What would you like to do?
How do you change the headlight bulb in a 2005 ford focus?
You can replace the bulb while the headlamp assembly is still installed, but it can be awkward to do by feel. Still, leaving the headlamp attached means the job can be completed much faster. (The first one will take you a while to find all the pieces by feel, but the second one will go much faster.)
If you do want to remove the headlamp for a better view:
There are 3 screws/bolts to remove, two on the top of the light fixture and a third on the outside, but it is hidden between the engine compartment and the fender. And that outside bolt is difficult to reach. You have to remove a couple of bolts and screws on the underside of the front wheel well that hold on the plastic "mud flap" barrier (it might even be easier to remove the wheel - or at least turn it out as far as it will go to give you more room to work.) Once you loosen those, pull back the barrier and look up inside the fender cavity, near the turn signal. You'll have to lie on your back to do this. Reach up inside to back off the bolt. I think it was a 10 mm socket. Once those 3 screws are out, you can pull the entire headlight assembly off, but it will still be attached by a wiring harness. Get a couple of small, flat-bladed screwdrivers and pry the harness clips out, but be careful since the plastic is brittle and they break easily.
Now, either with the headlamp removed, or still in place:
Remove the rubber dust boot. Pull to remove the plug from the bulb assembly. Twist off the retaining ring (counterclockwise) around the base of the bulb. Finally remove the bulb assembly by pulling straight out.
Insert the new bulb, being careful not to touch the bulb - handle by the plastic base. Rotate slightly until the assembly slides into place.
Reassemble in reverse order, starting with the retaining ring, followed by the wiring plug and the rubber boot. Make sure the dust boot is sealed - without it, moisture can get inside the headlamp and obscure the light. Remount the headlamp assembly if you removed it.
If you do want to remove the headlamp for a better view:
There are 3 screws/bolts to remove, two on the top of the light fixture and a third on the outside, but it is hidden between the engine compartment and the fender. And that outside bolt is difficult to reach. You have to remove a couple of bolts and screws on the underside of the front wheel well that hold on the plastic "mud flap" barrier (it might even be easier to remove the wheel - or at least turn it out as far as it will go to give you more room to work.) Once you loosen those, pull back the barrier and look up inside the fender cavity, near the turn signal. You'll have to lie on your back to do this. Reach up inside to back off the bolt. I think it was a 10 mm socket. Once those 3 screws are out, you can pull the entire headlight assembly off, but it will still be attached by a wiring harness. Get a couple of small, flat-bladed screwdrivers and pry the harness clips out, but be careful since the plastic is brittle and they break easily.
Now, either with the headlamp removed, or still in place:
Remove the rubber dust boot. Pull to remove the plug from the bulb assembly. Twist off the retaining ring (counterclockwise) around the base of the bulb. Finally remove the bulb assembly by pulling straight out.
Insert the new bulb, being careful not to touch the bulb - handle by the plastic base. Rotate slightly until the assembly slides into place.
Reassemble in reverse order, starting with the retaining ring, followed by the wiring plug and the rubber boot. Make sure the dust boot is sealed - without it, moisture can get inside the headlamp and obscure the light. Remount the headlamp assembly if you removed it.
15 people
found this useful
Was this answer useful?
How do you replace the headlight bulb on a ford focus?
