Removing Grand Am Headlight

[ThirdeYe]

My girlfriend's head light burned out last night, and I tried to follow the Haynes manual to remove the headlight assembly. I removed the black shield that goes above the bumper, under the hood (removed all 8 push-pins). The next step though, was where I got stuck. It said I had to pull up on two metal pins, and I couldn't remove either of them. They looked like they were connected to the adjusting screws, and I couldn't figure out how to remove them. Could anyone shed some light as to how I'm supposed to remove these pins without breaking something? I was pulling hard enough to bend the metal pins, and I didn't want to break them.

 

[daman]

What year GA?

 

[bluestream]

There are two metal tabs that you need to grab with pliers and pull the tab out towards you, then pull them straight up. The is a "nub" that you must pass before they will pull up. When both have been pulled up the headlight assembly will pull out and you can change the bulb. Be prepared for the bulb retaining ring clips to break off, that is a defective design. GM has a new ring, or just use duct tape.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Sorry about that, it's a 1999 SE 4-cylinder. I'm still confused about the pliers part. I saw one nub that I had to pass. I put a screw driver in there to wedge the metal nub away from the plastic, then tried to pull up with all my might, but I was afraid it would start to bend still.

 

[bluestream]

The pliers go on the metals tabs that are about 1/2 inch wide and painted black. Each light has two of these tabs that lock the light in place. In order to pull them up you must first pull them out towards you to unlock them, and then pull up at the same time. Install is place headlight in then push the tabs down to lock it in

http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/faq.php?faq=maint_repair#faq_remove_headlamp

they call them speed clips here

 

[doitmyself]

There is a very good video at youtube with a clear picture of the tabs starting at about the 1 minute, 40 second mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJZ7pJcPFOU

Don't forget the part about pulling the L shaped sheet metal tab backward before pulling up.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Thanks for the video. The one furthest to the right, that he claimed stays in there was the one I was mainly confused about, because it looked like it was connected to part of the adjusting screw, and I was afraid of breaking it, but it looks like it doesn't come out all the way. I might just let the dealership deal with it, especially when it was said that the bulb clips tend to break anyways.

 

[bluestream]

I don't pull the tabs out like in the vid. I just pull them up enough to get the headlight out. There is a plastic retainer ring that hold the bulb into the headlight. It has small tabs that break off from the heat. GM has a new more robust design that is heat resistant. Cost about $12. The bulb may stay in on its own, but the ring really should be there. There is no need to adjust any screws at all; ignore what you saw in that video. The headlight does not have to come out onto the bench. Just pull it out a bit, and install the new bulb. Then push it back in