I have a 2013 Explorer with HID lights. The passenger side bulb burned out, and I thought it’d be a quick 5-minute job to swap it.
Nope. Turns out you need to remove the entire front bumper cover just to change a light bulb! Who thought this was a good idea?
Probably the same people who thought putting the water pump inside the engine was a brilliant idea.
Harley said:
Probably the same people who thought putting the water pump inside the engine was a brilliant idea.
I get why people complain about the water pump design, but it came down to packaging for the 3.5L in the transverse setup for the Explorer, Flex, and Taurus. Nobody thought it was ideal, but redesigning for RWD would’ve been a massive overhaul.
@Arun
They could’ve gone with external electric pumps like BMW uses. Maybe not as reliable as belt-driven ones, but at least you wouldn’t have to open up the engine to replace it.
Greer said:
@Arun
They could’ve gone with external electric pumps like BMW uses. Maybe not as reliable as belt-driven ones, but at least you wouldn’t have to open up the engine to replace it.
Good point. I hadn’t thought about electric pumps before, but that might’ve been a smarter choice.
If you’re replacing the whole headlight housing, yeah, the bumper has to come off. But for just the bulb, you should be able to reach down, remove the dust cap, and swap it out.
You’re not the first person to deal with this, and you definitely won’t be the last.
That bulb lasted 11 years, so at least it’s not something you have to do often. It’s better than the old halogen days.
Arun said:
That bulb lasted 11 years, so at least it’s not something you have to do often. It’s better than the old halogen days.
Not sure about that. My factory halogen bulbs lasted longer than 11 years. It depends on what you buy—those aftermarket ‘brighter’ bulbs don’t last nearly as long.
@Dane
I’ve always used standard Sylvania replacements on my 2000 Mountaineer. They usually last 3-5 years before I need to replace them.
Arun said:
@Dane
I’ve always used standard Sylvania replacements on my 2000 Mountaineer. They usually last 3-5 years before I need to replace them.
That’s interesting. My ’98 still had its original halogen bulbs until I swapped them out four years ago for something brighter. The originals weren’t even burnt out yet.
I don’t do much night driving anymore, but back in the day, I drove a lot of dark early mornings.
@Dane
To be fair, my Mountaineer hasn’t been well cared for over the years. But honestly, having to replace a bulb once every 11 years isn’t the worst thing. It’s a one-hour job at most—oil changes take longer.
@Arun
Did something change on the 2000 Mounty? My ’98 has plastic access flaps behind the headlights, and I can swap a bulb in two minutes.
Dane said:
@Arun
Did something change on the 2000 Mounty? My ’98 has plastic access flaps behind the headlights, and I can swap a bulb in two minutes.
I was talking about the OP’s situation where the bulb isn’t behind a dust cover.
I have a 2013 Limited, and I’m not sure if it originally had HIDs (probably not). I switched to LEDs a while ago, and it’s been great. Replacing them was easy—just pull the rubber caps, pop the lights in, and you’re good to go. Maybe your setup is different?
Check the wheel well. There might be an access cap there. If not, you can remove the fender liner to get to it.
I just did this last Saturday. Removed the hood support, loosened the headlight assembly, and pulled it forward enough to work with pliers.
Had a Focus before, and I refuse to take everything apart just to change a bulb.