As I mentioned before this is worth writing about. Within a week period, the lights on both sides of my car needed to be replaced. I had no idea how to access them or what to expect once I remove the rubber cover. One can't see anything. The manual is useless and suggests:
"However, because parts need to be removed,The best source of information I found was in this forum thread: Changing light bulb Clio III
you are advised to have your bulbs replaced
by an approved dealer."
Update: here I found instructions with pictures. Notice the slightly different bulb holder with clips.
Update 2015.12.02: Make sure to check Remy's neat trick in his post (+video) in the comments section below.
Some people suggest to remove the battery or the front mask of the car. I was on the road, so disassembling anything was not an option. I could not see anything and once my hand was in the engine area it just got worse. I remember, my brain stopped working overloaded by thoughts about design, designers and other messy stuff. I took pictures with my phone after removing the rubber cover to see what is going on THERE. Then, somehow I removed the electric connection and took a picture again. Here they are (I got more but they were not pointing at the relevant area...):
Assuming that your hands are small enough to fit in the gaps, the easiest way to put the new bulb in place is by looking through the hole of the headlight (that was still almost blindly but honestly, this was the most I could see from what I was doing). Then again, blindly or not you ought to try to fit the electric connector. It took me about half an hour per bulb and both hands badly scratched... I think any further comments are redundant.
After the post became sort of popular (according to the site statistics), I thought that uploading a movie would be more useful, but after lifting the hood I had the same brain storm feelings, as before, and promised myself I'll do this next time... UPDATE: Failed.
19 comments:
Thank you Uncle Scrooge. Your pictures from the side of the road ended about 4 hours of skinned hands and endless frustration. You have MOTs and such rubbish supposedly to keep roads safe and then they allow cars on the road on which you can't even change a blown light bulb. The person who designed that light set up should be forced to spend an eternity changing them with their memory erased between changes so that they get skinned hands each time.
Thanks again.
I can't understand why a French car company has such a stupid design. In France you are required by law, to carry spare bulbs and fuses so you can change them immediately. I can't imagine many people trying this by the side of a road, especially the offside light.
This was brilliant. Picture very helpful. Simply pull out the electrical connector which acts as the securing mechanism. Pull out the bulb straight back . Lug is at the top. Then just reverse the procedure. 5 mins tops. Just check how it sits in the picture. I found feeling the metal connections on the bul after I I took off the connector very helpful to get a mental picture how to push it back on.
Perfect with the pics! TYVM for posting, replaced the bulb in 2-3 minutes with the help of a mirror(left side). :)
I have already bought a small mirror for this purpose. It has even LEDs on it to make my life less miserable (hope so).
I'll give them Vavavoom.
At which design meeting did they think C'est bon-that oughta do it.
Renault: Next time stick big round lamps on sticks either side of the bonnet- the 2CV designer had obviously been forced to do this job himself before they committed to making thousands of the things.
Hopelessly bad and a waste of the last 3 hours for one high beam bulb.
Perfect ! This helped us a great deal!
Hola, just taken on a 2nd hand 2006 Clio Mk3 Campus. Basic but seems sound. Two days in an noticing little things like a duff near side side light bulb gone (hence finding this blog so will give it a try) and an oddity where the fog lamp indicator on the dash flashes when indicating...?! If possible I will try to take a video of a bulb changing exercise and repost... we will see. Cheers for the tips.
HonestJimbo
Renault has adopted a very simple policy to face prices competition. The cars are sold at cost, but are designed to get you later. Not convinced yet? Try to get a copy of your car key...
Today I had the "pleasure" of changing the light bulb. Everything had to be done just by feeling te parts because you can see very little because other parts are blocking your view (BTW I have a Clio III Collection). Taking the plug out "only" took me about 15 minutes. Changing the light was done pretty quick, but getting the plug back in was the hard part. I was working on it for 30 to 45 minutes until I got the idea of using my camera.
Here is the TIP for anyone trying to do this: Use your mobile phone to get a clearer view of the area because you can then simply look on your display and use your other hand to get the plug in its correct place. When I tried this, it only took me 46 seconds. I even have recorded this so if anyone is interested in how I exactly did this, contact me and I'll send you the clip.
Here you can find the clip:
https://youtu.be/EoIkbrXB0go
The trick is to put the black pin into the white hole
Thanks Remy! This tip will certainly reduce the physical and mental pain during my next amazing endeavor to change the bulbs... I wonder which way I will contort my body next time, so I can minimize the pain in my arm and still be able to see the screen of the phone...
You need to be a either a Renault mechanic or a yoga master to change the bulbs easily
:D
Hi all you frustrated Clio owners! I've just had great fun(?) changing a dipped beam bulb in our 2010 Clio, it took hours - despite all the videos and suggestions.
Here is my (successful!) approach....
1) simply remove the elec connector by pulling straight back. squeeze ether side whilst pulling. You can now simply pull the old bulb out. Note which way up the connector goes in...by which side the wires enter it from.
2) Now carefully insert the new bulb into the connector - use tissue paper to protect the glass and make sure that the bulb's lug is uppermost in the connector.
3) carefully insert the bulb (lug at top) whilst viewing it from the outside of the headlamp lens. Push home until it clicks in place.
Hey presto!
Easy when you know how!
Happy New Year!
Geoff Dunn (Norwich UK) toptechsys@yahoo.com
Just to elaborate on my Clio bulb suggested approach...
I inserted the bulb into the elec connector BEFORE inserting it into the actual headlamp socket, and then inserted the bulb into the headlamp itself using the elec connector to push the bulb firmly into the headlamp socket.
Good luck!
Geoff Dunn (Norwich UK, toptechsys@yahoo.com)
We were quoted £10 for the H7 bulb and at least £45 for fitting cos according to the Hand-book you need to remove parts of the car and so should be done by an approved dealer.
Managed to get a bulb from Euro Car Parts for just over a quid.
Helps if you have a mate with small hands.You can get the connector off and the bulb out,without having to dismantle the front end or removing the battery.Just be careful.
Replacing we located the bulb into the connector first and then guided the whole lot (both bulb and connector) into the hole.Didn't take all that long about 10 minutes
Hi can u send me the clip thanks
https://youtu.be/EoIkbrXB0go
A tip I use when inserting the bulb is to use a wooden skewer or emery board to hold the bulb, by using a small tie wrap, attaching it to one of the electrical connectors. Challenge sometimes is detaching it, but I find this easier than trying to locate bulb using just fingers.
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