Advice needed for replacing headlight bulb

[RMcG]

My low beam passenger's side headlight is abnormally dim (much dimmer than the driver's side headlight). The high beams are normal and equal on both sides, so it appears that the passenger's side bulb is almost burnt out.

I have replaced rear bulbs, but I don't think I have ever replaced the headlight bulbs, even though my car is over 14 years old (2008 Base Hatchback). According to online videos like this one:
Change a Headlight, Turn Signal or Parking Light on The Toyota Yaris (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPpXkBBfYEU) you have to take the front bumper cover off to replace the headlight bulbs.

QUESTION: Isn't there an easier way to replace the headlight bulb(s)?

Do you have to take the front bumper cover off a 2008 Yaris Base Hatchback to replace the headlight bulbs?

If you do have to take the bumper cover off, should you generally replace both headlight bulbs?

If you do have to take the bumper cover off, should you replace other bulbs (e.g., turn signal) lights as well?

Any other comments will be welcomed as well.

Thank you,

R.

[komichal]

Hi,
I have managed to replace the bulbs several times without removing the bumper (I am using Osram Nightbreakers that do not last long). It is fair to say that this is a work for tiny Japanese hands and a European guy like me has a serious problem in doing this because there is virtually no space to maneuver.
There is a wire clip that holds the bulb in place. Unclipping it, taking the bulb out and putting a new bulb in is the easy part. The most terrible part is to put the clip back. I can sometimes do it in a few secs but once I was not able to do it for good 20 minutes and only then (with my hand cut on multiple places) I gave up and moved aside the bumper and took the light out. Once it was out, ot was a matter of 5 secs.

[RMcG]

Thank you Komichai,

Do you or anybody else have suggestions as to what the replacement bulb should be? I think I want something that lasts longer, even if it is somewhat more expensive.

Thanks,

R.

[sh0rtlife]

silvania silverstars if you want "oe fit" and no mods...brightest longest lasting bulb that im aware of

personaly ill never run incandescent again im sold on HID

someone yell at me if im wrong...but i think the driver headlight is easier to replace if the airbox top is removed?..i know ive got a CAI and i can basicly stick my head in there and look at the back of the unit

[RMcG]

silvania silverstars if you want "oe fit" and no mods...brightest longest lasting bulb that im aware of

personaly ill never run incandescent again im sold on HID

someone yell at me if im wrong...but i think the driver headlight is easier to replace if the airbox top is removed?..i know ive got a CAI and i can basicly stick my head in there and look at the back of the unit

Thanks sh0rtlife,

Is this the bulb you're recommending Sylvania 9003 SilverStar Auto Halogen Headlight Bulb, Pack of 2 (https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sylvania-9003-SilverStar-Auto-Halogen-Headlight-Bulb-Pack-of-2/36602938?fulfillmentIntent=Pickup)? It is sold at Walmart and apparently you can get free installation there. (I'm not really sure I trust them to do the installation, but it is cold and rainy here, and I do not have a garage, so it is awfully tempting to let them do it.)

I think I have read (or seen) on the internet that the driver's side headlight bulb is easier to replace than the passenger side bulb.

Any more comments from anybody will be welcomed.

Thanks,

R.

[sh0rtlife]

yup thats them..i used to run that "brand and type" in EVERYTHING from my 58 ford to my alfas and everything inbetween..even had a set in the yaris before switching to HID

orielys and autozone "useualy" will do free bulb installs..but its not always mentioned....
passenger side is EASY and you can see it while you do it, hell you could do it blindfolded its that easy..
the driver one is burried behind the air box, honestly if you pop the lid off you "might" make it almost as easy as the passenger side but im not sure..and i havnt had the airbox in since last year

[WeeYari]

I'm sure Sylvania has cleaned up their act since 2015 class action lawsuit. Personally I'll never use them again.
https://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53856&highlight=Sylvania

[RMcG]

silvania silverstars if you want "oe fit" and no mods...brightest longest lasting bulb that im aware of

personaly ill never run incandescent again im sold on HID

someone yell at me if im wrong...but i think the driver headlight is easier to replace if the airbox top is removed?..i know ive got a CAI and i can basicly stick my head in there and look at the back of the unit

I think what you mean by "CAI" sh0rtlife is "Canadian Import" correct? My car was manufactured in Canada, but I bought it new in the United States at a Toyota Dealer; it is a ("3 door") Hatchback.

