Changing Headlamp Bulbs on W203

[ernieh]

Hi All,
My off-side dipped beam has blown.....After 40 years of changing bulbs, among other things automobile, I'm totally confused by this one. After removing the connector, the handbook says to 'hook the retainer spring onto appropriate bulb holder and remove the bulb'. I got as far as removing the back cover and the electrical connection, but needless to say, I can see no sign of the retainer spring. Having said that, access is pretty awful, but with the aid of a mirror the bulb-holder can be viewed. Just to confuse the issue even further, in the thread started by GRPAR in June, it is suggested that the bulb is held in by a bayonet.

I would be very grateful if somebody could please advise what is the correct approach to this job.

Many thanks in advance,

Ernie

 

[ernieh]

Update to Headlamp bulbs replacement

Just to let you know that my local, friendly, helpful MB Service Advisor replaced my headlamp bulb this morning for free - and took less time than it took to write my previous post!

 

[television]

Thanks for posting back on this, I wonder if he could flip the lever on mine over to LHD. Why is nothing easy any more

 

[Phil D]

from memory they're just a twist fit - I did mine & I'm pretty handless - although I agree that any self respecting dealer / indie should do it for free - it's 10 seconds if you know what you're doing - mine offered if I got stuck.
Phil

 

[grpar]

It's cunningly simple once you know how

I changed the dipped bulbs on my C180 (54 plate) and spent about 20 minutes wrestling with trying to get the H7 bulb out. Duh !! What the handbook DOES NOT make clear is that around the outside of the bulb housing is a black ring with ridges to make it easy to grip. It's this that you have to twist anti-clockwise to then release the bulb from its housing.

Once you've sussed this (and thrown the handbook away) then it takes literally 2 minutes per bulb to remove the power connector, swap the bulbs, reconnect the power connector, put the bulb back in its housing, and twist the outer ring till it locks (with a click) back into place.

 

[left]

ON my W203 removing the old bulb (low beam offside) was fairly straigtforward (excepting the appaling access); no twisting, just the retaining spring to unclip. The new bulb was not inserted quite straight causing an incorrect beam allignment so required removal and relocating. Although it was only secured by the spring removal this time is proving impossible and because the visibility (even with mirrors/torch etc.) is almost non existent I cannot see what is preventing its removal. ANY IDEAS ANYONE??

John