How do you replace the headlight bulb located on a 1997 Ford Expedition?

Answer 1

RefinementThe information below is very very good, and I found it most helpful in replacing one of the lamps in my Expedition's headlight assembly. One suggestion involves the fact that you do indeed have to pull the noted tabs ALL THE WAY UP....I found that there is a little formed metal strip that is angled to create the detent described below. Due to age or build-up of road grime and dirt, it doesn't easily pass by the metal frame (against which it hits) to form the detent. I found that by inserting the flat edge of a flat blade screwdriver in between the formed metal strip and the frame, while pulling up on the tab, makes removal of the tab much easier. Otherwise, the directions below are right on!!

Open the hood first!!! Right above the headlight assembly look into the cutouts in front of the brace the coolant reservoir is bolted to, you should be able to see the vertical/horizontal adjustment screw threads. The end of the bolts go through the tabs that hold the headlight assembly into position. You need to lift up on those tabs, they are bent to a 90 degree angle at the top. They have to be slid all the way up, I slid them up and they kind of stopped at one poition, kind of a detent or something, but then came up further with more pressure, so make sure you get it past the first stop. After you've got the tabs all the way up you should be able to push on the rear of the assembly and slide the whole thing out to the front.

Once you slide it out, twist the grey ring counterclockwise. This ring holds the bulb in place. Once you've loosened the ring, the bulb will fall out of the assembly. Unplug it and place the new bulb in. WARNING: DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS OF THE NEW BULB OR IT WILL QUICKLY BURN OUT.

Procedure also worked on my 1999. Try to keep the bolts from moving when replacing the bulb. They are on gimbals and move in all directions, which makes the reinsertion of the assembly a bit tricky.