Replacing Turn Signal Lamp in Left (Driver Side) Front Headlight Assembly


fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
The posts refered to are about taking off the inner fender liners, a real PIA. My purpose was to let people know you do not have to pull the fender liners to get at the bulb, and it is much easier if you have a lift. If you look at the schematics and line diagrams of the car you will see what I'm refering to.
 
Left turn signal bulb replacement

Well, as a more or less complete newby to GTs, I don't see how to do it. Your method seems much simpler and safer than partially undoing the fender liner (that is, if I understand it correctly) and I would appreciate step-by step directions. Does one simply drop the splitter, loosen the washer tank, and then reach up from below, or from inside the "trunk"? And I don't mind lying on my back on the floor ....

Thanks!
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
You have to reach up. The washer tank has a bolt holding it you can see and get at with a wrench. Just take out the bolt, move the tank out of your way, and you have access to the back of the headlight assembly. A lot of this is done by feel. Lying on your back on the floor will make it more difficult to to extend your arm up the back of the headlight assembly. Sorry, can't do any better than that. I know this becasue we replaced my drivers side headlight under warranty, and when we had it all assembled, we realized the turn signal bulb was bad. Since the headlight was already aligned, and we didn't want to yank the liner again, we did as I described. Look in the technical shop manual for pictures.
 

timcantwell

Le Mans 2010 Sponsor * Moderator
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 22, 2006
2,634
N.E. OH & Naples, FL
Thanks for sharing the detailed info. That's the most comprehensive overview of any light bulb change I've ever seen.
 
Many thanks for the explanation! That's VERY helpful.
 

AMB

GT Owner
Aug 29, 2005
401
San Diego,Ca.
LED Replacement Bulb

Anybody use/replaced the front turn signal bulbs with the LED bulbs ??? :confused
 

Waldo

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Sep 7, 2005
767
Fort Worth, TX
FENZO, I'd bet money that if you turn on the turn signal and then get out and slap the headlight a few times with an open hand, it will start working again.
Although this thread is quickly approaching its two-year anniversary, I found out this afternoon that the information listed within is no less valuable. Today my passenger side turn signal bulb decided to quit. After a quick review of the Forum, I found Kendall's advice to give the headlight assembly a little love tap. Sure enough, my right turn signal bulb now understands who's boss in the garage and decided to start working again.

Once again, many thanks to Kendall and all who contribute to the Forum.

Best Regards,
 

bonehead

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 18, 2012
2,814
Houston, TX
Proof that this forum is an invaluable resource, even for the most trivial things. Noticed my passenger side turn signal was blinking very rapidly. Sure enough, the front passenger side signal was out. Dreading having to delve in there, I decided to give the lens a gentle whack as per Kendall's suggestion (covering it first with a soft wash mitt). Lo and behold it flashed back to life. I know I'll need to get it replaced, but at least this will tide me over for a while:)
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
Proof that this forum is an invaluable resource, even for the most trivial things. Noticed my passenger side turn signal was blinking very rapidly. Sure enough, the front passenger side signal was out. Dreading having to delve in there, I decided to give the lens a gentle whack as per Kendall's suggestion (covering it first with a soft wash mitt). Lo and behold it flashed back to life. I know I'll need to get it replaced, but at least this will tide me over for a while:)

Probably just needs the socket cleaned, and some conductive grease put in to keep down the corrosion.
 

Xcentric

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 9, 2012
5,213
Myakka City, Florida
Noticed my passenger side turn signal was blinking very rapidly.

A least there is one thing about your car that is fast. :rofl
 

bonehead

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 18, 2012
2,814
Houston, TX
A least there is one thing about your car that is fast. :rofl

Ouch, Gary. Just ouch.
 

bonehead

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 18, 2012
2,814
Houston, TX
(4) THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN BULBS WHEN YOU GO TO BUY A REPLACEMENT. There are “standard”, “long life” and “long life Krypton Gas” versions, and there are color differences between manufacturers. The standard and long life versions are rated from 400 hours up to about 800 hours of life at 12.8 volts. The “long life” Sylvania “optional bulb” number is rated at up to 4,000 hours at 12.8 volts. The Sylvania is also the exact same color as the OEM bulb. Some of the others I looked at were lighter in tint (EiKA, found at O’Reilly’s). The standard replacement bulb is a “3457NA/3357NA”. The standard “Long Life” versions are 3457NALL/3357NALL, and the “optional” Sylvania version is a “4157NALL/3157NA LL”. There is a thread on this bulb situation at the Saturnalia Forum site, and specs on the Sylvania site. It appears, from its design, the original bulbs were Wagner.

Sorry for the second bump of this thread. But the OP's post is a bit unclear as to which bulb is the correct replacement. Is it the 'long life', the 'optional', or do any of the listed Sylvania bulbs work/match OEM?
 

bonehead

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 18, 2012
2,814
Houston, TX
My passenger side turn signal has been intermittently working for months, so I finally decided to have the guys at M2K pull the liner and change the bulb. Apparently, the old one looked fine but the contacts in the socket looked a bit spread out. They adjusted those, had a new bulb coated with dielectric grease and installed.....didn't work. Gave the headlight a good tap and it came back on. Annoyed is an understatement.
 

jtmcgoey

GT Owner
May 17, 2006
9
I have had my left front headlight go dark on me. I only 10,000 miles on the car. the dealer tells me if it is not a loose wire, there is no bulb replacement and I have to purchase the whole headlight assembly for $4,000. anybody have a better solution?
 

AMB

GT Owner
Aug 29, 2005
401
San Diego,Ca.
Headlight Bulb Replacement

:thumbsup

The replacement bulb for the headlight is: "HID-D1S"!!!
The replacement bulb for the fog light is: H1"!!!
 

RALPHIE

GT Owner
Mar 1, 2007
7,278
There are now conversion kits available to Bi-Xenon HID lights - Yet I don't know if anyone has tried them.

http://www.carxenonhidkits.com/GT/H...gZ3iqYfnJf0ilqQB4bghnRlUEjmGhjCBAMaAuWU8P8HAQ
 
:thumbsup

The replacement bulb for the headlight is: "HID-D1S"!!!
The replacement bulb for the fog light is: H1"!!!

It has always been my understanding that the headlight main beams cannot be replaced. If that's not true, what changed? Or is this a joke and am I missing something?
 

fjpikul

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Jan 4, 2006
11,475
Belleville, IL
I believe that is correct. I do not think the bulb itself can be replaced without some hanky panky. Need gtguys to comment.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
I think you have to bake (heat) the headlight in an oven so you can loosen the glue to disassemble the housing. Then the bulb can be replaced. I don't know if anyone has tried it yet.
 

SaskGT

GT Owner
Dec 24, 2013
47
Once the inner fender liner is removed it is a simple matter to replace the bulb. I have done this on both of my headlights. My local NAPA store had the bulbs.
I am away from home until next week but if needed I can send pictures of this procedure (I do believe it has been previously covered on this forum).
I have also disassembled a headlight unit as mine had water inside it. The youtube videos of people heating the unit to soften the glue will not work on the GT's headlight as they are not manufactured with glue that softens with heat. There are also no replaceable parts inside the headlight assembly, so taking it apart is pointless (and difficult). Remember that the bulb does not have a high and low beam, this is accomplished with a mechanically operated flap that changes the light pattern. This mechanism is not repairable.
Joe