > Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius
02/15/2016 at 21:33

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Makes sense.

iSureWilll > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:37

Kinja'd!!!

If you’re just changing the bulb you shouldn’t have to do all that. There should be a cover on the back of the headlight assembly. It will either rotate or slide and pop off. Then you should be able to pull the harness off the bulb. The bulb will be held down by a little clip. It’s called the “bulb pressing wire” on the diagrams below.

Low beam Is the round one and high beam is the rectangle.

V6 or Bust > iSureWilll
02/15/2016 at 21:41

Are you sure that you don’t have to remove the entire assembly to get to the cover? If not, thank you much.

iSureWilll > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:45

http://forum.mazda6club.com/electrical/156…

According to these guys you don’t have to. You may have to unbolt a coolant bottle on the passenger side for more room. Apparently it’s a tight squeeze. I’ve never changed them on that car so no first hand experience.

I checked Alldata first, which is where those diagrams are from, and it doesn't mention removal of the bumper. The guys on that M6 thread seem to think it's doable.

V6 or Bust > iSureWilll
02/15/2016 at 21:49

Thanks for this info. Those diagrams are from the service manual, here’s the whole thing:

Kinja'd!!!

I’ll definitely be trying some of these things first, though.

iSureWilll > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:53

Ah. You may just need some tiny hands and some butter :)

Frenchlicker > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 21:57

Weird, random googling shows a small plastic hatch thing. Maybe I am looking at the wrong stuff.

Scott > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 22:06

Back in the 90's I purchased a Chevy Berretta. The salesman told me that it was engineered such that all bulbs could be replaced with no tools, and easily access. While seeing just how good Chevy's ABS was I slid off the road. In the process the Drivers side front turn indicator bulb was damaged. I then discovered that while all other bulbs on the car are accessible without tools. To remove that 1 bulb required removing the front grill, the bumper cover, the bumper, and the drivers side bumper mount. I verified ALL other bulbs could be easily reached and replaced, except the one that blew. I could turn it the 1/4 turn to release it, but there was no space between it and the bumper mount so it was impossible to pull it out. I guess that engineer missed the memo, about easily replaceable.

V6 or Bust > Frenchlicker
02/15/2016 at 23:00

You aren’t looking at the wrong stuff. You have to remove the headlight cage to get to the hatch.

V6 or Bust > Scott
02/15/2016 at 23:01

Wow, that’s even worse than on mine.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 23:01

Similar stupidity: changing a headlight bulb in a 2001 Civic is fine (if a bit tight). Changing the yellow running light? Not easy.

MUSASHI66 > V6 or Bust
02/15/2016 at 23:03

My 2010 Outback required turning the wheel, or removing it. Then, removing the fender liner. Then you put your arm in there, feel your way to the headlight cover, undo the cover, undo the clip connected to the back of the headlight, pull the headlight - all while feeling your way through this process. Freaking nightmare.

Brian > V6 or Bust
02/16/2016 at 07:46

Which Mazda?

bubblestheturtle > V6 or Bust
02/16/2016 at 19:38

And there are cars that need the engine dropped to remove the rear spark plugs. Pulling the bumper is a bargain.