QUESTION: Does anybody think I can change the headlight bulbs in my hatchback easily, e.g., without loosening or taking the front bumper guards off?

Thank you,

R.

[WeeYari]

^ No.

[remcafee]

i hate our headlight bulb retainers, that stupid clip that secures it is so annoying to get on correctly, i ended up pulling my bumper off faster to change the headlight bulbs

[RMcG]

Some posts on this forum say that you can replace headlight bulbs without doing anything with the bumper or bumper cover.

For example: Replacing headlight bulbs in under 5 minutes without removing the bumper (https://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53612&highlight=Replacing+headlight+bulbs+minutes+removi ng+bumper)

and #12 by ozmdd under Replacing Headlight Bulbs? (https://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27694&highlight=bumper)

"Removing the bumper is silly. Take your time, look carefully before you start, and don't force anything. I've changed bulbs a half-dozen times trying different color temps and installing HID's, and never unbolted anything. Its tight, but manangeable, and I have large hands.
Be sure you know what the bulb clip looks like before you start pulling on things. Do the passenger side first for a clear view of the mechanism."

Other posts say you need to take the bumper/bumper cover off. I will try to let you know what my experience is. I can't see paying a local shop $20 per bulb (I think this is the quote for uncomplicated replacements, it's probably more for complicated replacements) to replace the bulbs, even if it is cold and snowy outside. And I don't completely trust Walmart to do it -- they told me they couldn't do anything complicated and I was at a local Walmart yesterday and they didn't have enough people yesterday to change bulbs and do the other things they primarily do, like oil changes and battery replacements.

R.

[sh0rtlife]

when i did the HID swap i didnt have the bumper off but i have a CAI(cold air intake) so i have full access to both headlights

but i "think" with the stock airbox in place if you pull the top like you were going to change the air filter you gain a ton of space to get at the bulbs...if not its only 2-3 bolts to pull the airbox...easier than the whole bumper and light ASSY

[RMcG]

when i did the HID swap i didnt have the bumper off but i have a CAI(cold air intake) so i have full access to both headlights

but i "think" with the stock airbox in place if you pull the top like you were going to change the air filter you gain a ton of space to get at the bulbs...if not its only 2-3 bolts to pull the airbox...easier than the whole bumper and light ASSY

Thanks sh0rtlife,

I was out looking at the car today and trying to figure out how to get that airbox off and another smaller rectangular structure that is behind the passenger's side headlight assembly off if necessary. (I might have to do this in order to get more room & access behind the headlights.) I have a bra on the front of my car and that is another reason not to take the bumper/bumper cover off. Those bras should be removed & installed in warm weather in order to be able to stretch the bra.

Here is a youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XRrZS2S_88) showing the retaining spring that keeps the bulb in place and how to release it and re-attach it. Understanding that appears to be important.

R.

[sh0rtlife]

once you pull the airbox lid and the filter thers 2 or 3 bolts in the floor of the box itslef

[RMcG]

Based on my own investigation, the structures behind the headlights that impede access to the back of the headlights the most appear to be fuse boxes. See the attached photo of under hood area (Fuse Box No 1 & Fuse Box No. 2).

This you tube video 2009 Toyota Yaris headlight bulb replacement without the need for light or bumper cover removal (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvSW76yRteY) has instructions for moving these fuse boxes to remove the headlight bulbs.


R.

