DIY: Removing Front Bumper and Headlights (lots of pics and a video)

[StevenSTi]

That Yahoo pictures DIY didnt work anymore, and Im sure theres another DIY out there, but I took the time to take some pics of me doin this so I'm doin this write up. Enjoy

Tools Needed:
3/8 drive socket and 10mm socket
3/8 drive extension
1/4 drive socket and 10mm socket
Flathead screwdriver
Phillipshead screwdriver


Step One:






I find it easier to remove all the under panel screws first, it will give you more play in the plastic in the wheel well and make it easier to pull the bumper around it when that time comes. All the bolts at 10mm around the bottom.

Step Two:





Remove the front two plastic push rivets from each side with a flathead screwdriver. Just pop the head out and the rest will will come out too with a little force of the flathead

Step Three:



Pop the plastic out form behind the bumper and pull it back a little. It will take a little force to pop it out around the top, but it will come out, just pull.

Step Four:




Unscrew the top bolt on the inside of the plastic. As you do this, you will begin to see the bumper drop down at the corners just under the headlight. This is also a 10mm socket, just find it and unscrew it.

Step Five:






Remove the 4 plastic screws on the outside of the grill and the screw in the center of the grill. You don't have to take the grill completely off, the bumper will still drop with the tabs attached

Step Six:



Start pulling on the bumper until you have it off all the way around and then drop it down to the ground. I always lay a towel out so that the bumper doesn't set directly on the ground

Step Seven:



This step will be different for most other people since i have HID fogs, but you can just unplug the connector from the fog light bulb (depending on the length of your wire you may have to reach behind the bumper before you pull it off to do this so you have enough room to set it on the ground)


Your bumper is now off the car. Now on to the headlight removal.


Step Eight:




Unbolt the screw on the top of the headlight. 10mm screw

Step Nine:



you have to get inside the wheel well to see these two bolts on the back of the headlight. They are a pain in the ass to get, the bottom one can be gotten with the 3/8 drive socket, but the top one is easier to get with a 1/4 drive, especially if you have big hands like me. They are both 10mm

Step Ten:






You will have to wiggle the headlight out as far as it will go and then pull it up and out. If you do it right, it will sound like you broke something, like two piece of plastic were snapped apart. See the video to hear this and see how to pull it out

If you need to take the headlight all the way out, just pull the connectors off all of the bulbs and any thing else that needs to be unplugged and pull it out. Hope this helps anyone out and if you have any questions, PM me of post them up.

[aschueler]

nice +rep

[Xentix]

This was a huge help. I might add tho, you dont need to fully drop the bumper down to remove the headlights altho it is a little bit of a help.

Thanks for this write up. +rep

[ins0mnia]

why you takin out ur lights just curious?

[StevenSTi]

just to do the writeup...I was bored at that time, and there were 4 or 5 people on the old DIY thread that were complaining about the pics not workin. I also did the DIY inner trunk light removal the same time, that one was easier

[BBAtl6]

^^he's the kind of guy who would take the out just for fun and clean the underside of the light for the hell of it (even though nobody would ever see it)

[HERBos]

hey guys. i'm tryign to remove my headlights and im at the part where i have to take out my wiring harness. does anyone know how to disconnect it?

[BBAtl6]

you just need to disconnect the wires to take the headlight out? all you need to do is disconnect all of the connectors that are attached to the bulbs.

[diegolex]

so you can just remove the headlights whitout taking off the bumper?

[02isjw]

Nice write-up!!!

[BBAtl6]

Originally Posted by diegolex

so you can just remove the headlights whitout taking off the bumper?

no, you have to remove the bumper

[eboy0]

Originally Posted by BBAtl6

no, you have to remove the bumper

It doesn't seem like there are any bolts hidden behind the bumper itself? So i don't see why you can't take out the headlights without taking off the bumper.?

[StevenSTi]

there is a way to do it, but you seem like you would scratch the paint. there are clips that you have to pop out, watch the video, you'll see when I pop the headlight out I pull up and out. It wont clear the bumper

[Slvrbullet]

i did this recently to change the bulbs and paint the fogs what a pain in the ass but at least i had some help...

[Kingu 808]

Originally Posted by ins0mnia

why you takin out ur lights just curious?

When your HID's go bad you'll need to remove your bumper and headlights to change the bulbs out...I recently had to change mine and it took me about 2hrs start to finish...