Replacing a blown headlight bulb

On the A2, replacing a headlight bulb, although not without its difficulties, is still easier than doing the same job on any other car I've had.

Having said that, it really depends on with headlight blows. The British nearside headlight has a large space behind it on the diesel model. On the same car, the offside has less space, much less space. Still, even then, it's far more room to get your hand in compared to say, SouferKa, the 1.6 SportKa we also have.

Anyway, here's some tips to do the job yourself, otherwise a mechanic will charge an hours labour unless you're friends.

Right, get the H7 headlight bulb, make sure you don't touch the glass, as oil from your skin will get hot when the bulb is used and apparently can cause the glass to blow up. Hmm, really, really?

Also bring a shaving mirror, the one with a small frame, not the one screwed to the wall.

I thought that silica gel packs cellotaped to the headlight unit cover would help the VW/Audi lightcluster fogging. So far, it's only helped a bit, not by much.

Anyway

I took photos to help...

A quiet week for Kolo

Kolo has been used that much this week. In fact, the A2 was only used to go to tesco's for diesel and then for a drive to comet to look at netbooks.

This has been due to the rain,the constant rain. Kolo still has a blown headlight bulb, and although compared to SouferKa, it's a doddle to change the bulb, it's the fact that the headlight fogs up with the slightest bit of moisture.

This week might be different, the flooding on some of the city's roads will have gone, the debris cleared away as well, yeah a drive might be in order. Even if it back to tesco's from some food shopping or some thing just as dull.

New Door Hinges

Getting Kolo back from the bodyshop (Glasgow Audi, Hillington), I was greeted by a completely valeted car. They even got the chocolate off from between the passenger seat and the centre console.
Now, it wasn't just the warranty work they did for me. As they took the front doors off, they asked to replace the straps that stop the door from flying open. Oh, ok I thought, here we go. But in all fairness, they were not going to charge for labour, so it'll be the cheapest time to do it. Quote, £32, actual cost after VAT, £29.
Hmm, cheaper than they said. Shh, I've strangely just saved £3 and received a £20 valet. They even dressed the tyres!
Sadly, it's not all good news, Kolo lost a headlight bulb, £3* or so online.
So all in all, it's been ok this week.

(*or so I thought, I got a pair of halogen H7 for £4.95. But the cheapest single bulb, £6.99. pff, the internet hey)

Blown bulbs and not much else, thankfully

At the end of last week, I noticed that I had blown a front sidelight LED bulb. A little 501 w5w.
The thing is, it was only about 5 months old.
When I took the back of the light cluster off I then saw why. On the A2, it is incredibly easy to access the light cluster housing to change the sidelight and headlight bulbs. Not so easy putting the latter one back in mind but it doesn't require you removing other parts to get a clear shot at it (unlike any other car I have had and the SportKa is a joke when it comes to this). But it does ask of you to put the watertight backing on with an obscured view. Thus not always making a good seal. Which is what I did last time I guess.
Yes, thinking about, they have been fogging up a bit since the rain's come back, hmm.
My solution was to buy more bulbs (I also have a brake & tail light bulb out too) online, 10 LED 501's for £9 including and 10 standard brake & tails for £12, both including posting. Don't know why I need 10 rears but the 501's go everywhere in the A2, like numberplate lights, interior lights, and other places, plus SouferKa could do with LED sidelights. I'll get someone else to put them in though.