Changing An Avensis Headlamp Bulb

[superowlett]

Hi all.

Just wanted to offer a bit of advice to anyone needing to replace an Avensis headlamp bulb.

(I've had loads of good tips from this forum so wanted to give one back.)

I have an 03 Avensis (mk2 shape) D4D TX3 and had heard/ read these bulbs were awkward to change.

Great car, good mileage, solid build and good refinements, etc- all good usual Toyota stuff.

When the O/S headlamp blew last week I found out just how much of a pain it really was!

N/S lamp will be easier to change as there's slightly more access room if you loosen/ move the Battery back a bit.

O/S bulb definitely requires bending the screen wash filler tube back by hand to create essential millimetres to access the bulb-housing cover plate.

Here's how I did it:

Press in the tab on engine-side of rear headlamp cover plate.

Once it releases twist it out and across towards the centre of the engine bay (anti-clockwise as you look from the windscreen).

Note that there's a small tab on the opposite side to the big tab which you'll need to relocate in the housing when refitting. A small torch jammed into position to face directly onto the lamp housing and a flat blade screwdriver will take care of this- just try not to snap it off.)

The bulb is released by unclipping the retaining wire on the interior bulb housing ( a loop at one end, a free single strand end at the other which sits in a hook on the plastic lamp holder.)

THIS IS THE RISKY BIT:

As there's so little to see/ be able to access beyond fingertips, don't be tempted to try to unscrew the plastic bulb holder from the metal dome housing the bulb. This isn't intended to come off but as it's extremely brittle due to constant heating and cooling, is easily snapped off. Rubbish design to say the least- fixable only by replacing the headlamp unit or using araldite to repair the four brittle prongs which support the bulb holder and connect it to the metal dome housing.

Once the bulb is unclipped, replace it (H7 headlamp bulb at £3.99 bog standard) and replace in reverse order.

This too is tricky and awkward, mainly due to lack of space and having to work blind as it's almost impossible to get a good viewing angle of what you're doing. May be easier indoors with a bright worklamp overhead- I worked outside in daylight.

2 hours later- one bulb successfully changed. Bad enough at home on a dry day but can you imagine playing this game at the roadside or on holiday? No chance of a quick replacement there!

I've had a Carina E and two Avensis in the last 11 years, all thoroughly reliable and incredibly low maintenance, but some bits of the new Avensis design seem like a step backwards- these headlamp designs are definitely one of them. Rear bulbs are more accessible but still way too fiddly and time-consuming for regular disposables.

Am quite miffed then that such poor design in an "evolved" motor should have been allowed to get into the production stage.

This is even more annoying with regular, cheap and disposable replacement parts such as bulbs, which given the poor state of many bumpy roads in Britain at the moment, will probably become a more frequent chore to have to do.

Sorry to grumble- I have lots of good to say about Toyota, but this is a stupid, weak and extremely irritating design fault which could be rectified with a simple bit of good design. (Maybe has been on later models but no use to the rest of us with earlier ones.) Hope this is helpful to you!

[jimbrat91]

Thanks for the info - once I had twisted the cover plate it came out easily - why oh why do Toyota make things difficult!

Bulb quickly changed and covers put back on - nearside is easy - offside is a real pain, luckily this one was on the nearside.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Moved to Avensis forum

[JAPCAR]

It is good idea next one who do this job to make short video or pictures...

[jumbojake]

for me the hardest part was re-fitting the cover ....

[Galad]

Just had a butchers under the bonnet of my 2013 Avensis. I've no hope of changing the headlight bulbs with the layout of torsion bars etc. My 2007 Avensis never needed new headlights in 6 years fortunately although they did require resetting for the MOT every year-garage told me that lights were always way out of line.

I guess we can blame computer-based designing for hard to get at headlights these days. FiL's Scenic needs the front bumper removed and the parting of £90! 3 headlight changes in 6 years. Wife's Corsa D is also murder to change a headlight.

[Call me Ishmael]

I replaced the headlight bulb on the N/S of my '04 Avensis a few months back. Taking the Battery out made it much easier. In terms of the O/S, where the screenwash bottle neck gets in the way, what do you guys think of this idea?

1. Get a piece of rubber hose (e.g. radiator hose) of slightly greater diameter than the bottle neck.

2. Cut the hose to about 4 inches long.

3. Cut the neck of the washer bottle off with a Stanley knife just below the level of the bulb cover.

4. Use the hose to make a push-fit joint at the point where you've cut the bottle neck and secure it with spring clips.

5. The bottle neck can be replaced and removed again when you need access to the bulb housing by releasing one of the clips.

What are your views?

[jumbojake]

I can see your thinking... just a bit worried how it will stand up to daily life... vibrations, hot cold etc...

I can imagine you could silicone the rubber tube to the bottle, then push fit the top of the pipe

Another thought ... what about just cutting the top off, and creating a new bung to fit the new lower hole.... yes slightly less bottle fluid, and have to remove a top cover to fit it up ... but can see it's worth it

[Roker]

I could not change the front nearside indicator bulb, neither could the local garage, so I took it to Toyota (a 50 mile round trip) the mechanic could not do it, so it disappeared into the workshop for 1/2 hr and some one did a miracle. after that I had problems with condensation in this headlamp, never had that before.

We should all write to Toyota complaining about this.

[jumbojake]

sounds like they have messed up the seal on the back cover..... definitely worth a complaint IMO. It is a pain of a job, but no excuse for a dealer to do a bad job, charge you and send you on your way knowing they have messed it up.

I'd expect them to re-fund you, put it right and grovel... no excuse for bad workmanship when so many honest mechanics are struggling.

[Naz2011]

Gets easier more times you do it. I must have changed mines at least 4 or 5 times now as I do a lot of night driving and hey I can do this is no time now. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

[Rian Botha]

Hi, we recently bought a 2006 Avensis, and are enjoying the car.

Got a shock from the dealer yesterday after receiving the quote to repair the dim lights.

The quote is more than half what we paid for the car, according to them the bulbs cant be replaced, you have to replace both head lights assembly units.

Hope you could give me an alternative solution. 

Kind regards 

Rian Botha 

[Stivino]

Go to Halfords, they'll fit it for peanuts.

[FungleJunk57]

A video or photos of this procedure would be brilliant. I've got to change the O/S on mine. By the sounds of it, I better hide the hammers! 🤣