Having just purchased a 2002 Ford Focus I found that the passenger side headlight had gone. Stumbled across this thread and thought "looks like a pain". Popped to Halfords… and picked up a H1 bulb, went home and had a look under the bonnet. Armed with just a screwdriver I managed to change the bulb within 10 mins. Flicked the headlight cover off using the screwdriver for a bit of leverage. Unplugged the headlight and flicked off the retaining clip. Removed the bulb. Fitting was even easier - Put bulb in place, clip the retaining clip in place, plug in and replace cover. Job done within 10 minutes with no prior experience of Fords. Hope it helps IMPORTANT!!! The retaining clip does NOT just flick off. The retaining clip is held in place by the single part of the wire between the 11 O'Clock and 12 O'Clock position. With a pair of needle nose pliers and mirror it can be removed without force. Removing the headlight cover is the best method. Tried that and broke the plastic stop that holds the retainer clip and allows it to apply tension to the bulb! The retainer wire is held in place on the bottom by a screw and clip on the bottom and is locked into a plastic clip on top. To remove the wire, push the wire down and towards the passenger side of the car, it will dislodge and you can then lower it to remove the bulb. Once the bulb has been changed, you want to replace the wire the same way to protect the plastic clip. I don't know what I will do about the plastic clip now, the retaining wire has no tension and I'm afraid the bulb will not remain seated properly. However, knowing what I know now, I agree with the above answer: Done in 10 minutes without prior experience with Fords. === Just finished doing this. A small mirror and a flashlight make this job simple. It's very easy to do once you can see the top of the clip. small mirror and flashlight are essential, look at the way the retaining wire seats before you unclip it. flat side of the bulb housing sits at the bottom of the access hole. retaining wire clips bottom to top. I had a hard time with seating the new bulb and had to figure out the retaining wire clipped from bottom to top because I didn't look at it before I unclipped it. obviously fords designed this for ease of manufacturer with very little regard to the average layman who would do the replacing. 2005 Ford Focus OKAY this is easy, except of course for lack of room. remove rubber , unclip light from electric, then there is a plastic cover holding the light in place its shaped like a doughnut or a large plastic bolt 1/4 turn or so and its off and lights out. Do it without help.... you got a better chance of graduating from college with a PhD before you figure this puzzle out lol. sounds easy right. of course you probably have the headlight unscrewed from the chassis by now lol. ( I was almost ready to) 2005 Focus ZX5 The above answer is nearly dead on, however, on my Focus the "doughnut/large plastic bolt" was a plastic retainer ring. Similar to other Ford's (also have a Taurus and a Ranger). Rotate the ring counter clockwise approximately 1/4 turn like above and the ring and bulb will come out. The bulb may need to be wiggled a bit if its snugged in. The important tip about not touching the 'new' bulb when installing is why some people say the lamps don't last long. If you get any dirt, hand oils, grease or other contaminants on these extremely hot bulbs you will shorten the life span considerably. Good luck, its not difficult, but the working area is a bit cramped for big hands. 2002 Focus SVT One option to create tension to the back of the bulb assembly is to fill the cap with some rubbish and replacing the cap, leaving the clip behind the trash so the next guy can have fun with it. I have several Ford engineer friends to whom I will make this suggestion as a replacement process. ;) 2004 Focus ZX5 My bulb was held in place by a simple metal retaining clip. 1st remove the ~3" diameter round rubber cover at the back of the headlight. It simply pulls off. Roll an edge back and the rest will follow, like a Tupperware lid. That's the easiest part. Looking through the front of the headlight, you will see a round hole cut into the back of the housing, through which the lamp protrudes. Look closely, and there is a notch in the top of the otherwise round cutout. That notch is actually a tab that's cut and bent backwards towards the engine compartment. The following was difficult for my large hands, and was all stretched finger work while my hands contorted in the confined space. Feeling inside, from the back of the headlight, through the "tube" opening that was revealed by removing the rubber cap, the metal retaining clip has a small loop (~1/2") that is just barely held in place by being caught on that tab. By depressing this loop forward towards the bumper and moving it towards the radiator, it will unlatch this loop from the tab, and allow the metal retaining clip to swing backwards and down out of the way. The bulb should now be free to be pulled