Replacing awkward headlamps

[Tee5alive]

Cam someone please point me to a thread how to change headlamp bulbs on a 2004 V70 please. These are recessed so far i cant even get my hand in there!

Does the whole headlamp have to be removed to do this? Is that the only option loosening the bumper etc, if so a bit daft what you had to change a bulb goes beside the road in the dark :(

Thanks

[Dangerous Dave]

Apparently you have to remove the bumper to get the headlights out (which apparently is easy to do, some clips and a couple of screws).

When I changed my bulbs I took the airbox out to get a good view of how the clip system works on the N/S headlight and then applied that to the other headlight

[Tee5alive]

cheers Dave

[DaveyP]

Hey.

I've spent a bit of time on my headlights recently. (2002 V70)
Which side are you looking to replace?

[Tee5alive]

Hey.

I've spent a bit of time on my headlights recently. (2002 V70)
Which side are you looking to replace?

Hi Davey

Ive bought a polishing kit to have a go at buffing up my lights thnk Ive worked out a way to change the lamps without stripping down half the car!

Thanks for the offer though.

[Dangerous Dave]

Hi Davey

Ive bought a polishing kit to have a go at buffing up my lights thnk Ive worked out a way to change the lamps without stripping down half the car!

Thanks for the offer though.

I've got a polishing kit too, just waiting for the warmer weather so I can get the bumper off and take them off the car :D

[LeeT5]

Cam someone please point me to a thread how to change headlamp bulbs on a 2004 V70 please. These are recessed so far i cant even get my hand in there!

Does the whole headlamp have to be removed to do this? Is that the only option loosening the bumper etc, if so a bit daft what you had to change a bulb goes beside the road in the dark :(

Thanks

You don't need to remove the front bumper.
Take a picture of the rear of the bulb holder with your phone, study it then remove the bulbs. It's not difficult.

[Tee5alive]

You don't need to remove the front bumper.
Take a picture of the rear of the bulb holder with your phone, study it then remove the bulbs. It's not difficult.

Hi Lee

its not replacing them thats a problem I have HUGE hands and the offside light theres like room for a 2 year old to get their hand in! I even took it Halfords and they refused to change it due to 'all the work needed'.
Driving to work at 4am this morning the dreaded thing happened the offside bulb went bang! I have to drive to work in the dark and home in it so im screwed!
I had also tried to polish the crappy plastic lenses with no joy. My last V70 was only a year older but still the P2 and had the lovely GLASS lamps. As I have to take most of the front of the car off - can I replace the crap plastic ones with glass please. Kill 2 birds with one stone!! I am ANTI PLASTIC everything (due to the state of the oceans) and WHY they fit plastic lenses that get grit blasted every time it rains is beyond me?????

[Dangerous Dave]

Yeah these plastic headlights are a nightmare, and there aren't many on ebay let alone cheap ones. I saw some faded plastic ones for over £100 each!

The good news is it's really easy to get the bumper off and the headlights then just unbolt.

I polished my plastic ones with a kit off ebay, then sprayed them with clearcoat that came with the kit, seemed to work ok, not perfect but loads better than the faded plastic before.

[Tee5alive]

Yeah these plastic headlights are a nightmare, and there aren't many on ebay let alone cheap ones. I saw some faded plastic ones for over £100 each!

The good news is it's really easy to get the bumper off and the headlights then just unbolt.

Cheers Dave but do you know if the glass ones fit right in place of the plastic trash? I just scrapped my old V70 that had a spotless set od glass lamps on :(((((((

[uqj83l]

The lower headlight bolt is behind the bumper bracket. If you drill a 20mm hole through the bracket that’ll mean you never have to remove the bumper brackets to remove the headlights.

[Tee5alive]

The lower headlight bolt is behind the bumper bracket. If you drill a 20mm hole through the bracket that’ll mean you never have to remove the bumper brackets to remove the headlights.

NICE ONE cheers

[Dangerous Dave]

I know the S80 ones don't fit but not sure if the S60 early ones will fit the later, I think I remember someone fitting the later to the early some years ago.

[LeeT5]

Hi Lee

its not replacing them thats a problem I have HUGE hands and the offside light theres like room for a 2 year old to get their hand in! I even took it Halfords and they refused to change it due to 'all the work needed'.
Driving to work at 4am this morning the dreaded thing happened the offside bulb went bang! I have to drive to work in the dark and home in it so im screwed!
I had also tried to polish the crappy plastic lenses with no joy. My last V70 was only a year older but still the P2 and had the lovely GLASS lamps. As I have to take most of the front of the car off - can I replace the crap plastic ones with glass please. Kill 2 birds with one stone!! I am ANTI PLASTIC everything (due to the state of the oceans) and WHY they fit plastic lenses that get grit blasted every time it rains is beyond me?????

That's because you're doing it wrong mate. Making plastic UV damaged headlights clear again is pi s s easy! I've done it to Peugeots, Volvo's and Golf mk7's all with outstanding results and in less than 2 hours.

Get yourself some 2000 grit and 1000 grit wet n dry from Halfords. Use a bucket of warm soapy water (fairy liquid is best) and use the 1000 grit first.
Mask off the surrounding areas so as not to scratch the paint. Then use horizontal & vertical movements (Do not use circular motions) to flatten the plastic until it feels baby skin smooth to the touch. Takes about 10 mins per Grit, per headlight. Use even pressure and make sure you cover the entire light. Rinse off with a sponge or cloth then move onto the 2000 grit and do the same. Once finished, rinse off then switch to an abrasive polish or dedicated plastic polish with a DA machine polisher to buff the lens until it looks crystal!
If you don't have a DA machine then proceed to 3000 grit, rinse and then buff polish by hand.

Trust me, when you do it right the results are amazing and will last a good few years before you need to do a quick polish to buff them up again. Glass headlights are good but it only takes a stone to smash the glass and it's a major headache. The glass lens are getting more difficult to get hold off these days and all manufacturers use Plastic headlights and have done for over 10 years. They are much more resilient and long lasting.

[Tee5alive]

cheers Lee but looking at mine the other day close up they are CRAZED so I think its game over for them :(

[LeeT5]

cheers Lee but looking at mine the other day close up they are CRAZED so I think its game over for them :(

It's on the surface, trust me. The grit will get most of it out.

[Tee5alive]

it's on the surface, trust me. The grit will get most of it out.

ooohhh great ill try it!