[sh0rtlife]

uhhh the fuse boxes are NOT neer the bulb..they are high enough to kinda be in the way of the turn signal tho..the headlights are MUCH lower

where in the NW are you..if your anywhere neer portland i might be convinced to just come do it for ya

[RMcG]

Thanks for the offer sh0rtlife, but I am a couple of hours away from Portland. I managed to get the passenger side bulb out a few hours ago. I had trouble getting the bulb out at first.

One problem was that I could not get the rubber boot to come off the bulb (while the bulb was still in the car). Eventually, as I'll explain, I figured out how to remove the bulb from the car with the boot still on the bulb.

At first, I tried to pull the boot off, but I began to be afraid that I would tear the boot. Tearing the boot is a definite possibility, see this forum post:
Where can I order a Headlight Bulb Rubber Boot online? (https://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37536&highlight=81139-52570) . These boots can apparently adhere to the bulb collar, see at about 11:30 to 12:30 on this video:
Change a Headlight, Turn Signal or Parking Light on The Toyota Yaris (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPpXkBBfYEU) . Like the guy in that video, I took the bulb out of the car with the boot on the bulb. And then I kind of pried the boot off the bulb collar with a small screwdriver, so the boot did not tear. (By the way, the headlight assembly is upside down on his workbench when he releases the bulb by compressing the ends of the spring clip in the video 11:30 to 12:30. The rounded ends of the those spring clips are at about 10 AM and 2 PM on the round socket the bulb fits into when the headlight assembly is actually mounted in the car.)

I removed the bulb from the car (with the boot still on) as follows. I carefully studied two videos to understand how to release the bulb from the housing just by feel alone. I studied Change a Headlight, Turn Signal or Parking Light on The Toyota Yaris (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPpXkBBfYEU) from 11:30 to 12:15 and also the video 2009 Toyota Yaris headlight bulb replacement without the need for light or bumper cover removal. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvSW76yRteY) from 4:30 to 5:50. There are two rounded ends of a spring clip that you can feel. They are at about 10 AM and 2 PM on the round socket the bulb fits into. I could not see these rounded clip ends, but I could feel them.

At first, I tried to press them towards the center of the socket and pull them down. But my fingers hurt too much to do this. So, one at a time for each clip end, I used a large flat headed screw driver between my finger and the clip end and pushed the clip end towards the center of the socket and tried to pull the clip end down and it worked. I did this all by feel. I could feel that I had first released one clip end and the bulb would wiggle some. And then I was able to release the second clip end and feel that I was successful doing this too. And I was able to remove the bulb from the headlight housing.

I had moved the small fusebox on the passenger side as described in the video 2009 Toyota Yaris headlight bulb replacement without the need for light or bumper cover removal. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvSW76yRteY) But I am not convinced moving this small fusebox helped. I think that you just have to be able to feel what you are doing, and it is not particularly easy at first. I will try to put a new bulb back in the passenger side socket tomorrow. I will again have to do this by feel, not sight. If I am successful doing this tomorrow, I will wait until the weather gets warmer to replace the headlight bulb on the driver’s side. Because the driver's side headlight is still working and I am not driving the car that much.

P.S. I was looking at the bra on the front of my car, and I think that I may be able to loosen the bumper cover (as described in the Toyota instructions to replace headlight bulbs) without taking the bra off. I am appreciating the advantages of loosening the bumper cover to change the headlight bulbs, rather than doing it all essentially blindly by feel.

Thanks,

R.

[CrimsonEclipse]

One side went, and I pulled off the bumper, then accidentally tore the boot because it fused on. Not sure if it was because of heat damage or age or whatever, either way, boot went by by

I just left it off since I didn't have time to find a replacement. I've had no problem with it in 2 years of rain and snow.

Other side went out, (right side) and just reached in and cut off the boot, declipped the bulb assembly and replaced the bulb.

