How To Change Ford Headlights

Your car’s headlights are important for a variety of reasons and having them not work correctly could even land you in legal trouble. You don’t need to pay someone to change your headlights for you, especially as a Ford owner. They are usually designed to be simple to change as long as you have the right tools. Here are the steps you can use as a guide to replacing your Ford’s headlights on your own.

Preparation

Preparing to change the headlights should not be underestimated. If you prepare correctly, you can make the headlight swap quickly and easily. The main aspects of preparation are:

  • Get the replacement headlights: you can do this by checking your Ford’s model number and year of manufacture, and then purchasing the relevant headlights. If possible, buy headlights that are preassembled. This means the casing should ideally come with a headlight and the harness in place if possible. You can find stores that sell these types of spares online.
  • If changing only one headlight, buy the one corresponding to the side of the headlight you want to change. You can’t swap left and right headlights.
  • Assemble the tools. Use your owner’s manual to find out which fasteners are used to keep the headlights in place. Your toolkit should have a tool for each of these fasteners.
  • Give yourself ample time. Choose to do the replacement at a time when you can afford to be careful, especially if you are not used to DIY automotive work.

Changing the Headlights

Once all you need is in place, changing the headlights involves:

  • Park the car in a cool spot and wait until the engine is cooled down. As a cautionary measure, disconnect the car battery.
  • Access the headlight holder at the front of the engine compartment. Unclip all the wire harnesses from the headlights and then unscrew all the fasteners keeping the headlights in place. Keep the fasteners safely and find a way to remember where each goes. Some fasteners may not be accessible from above, so you will need to jack up the car and remove the front wheel and mudguard to access lower fasteners.
  • When all fasteners are off, pry off the entire headlight as one unit. You may need to jiggle it lightly to loosen it.
  • Place the new headlight in its place, making sure it fits snugly. Put the fasteners in place but don’t tighten them just yet. If you have to replace the bulbs, handle them with clean gloves rather than bare hands. Make sure they are oriented in the correct manner.
  • Reconnect the wire harnesses firmly. Reconnect the battery and switch on the different lights and indicators to see if they function. If they do, switch them off, and tighten the headlight in place.
  • Refer to your user’s manual on how to aim the headlight, or head over to your Ford dealership for accurate aiming.

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