back out of the tube, though still connected to the wiring. Once it's out of the housing, the bulb can be unplugged from the wiring. The bulb is a male part, with 3 prongs extending from below the wide metal disc base, and into the plastic wiring plug. It may take some patient wiggling/pulling to work it out of the plastic plug. Plug in the replacement lamp. Making sure the retaining clip is swung all the way down out of the way, insert the new bulb/wiring into tube so the lamp protrudes into the headlight cavity. I saw that there was a flat edge to the round metal base at the bottom of the lamp, and I oriented the lamp so that flat edge was down. Swing the retaining clip up, and work that ring back behind the tab to hold it in place. Replace the rubber gasket. Start it onto the edge at one spot, and work it around until it's fully seated. Turn the ignition key to accessory position, and turn on the headlights to verify operation. Done. I used SilverStar, 9003/HB2 ST/2, H4 lamp. 2002 Ford Focus I've just changed both dipped headlight bulbs on my 2002 Ford Focus. After much struggling I found that the easiest way to do this job was to remove the headlamp assembly. This sounds like a major job but it isn't. It took me around 15 mins. per headlamp. To do this you need a 10 millimetre socket with an extension, a ratchet drive and a Torx bit and driver. Take care not to touch the new bulb with greasy hands, use a piece of tissue to hold it. First remove the Torx screw holding the bottom of the fibreboard inner wing to the metal part of the wing. This will allow you to pull out the fibreboard sufficiently to get your hand up the inside of the wing. Feel around until you find the head of the 10 millimetre screw which secures the bottom of the headlamp. It's not difficult to find, the head faces towards the inside of the wing. Undo and remove this screw. Next remove the front grill (the one with the Ford badge on it). This is done by unscrewing the 10 millimetre screws, one at each end, using the socket and extension then using your fingers to release the clip at each end which holds the grill in place. Remove the two black screws at the top of the headlamp which hold it in place and carefully ease the lamp upwards and forwards until it's clear of the bodywork. Do not pull too hard or far as the cables to it are not very long. Now you can easily reach everything as well as see what you are doing. At the back of the headlamp unit, push down the clip holding the plastic weathershield in place and remove the weathershield by pulling it outwards and down so that the lugs at the top come out of their holes. Remove the electric plug from the bulb to be replaced then release the wire clip holding the bulb in place and pivot it back to allow removal of the bulb. Note which way the bulb fits into the headlamp. Place the new bulb in the headlamp making sure that it seats properly and re-clip the spring clip to hold it in place. Re-fit the electric plug and replace the weathershield, first making sure that the rubber gasket is in its grove properly. Re-fitting the headlamp is a reverse of the removal procedure, once you have located the lamp back into the car body I'd fit and tighten the screw inside the wing first, before tightening the two top screws.
How do you change the headlight bulb in a 2004 ford focus?
Step 1) The obvious turn off the headlights and open the hood(and yes prop it up) .
Step 2) Remove the rubber seal directly behind the light(preferable the one you want to… replace) .
Step 3) With the use of a mirror locate the spring-clip that holds in the bulb. It's simple to unhinge it to swing it out of the way. .
Step 4) Remove the bulb, it's that simple .
The hard part in all this is that you can't see what you're doing. Once you identify what you need to do by looking in the mirror(or take a pic with a phone camera) you have to work by feel. I can get pics if you think it will help, but it really is very simple once you know what to do. aaronmerlo@gmail.com
How to change the headlight bulbs in your 2005 ford escape?
To change headlight bulbs in a 2005 Ford Escape, first make surethe light switch is in off position and replace the passenger lightbulb. Next, get to the driver's side bulb, r…emove the battery byholding it down, to be able to change the headlight bulb.
How do I replace Headlight bulb Ford Focus?
On a 2000 Focus, both the driver side and passenger side have clip that hold the bulbs in place. Unscrew the cap to access the bulb and clip. Pull off the three pronged electr…ical connector and locate the top of metal clip. Push forward and then down. Then swing the clip back and remove the bulb. Reverse process to install new bulb. On the passenger side. Remove the coolant reservoir(one bolt) and push towards the engine. Unscrew cap, unplug three pronged connector from bulb and push the metal clip forward, then down and back. It's a lot easier to see this process on the passenger side with the coolant reservoir removed. Less than 5 minutes for both bulbs.
