[Lorian]

After trying to follow previous advice on removing the headlights, I think maybe when they made the black european versions of the lights they made them slightly different shape, because there was no way I could get them out without either removing the bumper or risking scraping it.

Given its -2 degrees outside, I didn't fancy either of these options. So I went for the "less risky" route and went to the headlights from behind. Please note it is NOT possible to replace indicatior (blinker, turn singinal) bulbs (globes) this way.

On the right (looking at the car) it's very easy. Just disconnect the battery (two 10mm) and remove it's mount (one 13mm). Remove the battery. This is the trickiest bit as its heavy and a tight fit!

Once this is out replacing the low, high and sidelight bulbs is pretty easy assuming you have seen they type of bulb wire clips before. If you haven't go play with some on a car where you can see them well first!
Proceed by unscrewing the caps. Remove high beam bulb before removing sidelight. Main bean bulb has a clip to press to detach the wire. Replace the sidelight (I used LED) before replacing the main beam blub. Temporarily re-connect battery and check LED works. If not turn it around.

The low beam is easy to do if you remember to put the notch in the bulb housing directly downwards in to the slot. No clip on the wire, just pull/push.



On the left, it's a little trickier. They layout has been redesigned slightly I think. You don't need to touch the radiator resevoir. You need to unbolt the bonnet switch, alarm horn, and fuse box from the sidewall. This is about 6 x 10mm bolts, and push the components gently back out of the way.



Now the procedure for replacment of the bulbs is the same as for the right side. Remember to bolt everything back and reconnect the battery when done.



Please prcoceed with care, as always no warrant expressed or implied.

I didn't get oppertunity to drive the car in the dark with the old bulbs, so I will have no idea how much better the new ones are, but hopefully they will work well. I'm using nightbreakers and philips extreme.

[Shambles]

Thanks for illustrating a different way of doing this

I removed my offside lamp yesterday to see if my new LED sidelight cluster would fit. It didn't. However, I did manage to remove the headlight housing completely, removing just the 3 bolts and unclipping two harnesses. Getting it back in was, as always, a right royal pain in the neck, but nothing scratched... it was just very tricky.

[Myowni30]

Great post Lorian

I want to change my bulbs but did not fancy removing the units. Will try this when its warmer 

Looking at my weather station, out side temp is just 32.6 F

Must admit I'm a summer person, hate the cold and dark days 

[Lorian]

Thanks for illustrating a different way of doing this

I removed my offside lamp yesterday to see if my new LED sidelight cluster would fit. It didn't. However, I did manage to remove the headlight housing completely, removing just the 3 bolts and unclipping two harnesses. Getting it back in was, as always, a right royal pain in the neck, but nothing scratched... it was just very tricky.

The 1W SUPERLUX (ebay) sidelights are very bright to my eyes, and very white, I'm pleased with them.

[Dazzler]

Yeah, Good work Lorian.. thanks..

[Myowni30]

The 1W SUPERLUX (ebay) sidelights are very bright to my eyes, and very white, I'm pleased with them.

I can only find INTERIOR bulb when I search eBay with that reference.

Can you tell us what the listing number is, or seller full description.

Thanks 

[Shambles]

I ordered a set of these yesterday, thanks to this link provided by Lorian

[Myowni30]

I ordered a set of these yesterday, thanks to this link provided by Lorian

Thanks Shambles.

[Lorian]

I hope you like them. someone else on here (I forgot who sorry!) recommended them originally. They look good when driving on low beam at night. They are a little cooler/bluer tone than my philips extreme dipped beam. You can't see them much when main beam is on (Lorian, blinded).

They appear to have resistors and diodes built in. You don't destroy them if you connect them up the wrong way, they just don't work. If they don't light you just turn them around.

[Lorian]

First opportunity to try the new headlights last night.

I'm not really very impressed with the low beam on the i30, not related to the bulbs, presumably because they are projectors units, which I have never experienced before:

• the horizontal cutoff is like 100% there is no spill above the shield which make you feel like you are driving into a black hole
• There is a slight refraction of light on the cutoffs giving a little orangy corona effect which I don't like
• The units seem to be set up in parallel, so the light beams don't both focus in the same place. Keep in mind I drive on the left. If I look at the beam pattern it looks like this:
  
  \_ \_  on the i30 - like the beams run in parallel to each other
  \_      I believe in my old car the lights converged so pretty much all you saw was one of these. Maybe it was just because there was more spill and the pattern less precise?
  

Does everyone else have the two really distinct light patterns from low (dipped) beam?

High beam on the other hand with the nighbreakers is VERY good, brighter than my old car and no issues.

[Myowni30]

Does everyone else have the two really distinct light patterns from low (dipped) beam?

