Grrr... I hate GM headlights!

[ThirdeYe]

Earlier this year I tried to adjust the headlights on my girlfriend's Grand Am only to have the torx-adjuster snap on me as I tried to turn it. That headlight is now permanently stuck in an awkward position. What were they thinking using flimsy plastic adjusting screws that get seized?

Fast forward to tonight, the driver's side headlight burned out on my mom's 2003 Malibu. I remove the clip closest to the passenger side no problem. The one closest to the fender on the driver's side however, what the [censored]? There is hardly any room to remove it at all and no room to get any leverage. Once I finally got a good grip on it, and pulled with all my might, the plastic clip snapped! Now I can't remove the headlight to replace the bulb! Grr... What were they thinking when they designed these stupid things? The clips on my girlfriend's Grand Am are metal at least, and don't snap when you pull them out. There is also more room for leverage on that set-up...

Sorry, had to rant. Now I have a bruised finger and a broken headlight to show for it!

 

[JHZR2]

The only plastic headlights that have not pitted and yellowed are on my chevy truck... At least they do coatings right.

 

[Virtuoso]

I remember cussing GM when replacing the headlamp bulbs in our '99 Malibu.. Can't really remember why, but what should have been simple, wasn't.

 

[mechanicx]

Sorry to hear they were so troublesome. Usually they work pretty good and don't break. they're not foolproof and don't always work as intended. I assume you took the small plastic cover off the top to get access to the clips.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Yep. The clip that had more access came out with little trouble, it was the one to my right (facing the front of the vehicle) that had terrible clearance to get my fingers under it. That probably caused it to break because I couldn't get good leverage on it and probably pulled it slightly off-center. I don't get why they'd make it have such little room to put your fingers under.

 

[bigmike]

I had both mounting brackets on my rear taillights break. They used a metal screw, metal clip, but plastic bracket. The dealer replaced both taillights.

Now I refuse to change bulbs on them. I make the dealer do it and wait for a new set when they mess it up.

I have no idea why they'd cheap out for something that cost so much.

 

[Norse]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The only plastic headlights that have not pitted and yellowed are on my chevy truck... At least they do coatings right.


YUP! Same here. I was looking at a newer model Taco head lights that looked like they were pis's stained and thought to myself GM did a great job with my head lights. They still look great even after 11 years.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Originally Posted By: Norse
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The only plastic headlights that have not pitted and yellowed are on my chevy truck... At least they do coatings right.


YUP! Same here. I was looking at a newer model Taco head lights that looked like they were pis's stained and thought to myself GM did a great job with my head lights. They still look great even after 11 years.


My car has plastic headlights as well and they haven't pitted/yellowed either, and they're over 16 years old now. I do see a lot of older Integras with yellowed lights, but somehow mine have escaped that fate. I'm thinking that having it garaged helps a lot. Since I purchased it back in early '07, I've also been cleaning them every so often with nevr-dull. I haven't done it in a while though, because I ran out of the stuff.

 

[Vizzy]

In order to protect the UV coatings on the lenses you should wax the headlight lens with a non abrasive wax.

 

[Ironduke4]

You should always spray the headlight adjusting screws with some sort of penatrating oil like pb blaster or wd40 before you try to turn the screws or they might break off.
By the way the headlights on my 1991 chevy lumina coupe are still clear like when they were new and not fogged like a lot of them get and they are almost 20 years old.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: Virtuoso
I remember cussing GM when replacing the headlamp bulbs in our '99 Malibu.. Can't really remember why, but what should have been simple, wasn't.
When I had to change mine it was a relative breeze. No tools needed, just 2 sliding clips to undo and pull the assembly out. My problem was the cold weather at the time and my fingers' sensitivity to the cold....

The Dakota was a PITA in that I had to unscrew multiple bolts.

Rumor has it my Cobalt requires part of the bumper cover to be removed, though. If true, that will suck.

 

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: opus1

Rumor has it my Cobalt requires part of the bumper cover to be removed, though. If true, that will suck.


That's the easy way to do the low beam on the Mazda6.

You can do it without disassembling the front bumper cover. It will shred the back of your hand, and you will wish that you had another elbow in the middle of your arm but it can be done.

 

[CBR.worm]

My car you have to pull out the inner fender, still a quick job though.

The irony is that the only bulb that has failed in the last 107k miles was an OE HID ballast, the halogen fog lights that are on with them are still original.

 

[cchase]

Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
My car you have to pull out the inner fender, still a quick job though.

The irony is that the only bulb that has failed in the last 107k miles was an OE HID ballast, the halogen fog lights that are on with them are still original.


I've seen a glut of new BMW's with one headlight out over the past few months so they must be having a run of bad HID themselves.

As far as ease of change, it varies wildly from vehicle to vehicle which is disappointing.

As far as people on here talking about the age of their headlights and whether they are clear, I suspect in some cases you wouldn't think your headlights are so clear if you put a brand new unit up next to them and compared. I know on my truck I thought they looked like new aside from being sandblasted but next to new ones they look quite yellow. You'd have never thought that without the direct comparison.

Just food for thought.

 

[jc1990]

try changing side marker lights on a 90 gmc s15 jimmy you have to remove whole front grille what a joke

 

[oggb]

I have to remove part of my grill (which is obviously not meant to be removed) along with tons of those little [censored] plastic clips to remove my headlights in order to get to the side marker lights.

Takes about 20 minutes but it's a pain and the clips for the grill section LOVE to break, so when one bulb goes bad I replace 'em all.

 

[SAATR]

Try a '10 Benz GLK350, non HID. The passenger side is easy enough, but the driver requires tiny hands and a triple jointed arm (neither of which I have). You can't even SEE the retainer clip that holds the bulb in, and have to feel around for a good 10 minutes to make sure all is well. Blah! Of course, headlights burning out in less than 2 years is a bit ridiculous, and BOTH bulbs burned less than 3 months apart.