Near Side Side Light Bulb Replacement

[Guest One Lady Owner]

:D Can anyone out there give me an idiots step by step guide to changing the front n/s side light bulb on my C5. No problems with the tai/brake light but omg the front?? there's so much 'other' stuff there.

[Guest SAXOVTSTURBO]

it should just pop out towards you, try pull it gently left or right and when it gives a bit pull it and you will see the socket where the bulb goes, hope that help you a bit, PM me if any questions:)

[Johndouglas]

Remove the battery cover. There's two plastic clips at the rear of it. It's a tight fit to get at the rear of the lamps without removing the battery, but if you look to the rear of the light unit, you'll see four raised circles. The largest is the dipped beam. The slightly smaller one along side it is the main beam and the even smaller one above the dipped beam is the side light. I haven't removed mine (yet) but I expect it will turn slightly and pull out.

[MikeLane]

Just replaced both sidelamp bulbs and found, particularly on driver's side, that if once the bulb(s) is/are replaced one turns the sidelamps ON it's much easier to see (from the front of the car) where to refit the holder.

[seefive]

Just did mine yesterday too (both sides)

 

The official way is to strip the bumper and remove the headlamp units , then pull out the bulb holders , having twisted them away from their locked position. - crazy..

 

Luckily on mine they had not been locked into position by the previous owners/s , so a quick pull on the wire brings out the bulb holder, and as Mike says, they can be jiggled into position by watching the lens until it lights up bright . With the rubber cover replaced, the bulb will sit quite securely. Lucas bulbs should last a year or so.

 

The nearside is the worse one, with the battery being so close, but still possible with patience. It took me about 20 minutes to do them both

[MikeLane]

"The nearside is the worse one, with the battery being so close, but still possible with patience. It took me about 20 minutes to do them both"

Much quicker and easier with the battery out but then there's the good old BSI reset.....!!!

[paul.h]

You do not need to do a bsi reset or stand on your head and do somersaults whilst reciting something, just to disconnect and remove the battery. This is from the Common Problems topic:

16. Odd electrical problems caused by wrong battery disconnection procedure.

If you need to disconnect the battery and not do a BSI reset procedure, I have found the following has not given me any problems on a 2004 and 2007 C5 and a 2003 C3:

- remove the ignition key from the car

- open the bonnet

- wait a few minutes for the BSI to shut down

- disconnect the battery negative terminal

 

When reconnecting

- ignition key out of the car

- reconnect the battery

- wait a few minutes

- insert the key in the ignition and wait a minute

- turn the key to the first position and wait a minute

- turn the key so the dash lights come on and wait a minute

- start the engine

- take the windows down and up to reset the anti pinch

- reset the clock (and radio on the C3).

 

Since our cars are kept outside, the doors and windows are closed whilst the battery is removed/disconnected. Then I open and close the door after connecting the battery before putting the key in the ignition and this has not lead to any problems. I could connect the battery with the door open but have not found this necessary.