The car is good for another 5 years, it'll hold until then

[sh0rtlife]

with how our cars are built the poot is more about "dirt" than water//ie mostly dust

the boot being "glued" to the bulb is pretty normal on H4 bulbs..it basicly evetualy just gets stuck ther, be it something from the 50s or something 10+ years old
the H4 just has a really nice wide surface are for the boot to stick to..a lil dielectric grease here is your friend...carb/brake clean is good for softening the rubber off the bulb to get them to slip off..i do this on motorcycle grips all the time..and those are actualy glued on

i think another option for doing the headlights would be to go thru the fender liner...i know you can do the fogs thru there blindly..but i think the headlight bulb basicly sits squarly on top of the frame rail

[RMcG]

One side went, and I pulled off the bumper, then accidentally tore the boot because it fused on. Not sure if it was because of heat damage or age or whatever, either way, boot went by by

I just left it off since I didn't have time to find a replacement. I've had no problem with it in 2 years of rain and snow.

Other side went out, (right side) and just reached in and cut off the boot, declipped the bulb assembly and replaced the bulb.

The car is good for another 5 years, it'll hold until then

Hi Crimson,

If you follow the links in the post about replacing the boot they go for about $15 each. I managed to save my boot and have been playing around with the boot and the "old" bulb I removed from the car prior to putting in the new bulb. I was out feeling around in the empty headlight bulb socket in the car a few minutes ago and I think I can replace the bulb (with the boot) just by feel as described in my previous post. I will let everybody know how it goes.

QUESTION(S): sh0rtlife, you are talking about using dielectric grease where the collar of the boot contacts the headlight bulb to keep the boot from sticking to the bulb, correct?

Some youtube videos recommend putting dielectric grease on the contacts of the headlight bulb.

How important is it to use dielectric grease on the contacts of the headlight bulb (before reconnecting the cable to the bulb)?

Thanks,

R.

[RMcG]

I plan to put the new bulb in the car in a day or two. I have attached some pictures showing how I plan to do this.

#1 I will put the new bulb back in the metal socket in the car by feel, being careful not to touch the glass with my bare fingers.
The large tab (facing up in picture 1) is at the top when inserted in the socket.
#2 I will secure the bulb in the socket by using the spring clip and compressing the two ends of the clip between my thumb and forefinger.
I can do this by feel, not sight, I already checked. It seems to be easy to do this with the boot off. So it should be easier to put the spring back on
than it was to get the spring off with the boot in place.
#3 After I secure the bulb in place I will put a little dielectric grease inside the collar of the black rubber boot, with the boot in a horn shape
and slide it on the the bulb (see picture 2)). (The boot is in a horn shape at this point, but will be collapsed out of its horn shape at the end of the operation.)
#4 There is a round ledge of rubber on the inside boot where the boot contacts the bulb, see picture 3) which is looking down into the
boot attached to the bulb, with the boot in a horn shape.
#5 I will push on the ledge inside the boot with the end of a large regular (not Phillip's head) screw driver. I will push all around the ledge
until the boot is tightly on the bulb, see picture 4).
#6 I will collapse the boot, so that it is no longer in the horn shape, but is “telescoped” (see picture 5).
#7 I will then reattach the bulb to the wires that power the battery via the connector and apply dielectric grease to the connector.

I walked down the local Toyota Dealer here and asked the head of the service department if it was OK to apply dielectric grease to the rubber
boot (to keep it from sticking to the bulb in the future) and he said, “yes.” (I was worried that a silicon based rubber would be degraded by the
dielectric grease.) He said that a lot of times you can twist the boot and it will release and stop sticking to the bulb.

Thanks,

R.

[RMcG]

I replaced the old bulb with a new one, a Sylvania SilverStar 9003. Things went pretty much according to plan with the replacement, but I had some trouble "feeling" if the boot was pushed all the way in with the screwdriver.

Unfortunately the problem persists, see my new thread Headlight problem persists after new bulb here (https://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=840258#post840258).

Thanks to everybody for their input and interest.

R.