How do you replace Headlight bulb 2005 ford focus?
I just got done doing this, I am an Aircraft Mechanic but it is not too hard just take your time . small hands are a bonus ! My directions are for the driver side. 1. Take… off the round rubber water cover behind the light. 2. Reach inside the hole and there is a plastic ring (like a jelly jar ring) that is holding in the light. You have to work your fingers in there and turn it about a quarter inch counter clockwise. Take a look at it when you get it out so that you remember which way to put it back in. There are 3 small rectangular tabs that are on an angle. they should point (from the centre of the retainer ) towards the driver. this is important !!! 3. After you get the ring off, reach in again and pull out the bulb. the bulbs are held in with a silicon o'ring, you will need to gently work it around and pull it out..it will come just wiggle it rearwards . 4. There are little tabs on top of the wiring- gently ( i mean gently) lift up on the tabs, to go over the top of the rigid locking tab (the tabs are split in half so you will have to do one at a time) and firmly pull on the connector rearwards . 5. Place the new bulb in the hole so that it sits there (it might help to look at the headlight from the front so you can see the bulb go in). Align the key-ways (little slots on top of the replacement bulb) , with the opposite inside the bulb housing. 6. Replace the plastic ring with the retaining tabs (remember step 2 ? ) facing the steering wheel and turn clockwise so that it feels secure.it will "snap" when it is locked. 7. Replace the wiring connector , careful yet again as the clips are fragile. 8. Work the round cover back on. I had to use one hand to hold it in back and push down in the middle, while the other hand I jammed in my fingers from above so that I could get the entire cap back on.
How do you change the headlight on Ford Focus?
For the 2003 Focus , this is easy and takes about five minutes--once you know the trick. If you do not know the trick, you will tear your hair out, break something, or give u…p and disassemble the entire headlamp to get the thing in. Tools needed: A small hand mirror. You cannot see what you need to do without it. 1. Open the hood. Look though the front of the headlight assembly to familiarize yourself with the bulb location. It is a long, thin tube that pokes through a hole into the headlight assembly. 2. Behind each bulb assembly, there is a round, convex rubber cap, about 4" in diameter, with rubber tabs on either side. Use the tabs to help you peel back the edges and remove it. 3. Use the hand mirror to look at the back of the bulb assembly. This will help you understand what you must do by feel. a. You will see a wire, half-circle spring clamp. It is fastened at the bottom by a small screw. At the top, it has a one-inch extension with a wire loop at the top. This extension is tucked into a plastic clip that holds the clamp snugly at the top. Unfastening this spring extension from the clip by feel is the first half of the "trick." b. The clamp holds the bulb itself in place. The back of the bulb is plugged into a 3-wire plastic connector. The second half of the trick is unplugging this BEFORE you unclip the spring, then re-plugging it AFTER you clamp the new bulb in place..