Mine are the same as yours on my i30 and Volvo C30 which also has these projector type headlights 

[Lorian]

Still didn't really like the orangy Philips x-tremes, so today I have fitted nightbreakers into the dipped beam too.

Two notes on doing this as it's postively warm outside (dodging the showers).

1. For my method on the first page, you don't need to unbolt the alarm horn, you can just unbolt the relay cage and tuck it under the header-tank rubber pipe out of the way.

2. To adjust the headlight level it's not quite the same on cars with electric levelling.You cannot put a philips screwdrive down into the "slot", as the motor is in the way. You have to put the scredrive in a whole at the back of the motor. I'll post some pics later. I think there maybe a dipped beam adjuster out of sight by indicator bulb though, not sure yet. Going top try adjusting tonight.

[Lorian]

To adjust the MAIN dipped/low beam on cars equiped with electronic level control, the manual adjusters are to be found behind the normal adjustment holes, as pointed to in the photos. <later edit> These adjusters did seem to adjust the dipped beam ok which suprised me.





I think the DIPPED beam adjusters are at the bottom of the hole indicated by the Red elipse I added on the photo (thanks to whoever's photo it was, I fogot which thread I stole it from). In-car it will be necessary to adjust this with a very thin philips (or possibley flathead) screwdriver, but I don't have one long-enough and thin enough to get in there. Maybe I'm wrong about this adjuster though, I won't know till I get a longer tool %-) Certainly the other adjusters didnt move the Dipped beam. <later edit> not sure what the other adjusters actually did, maybe lateral adjustment, but clicking the ones that are easy to get to (green) raised the dipped bean level just fine. Each click doesn't move the beam up far, but  you don't need many clicks to raise the lights just a little so as not to blind other drivers. best to mark up the existing positions on a wall in front of the car before you start changing anything.

[Myowni30]

Fitted my Philips Blue Vision today. Used your method but did not remove the battery, could just about manage that side. Had to remove the plastic rad expansion tank only for the drivers side.



Tried 2 different side light bulbs, but again used the Philips Blue Vision as the Led type is just to bright.

Standard side light



Blue Vision side light



Led side light



Need to go out in the dark to see how much difference there is now. The head lights are now much more white than the standard bulbs. No real blue tint, but just white.

[Lorian]

Good stuff. You must have small hands (Or I have big ones!) as there is no way I could get to the right hand main beam without moving the battery. Going to test mine now :-)

[Myowni30]

I found the worst one to change was the main beam behind the washer bottle neck. I also kept accidently touching the bulbs and had to keep cleaning my paw prints off them.

[Lorian]

OK, I tried the nightbreakers in dipped too, and prefer them.

(obviously) they are the same colour as the nightbreakers in the main beam. The Philips X-treme were a little yellow. Before when I switched between high and low beam there was a small but perceptible colour shift. Now they are both just white. No tested in rain yet, but am sure they will be OK.

The refraction of the light across the top of the shadow masks is maybe 30% less noticeable too.

Might still raise them just a little if I can find the elusive long thin screwdriver.

[Shambles]

Good stuff Lorian. I like my Osram NB dipped beam bulbs - crystal clear beams

[Lorian]

I found the worst one to change was the main beam behind the washer bottle neck. I also kept accidently touching the bulbs and had to keep cleaning my paw prints off them.

I have vague recollection I might have placed this one in with long nose pliers. Its only minor, but it's poor design in this area, there is no need to put the relay box and filler spout right behind the bulb covers, there is plenty of room to give them some clearence with a slight redesign.

I also noticed there are several plugs with poor insulation/waterproofing. I'll stick some self-amalgumating tape on them sometime.

[Lorian]

Having just re-reviewed the photos, I think the dipped beam cannot be adjusted with the headlight in-situ if it has an electronic adjuster attached*. Like the main beam, the electronic actuator would move the manual adjuster knob backwards a couple of inches, so rather than lining up with the "skinny hole" I think it will be located further back, very near the indicator bulb wiring. Probably can't get at it without taking the whole assembly out.

*But of course the electronic adjuster on it's own will only lower the beam, not make it higher.

Doh, I was wrong.

[Shambles]

The pics posted in post #1 show the geography of various components (battery, washer bottle etc) to be different to my 08 model.

Regardless, I believe this proves that the manufacturer always meant for bulb replacement (etc) to be done with the whole headlamp unit off the car. As mentioned previously, this is achieved by removing the 3 10mm bolts holding the units in place.

Now, I know folk have said that it feels as if extracting the unit would scratch the bodywork, and I've had mine out 4 times and felt the same, but no scratches ensue. Sure, it's tough "jiggling" the units out of their housing, and getting them back in "feels" as if you'd cause damage, but I've not experienced or caused any.

