When are they going to design a car with light bulbs that are easily changed?

Question

I know they have to thwart casual vandals, but given that you are working from inside the car, it can't be beyond the wit of man to design something that's intuitive and doesn't require tools.

Noroofoverhead, what make of car do you have?

Thanks - all answers are helpful. It is a question I shall be asking in the dealership next time I buy a car. If we all do that maybe consumer power will win out.

Answer 1

Excellent question. I huv hud quite a few wee runarounds in the past and huv hud so much trouble tryin' tae dae the simple light bulb thingy!!! It makes us wee wifies look totally thick!! Surely, it wid be safer tae huv a quick system fur this. What happens if ye urr stuck on a wee back bendy road and huv tae call the A.A. jist tae change a bulb??? I can dae new wheels, oily change stuff, water toppin' up and ashtray emptyin'. I um totally flummoxed when it comes tae poppin' the bonnet and fiddlin' aboot wi' star screwdrivers, clips, brackets!!!!!

Answer 2

It's also a question of corrosion protection so most exterior lights like parking, turnsignal and brake lights are sealed units nowadays with access to the bulb socket in the back of the housing....years ago in the 50's, 60's and 70's, cars exterior lighting had lenses that could be removed from the outside to get at the bulb but were prone to sealing, moisture and corrosion problems. Engineers attempted to solve this by sealing the light housing but made it harder to replace bulbs although they do last longer without the corrosion problems. Long life LED's will be the next step although they are quite a bit more expensive to replace. Some are used today in brake and high-mount stoplights. Cost is always a consideration.

Answer 3

When a car is designed, the manufacturer takes a lot of time to get the look and manufacturing cost of the car right. As a result the ease with which parts can be changed tend to be a secondary consideration.
If you think light bulbs are difficult to replace, try removing a water pump from Volvo V50 or an oil filter from a Golf TDi.
Ja.

Answer 4

Hear, hear!! It beggars belief that on some cars, you actually end up having to take it to a dealer to change a headlamp bulb (MK4 VW Golf, take a bow!), yet on other cars it's a 2 minute job. It also doesn't help that you can't actually touch the glass part of the bulb with your fingers when you're trying to get it into a hole 2 inches across, with sharp metal bits all around it and a thick cable just in front of it, while you're just about upside down trying to see what you're doing!
AAARRRGH! The joys of motoring!

Answer 5

Hi there.
They have! It is called a Peugeot (I drive the 406 model) and I can change any bulb in my car inside 60 seconds, I kid you not.
The more modern cars are deliberately designed to be impossible to get at yourself, though, so it is slowly becoming a thing of the past.
Cheers, Steve.

Answer 6

On my 2001 Mondeo, changing the headlight bulb was a hard task, i had to get my 9 year boy to get the cover off because there was no room in the engine bay, need tiny hands......

Answer 7

Well cars with easy light bulbs today are most sports cars and some of the newer cars. they are LED lights. they are the easiest light bulbs to get and change in my opinion.

Answer 8

thwart casual vandals lol, some are removed from behind the wheel arch, which is easy, and some are removed from inside the boot which is easy and some are removed by revoving them with a small clip, which is easy.

Answer 9

most light bulbs are well easy to change but you still need some form of tools to do the task

Answer 10

there was they were called sealed beam units,,,trouble was they cost a bomb so the idea was scrapped....its a bit fiddly l agree but as cost v fiddle..well fiddle wins..lol