4. Feel behind the bulb assembly. Grasp the plastic plug connector housing. This is the female end of the plug assembly. Wiggle it gently and pull back to disconnect it from the bulb. Pull it to one side, out of the way. 5. Have another look with the mirror to get an idea where the clamp is seated at the top of the bulb housing. Feel for the top wire loop of the spring clamp. Push it forward a little and toward the right of the car to slide it out of the clamp slot. Now the entire spring clamp will fold down, freeing the bulb. 6. Grasp the bulb at the plug end and wiggle it a little to work it free from its seat. Rock and pull backward to remove it from the housing. Look at the bulb. It has three little tabs, or prongs, sticking out from the round edge of its base. Note that one points up, and the other two point downward. These tabs were seated into depressions on the housing. 7. Use your mirror to locate the depressions where the bulb tabs go. This will help you orient the new bulb. Now, holding the bulb by its base (do not touch the glass), slide it in and wiggle it to seat the tabs in the slots. [If you touch the glass, it will burn out faster. If you do not seat it correctly in the slots, it will rest on the edge of the plastic bulb housing and melt it.] Look through the front of the headlamp assembly. If it is correctly seated, the bulb will be flush with the rim, and sitting straight and level. 8. Holding the bulb steady (seated) with one hand, fold the spring clamp up, and work the little lever handle back into the plastic clip. 9. The back of the bulb has a three-prong plug. Use your mirror to note which way this is oriented, then snap the plug connector on. Push and wiggle to be sure that it is firmly seated. 10. Test the headlight. If it does not come on, check that it is plugged in tightly. 11. When all is OK, Put the rubber cap back on the bulb housing. Start at one edge, work the whole way around, and then completely depress the center to be sure it is snapped in. Note: I was able to remove my lamp from my 2004 ZX5 Focus headlight housing without unplugging it first. It would have been impossible for me to unplug the lamp first without removing it. My hand would not have fit in there, and once removed, it took too hands to wiggle and pull it out of the plug. I recommend removing it out of the housing before unplugging it. It's a tight fit, with barely enough wire length to get the lamp out without unplugging it, but it came out once the sweet spot angle was achieved.
How to Replace headlight bulb 2005 focus?
Not too hard. Pop the hood and look behind the headlight assembly. You should see a rubber cap of sorts. Pull it off. Reach into the hole you just uncovered and feel around un…til you feel a plastic ring holding the bulb in place. unscrew it. That should free the bulb so that you can pull it out. gently pry up on the latch holding the bulb in its holder. replace build and reverse steps. should take 5-15 minutes per bulb. To replace the headlight on my mk3 focus I had to remove the whole headlamp assembly. However this is easily done with one screw on the top of the unit. Once removed the whole head lamp comes off with a bit of pulling. There are plastic clips on the bottom of the lamp. Once out the bulb cover is removed with four clips to reveal the bulbs. This is an easy job to do yourself as long as you have a screwdriver large enough for the screw.
How do you change a headlight in a 2007 Ford Focus?
Save the money of having someone else do it. I bought the bulb for $10.99 at Auto Zone and did it myself..
First of all, it's difficult to see what you're doing because the b…ulb goes in under a support bar. That being said, you may want a mirror so you can see..
Remove the rubber covering - it has two tabs, just pull and it will pop off (it is, however, more difficult to put back on!).
The wires are all connected into a plug that "plugs in" to the bulb, but there is a small catch. You'll need to reach in and turn the unit that holds the bulb to the right until it pops out. It's very easy to do, you just can't really see what you're doing!.
Once it's out, find the catch on the bulb and remove the wiring (the unit on the bulb looks like a wall socket and the wires are the plug). Now, you can reverse the process to replace everything..
I found it easier to put the bulb with the holding unit (it's like a large plastic nut) back in before plugging the wires into it. It's easiest to look at your headlight and see what you're doing because there are three small brackets that have to line up for the headlight to push all the way in. Once the headlight is in, turn the holding unit until it clicks meaning it's secure. Then, line up the wiring - it's in a cashing that is like a half-moon so it's easy to line up. Then resecure the rubber covering..
It took me 30 minutes of fooling with it to get it done from start to finish and that's without knowing what I was doing. Just get under the hood and you'll do fine!
How do you change the headlight bulb in a 2001 ford focus?
You change it from under the hood and SMALL HANDS are a plus. Be sure to keep your fingers OFF the bulb, or it will last you about 2 minutes. Follow the instructions on the pa…ckaging.
How to Changing headlight bulb 2005 ford f 250?
Removal WARNING: The halogen bulb contains gas under pressure. The bulb may shatter if the glass envelope is scratched or if the bulb is dropped. Handle the bulb only by its… base. Avoid touching the glass envelope. .
NOTE: The headlamp bulb should not be removed from the headlamp until just before a new bulb is installed. Removing the bulb for an extended period of time may effect headlamp bulb performance. Contaminants may enter the headlamp where they can settle on the lens and reflector. Never turn on the headlamp with the bulb removed from the headlamp..