The pics in all the related headlamp/bulb threads show the headlamp units to be similar in mounting, so I presume they are similar in dismounting.

[Lorian]

The pics posted in post #1 show the geography of various components (battery, washer bottle etc) to be different to my 08 model.

Regardless, I believe this proves that the manufacturer always meant for bulb replacement (etc) to be done with the whole headlamp unit off the car. As mentioned previously, this is achieved by removing the 3 10mm bolts holding the units in place.

Now, I know folk have said that it feels as if extracting the unit would scratch the bodywork, and I've had mine out 4 times and felt the same, but no scratches ensue. Sure, it's tough "jiggling" the units out of their housing, and getting them back in "feels" as if you'd cause damage, but I've not experienced or caused any.

The pics in all the related headlamp/bulb threads show the headlamp units to be similar in mounting, so I presume they are similar in dismounting.

I agree, but in practice I just could not get the lower lip/seam of the lamp housing to come up an over the bumper. I pressed down on the bumper a lot, but  still with no joy. I even took the top radiator support off. Maybe I just didn't have the knack. I might be braver when the car is not quite so new!

Clearly they designed the guides in the back of the lamp so you could adjust the angles with the light housing in place, but then they added the electric adjusters which foobared it all up.

[Shambles]

I found the easiest way to overcome the bumper issue was to use the lamp housing itself... by using more forwards & downwards force on the back of the housing made the front tilt up sufficiently to be able to apply increased forwards pressure and clear the spigot (which aligns the housing into the wing) and the bumper.

Maybe I'll do an actual video...

[SergeyZdravkov]

I found it hard to pull out the headlight. Thought all the time that will scratch the bumper, so gave up and changed the bulb removing the battery

[bobbyd]

I replaced my high and low beam with the Phillips extreme (plus 80).

I found the easiest way to change the globes was to remove the battery and on the other side (dirvers side for the Aus version) remove the small relay box simply by unclipping it from the bracket- no other removals were required, had no need to take the headlight housing out and wouldnt recommend it to anyone as its not necessary.

As for headlight adjustment- my car was aimed very low from the factory so i had to lift it, i found you can do the drivers side by hand, the other side i used a flat head screwdriver and moved it click at a time.


Now i'm trying to find if anyone makes a fog light globe upgrade (H27) ???  Phillips incorrectly listed the H8 - its similar to the H27 but wont fit.   Anyone know of H27 upgrade ???

[Dazzler]

I replaced my high and low beam with the Phillips extreme (plus 80).

These make quite a big difference (but be warned they don't last as long - their rating is something like 400 hours versus 1200 for the originals I think. I have replaced 2 sets in about 18 months (the first lot were replaced under warranty as they went in no time)

I have gone back to the originals but the low beam is lousy now so think i will have to get another set next time they are on special  

[Lorian]

Now i'm trying to find if anyone makes a fog light globe upgrade (H27) ???  Phillips incorrectly listed the H8 - its similar to the H27 but wont fit.   Anyone know of H27 upgrade ???

Try searching for "881" bulbs. It is quite tricky to find brighter/bluer versions.

Here is a thread about mine

https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,4705.msg48539.html#msg48539

Post #3 tells you where I got them in the UK. I think maybe this dealer ships to other countries, but I didn't check.

[trev012]

Hi Lorian.

I have today tried to change all my standard bulbs by following the pictures but have had to give up following your instructions. I believe it is easy enough on the the side the battery is on by just disconnecting it as you suggest.

However, on the drivers side I just cannot fathom a way to do it. You see, my car is a 2010 model but on the drivers side directly behind the bulb connections, there is the washer bottle and also the radiator coolant bottle which I don't believe can be disconnected before replacing the bulbs. Am I correct in this assumption? I have given up for the day until I get confirmation I am doing the right thing. As your post was in 2009,perhaps the design on my car has been changed since then?

[Lorian]

Can you take a picture from above and post it up please?

I didn't have to remove the washer bottle or the radiator expansion tank.

On mine on the side the washer bottle filler neck is really does get in the way, but it's possible to work around it. I think i said in one of the follow up posts life ie easier on this side if you have a long node pair of pliers with which to place the bulb.

I don't have a radiator expansion bottle right behind the light - it's behind the alarm horn a couple of inches further back. but a few of these items move around depending on which engine you have.

[trev012]

Thanks Lorian.

I can't take a photo now as it is dark outside. I'll try and get one tomorrow and post asap but from your description and looking at mine, I think they have made design changes and I may have to take the headlight unit out to resolve. My coolant resevoir is directly behing the light units.