The numpties who design car headlights
Discussion
More specifically, the numpties who design them but never have to change the bulbs.
FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
POIDH said:
More specifically, the numpties who design them but never have to change the bulbs.
FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
Feel for you.FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
My first encounter with this new design ethos was an Alfa 156. No knuckles left, completely blind and not a simple turn and release. It seems like the design is to ensure dealerships have something to do and charge for......
Which reminds me I need a new number plate bulb on my car..... No doubt I will need to purchase a special tool or something.....
On the subject of car headlights...
At a mini roundabout yesterday evening. Car coming opposite way. Had a hunch they were going to turn right meaning I'd need to give way. They did. They were indicating but this was completely invisible because their headlights were so bright. It wasn't until they'd turned off to my left and I could see the inidcator flashing on the rear that I knew they were actually indicating.
At a mini roundabout yesterday evening. Car coming opposite way. Had a hunch they were going to turn right meaning I'd need to give way. They did. They were indicating but this was completely invisible because their headlights were so bright. It wasn't until they'd turned off to my left and I could see the inidcator flashing on the rear that I knew they were actually indicating.
POIDH said:
More specifically, the numpties who design them but never have to change the bulbs.
FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
I agree with the older Volvo system, it was so easy to replace the bulbs on my old 2008 model. Interested if the new Volvos still have the quick release option on the light cluster?FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
Every car I have had other than Volvo has resulted in lost skin changing a bulb.
andburg said:
They should pass a law to make it illegal to require tools to replace a bloody bulb!
On my car you need to remove the wheel arch liner to gain access
Not the same as removing the the whole liner but my Wife's, Fiat 500 has an access point in the wheel arch liner to change the bulb, You cant see the bulb so its all done by feel and they blow pretty much once a year. Still results in lost skin On my car you need to remove the wheel arch liner to gain access
O for my first car, a Saab 96.
Open bonnet, rear of headlamp clearly visible and accessible.
Roll back rubber seal and pull plug from back of bulb, unclip bulb and discard.
Fit new one , push plug back and roll seal over, shut bonnet, job done in 2- 3 minutes depending on how cold your fingers were. No skinned knuckles.
No excuse for having a bulb out back then!
Open bonnet, rear of headlamp clearly visible and accessible.
Roll back rubber seal and pull plug from back of bulb, unclip bulb and discard.
Fit new one , push plug back and roll seal over, shut bonnet, job done in 2- 3 minutes depending on how cold your fingers were. No skinned knuckles.
No excuse for having a bulb out back then!
On my A8 one side requires the air box to be removed, the other, either the PAS reservoir emptying and removing or the arch liner pulling. And then requires child sized hands with the dexterity of a concert pianist and the strength of the jaws of life.
Or you can just remove the headlights, and then it’s easy. You simply need to remove the entire front bumper and grill to do that. The infamous Audi “service position”.
Or you can just remove the headlights, and then it’s easy. You simply need to remove the entire front bumper and grill to do that. The infamous Audi “service position”.
andburg said:
They should pass a law to make it illegal to require tools to replace a bloody bulb!
On my car you need to remove the wheel arch liner to gain access
Hear, hear!!On my car you need to remove the wheel arch liner to gain access
mac96 said:
O for my first car, a Saab 96.
Open bonnet, rear of headlamp clearly visible and accessible.
Roll back rubber seal and pull plug from back of bulb, unclip bulb and discard.
Fit new one , push plug back and roll seal over, shut bonnet, job done in 2- 3 minutes depending on how cold your fingers were. No skinned knuckles.
No excuse for having a bulb out back then!
Exactly the same as my Astra in 1985. An absolute doddle to change main and sidelight bulbs.Open bonnet, rear of headlamp clearly visible and accessible.
Roll back rubber seal and pull plug from back of bulb, unclip bulb and discard.
Fit new one , push plug back and roll seal over, shut bonnet, job done in 2- 3 minutes depending on how cold your fingers were. No skinned knuckles.
No excuse for having a bulb out back then!
And one which you'd expect to be a swine, the Porsche Boxster/Cayman (and probably 911 too) - unclip carpet in the front boot (froot?), then using the socket wrench provided, half a turn on a spindle and the whole headlight unit comes out from the front.
POIDH said:
More specifically, the numpties who design them but never have to change the bulbs.
FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
You think they’re designing them with the customer in mind? Or aesthetics and dealer profits…?FFS, my old Volvo's had it down to a simple, 1 minute process. Pull the two 'tent pegs' and the whole unit is on your lap to change bulbs....
So why decades later are car manufacturers still producing cars with non-removable headlamps that require a child's hand on double-bending wrist and wee bendy wire things to hold the bulb into razor sharp plastic holders.
Do they really go home at night and think 'yeah, I did a great job on that design today'?
Gahhhh
Yours
Bloody-knuckled of Scotland.
ETA: iirc, the manual for MrsLT’s Touareg didn’t even tell you how to change a lightbulb. Take it to dealer. Fortunately solved via YouTube…
Edited by LooneyTunes on Saturday 7th December 17:25
It should be law that cars are only sold when even my wife could change a bulb inside 4 minutes (including her huffing and puffing cause she can't find the release lever) without any tools, and keeping hands clean
What is the point of some countries insisting you have to carry a set when you can't change them without a fully equipped garage and several hours !!!
What is the point of some countries insisting you have to carry a set when you can't change them without a fully equipped garage and several hours !!!
Its one of the places I really do wish there was more EU legislation - All exterior bulbs MUST be designed so that they are able to be changed, without any tools being needed, in under 1 minute from leaving the driver seat.
That'd be way better than the stupidity of "removing wheels or taking out batteries or removing arch liners" etc that we have so much of nowadays.
I found my Mondeo Mk3 was designed around this idea - open the bonnet, twist two fasteners by hand and remove grill, pull out two vertical locking bars from the top of the headlight and pull the headlight forward so it falls out into your lap in <30 seconds leaving all the space in the world, then another 30 seconds to remove/fit a new bulb.
That'd be way better than the stupidity of "removing wheels or taking out batteries or removing arch liners" etc that we have so much of nowadays.
I found my Mondeo Mk3 was designed around this idea - open the bonnet, twist two fasteners by hand and remove grill, pull out two vertical locking bars from the top of the headlight and pull the headlight forward so it falls out into your lap in <30 seconds leaving all the space in the world, then another 30 seconds to remove/fit a new bulb.
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