NOTE: Make sure that the headlamp switch and the ignition switch are in the OFF position. Disconnect the headlamp connector..
Remove the headlamp bulb. .
Rotate the headlamp bulb retainer counterclockwise one-eighth turn and remove. .
Remove the headlamp bulb. .
Installation CAUTION: Bulbs 9004 and 9007 look similar, but are not interchangeable. .
Install the headlamp bulb. .
Install the headlamp bulb. .
Rotate the headlamp bulb retainer clockwise one-eighth turn. .
Connect the headlamp connector.
How do you change a headlight for a Ford Focus?
with most ford focus's unless it can be accessed by just opening the bonnet and taking the cover off the bulbs, it requires the whole light cluster to be removed. in the ol…der focuses the front grill may need to be removed, it should come off with a good pull upwards. and then the securing bolts need to be removed and the cluster should just come out allowing you to access the bulbs. in the newer models ( i think its 08 +) again the cluster needs to be removed this can be done by removing the securing bolts (i think there are between 2 and 4) and then pushing the two clips down, there should be one near to the outside of the car and one that is closer to the centre that will more than likely need proding with a screwdriver. Just done the bulb on the drivers side of my 55 plate focus. Easiest way is to take the whole headlamp assembly out. You need a TORX key for the one securing screw. Note its position since it's used for alignment. There is one retaning clip on the lower half of the unit. Once these are free, pull the whole assembly out ( the wires are long enough). You can then see what you are doing and its dead easy then! Good luck!
Is there a bright and dim bulbs in each headlight on a 2005 ford focus?
No, the headlights are dual-beam so there is one bulb on each side for both low and high beam. See related links which further highlights this point.
Answered
How do you change a headlight bulb on a 2005 Ford Mustang?
2005 Ford Mustang bulb replacement: Purchase the correct replacement bulb(s) first, before disassembling the vehicle. See sources and related links below for replacement bulb …information. Then consult your owner's manual for the replacement procedure. As simple as it sounds, the owner's manual is the best place to start for bulb replacement instructions. You may want to consider replacing both left and right at the same time in order to keep brightness and color equal (optional).
Answered
How do you change the headlight on 2005 Ford Focus?
2005 Ford Focus headlight bulb lamp replacement procedure: Purchase the correct replacement headlight bulb(s) first, before disassembling the vehicle. See sources and related …links below for replacement bulb information and full light bulb part numbers list. Then consult your owner's manual for the headlight bulb lamp replacement procedure. As simple as it sounds, the owner's manual is the best place to start for bulb replacement instructions and illustrations. You may want to consider replacing both left and right at the same time in order to keep brightness and color equal (optional).
Answered
In Ford Focus
How do you change a front turn signal bulb on a ford focus 2005?
From behind. Also refer to owner's manual. See sources and related links below for bulb information.
Answered
How do you change passenger headlight bulb on 2005 Ford Focus?
2005 Ford Focus headlight bulb lamp replacement: Purchase the correct replacement headlight bulb(s) first, before disassembling the vehicle. See sources and related links belo…w for replacement bulb information. Then consult your owner's manual for the headlight bulb lamp replacement procedure. As simple as it sounds, the owner's manual is the best place to start for bulb replacement instructions and illustrations. You may want to consider replacing both left and right at the same time in order to keep brightness and color equal (optional).
Answered
How do you change a tail light bulb on a 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 SE?
2005 Ford Focus tail light bulb lamp replacement procedure: Purchase the correct replacement tail light bulb(s) first, before disassembling the vehicle. See sources and relate…d links below for replacement bulb information and full light bulb part numbers list. Then consult your owner's manual for the tail light bulb lamp replacement procedure. As simple as it sounds, the owner's manual is the best place to start for bulb replacement instructions and illustrations. You may want to consider replacing both left and right at the same time in order to keep brightness and color equal (optional).