Maaan I should have got enough warning when I read all the threads on here but I still managed to do it without breaking anything or losing anything.
Fitting sidelights involved removing my battery, and the oddly located bracket that holds it in place... If I could have removed the battery cage it would have been a lot better but I couldn't see how.
Once the battery was removed I then removed my HID kit - I thought it was a hassle fitting that but oh how wrong was I!
So with the battery out, HID's out, Light covers off I had a bit more space to work with... I managed to get the passenger side cover off no problem and by standing beside the wing I could see the bulb no problem, long nosed pliers - a hard pull and bang I got the bulb out but cut my hand something terrible!
After that I walked about cursing for a bit then had a look at the drivers side one, my first words in my mind were "Oh f*** - How the heck do we get into that" so I squeezed my hand in to pull back the clip for the cover... that wouldn't go all the way back, so I removed the wiring for that lens for more room... came out with a struggle and managed to get the clip back a bit more but still not fully and got the cover off.
Now.... I couldn't even see the bloody bulb, couldn't get my hand in to grip it (And I don't have big hands) so I managed to squeeze my middle finger in at a stupid angle, found what I thought was the bulb holder, poked it around a bit and managed to get it a bit loose, a short tug at the wires and it came out... at this point I thought "Yass.... AT LAST!!"
Getting the covers on again was a hell of a job, but eventually got there and got everything working the way I wanted it!
This thread is a warning, if you have a Mk4 with a TDI engine and a sidelight goes, get that bumper off and remove the lens because I must have said "How the hell..." to myself about 100 times!
I'm sure many others know exactly how I feel... I'm not mechanic but done a lot of jobs here and there around the car - but this has to be one of the worst... I'm all cut down my arms from the wings, sore fingers, maann....
Fitting sidelights involved removing my battery, and the oddly located bracket that holds it in place... If I could have removed the battery cage it would have been a lot better but I couldn't see how.
Once the battery was removed I then removed my HID kit - I thought it was a hassle fitting that but oh how wrong was I!
So with the battery out, HID's out, Light covers off I had a bit more space to work with... I managed to get the passenger side cover off no problem and by standing beside the wing I could see the bulb no problem, long nosed pliers - a hard pull and bang I got the bulb out but cut my hand something terrible!
After that I walked about cursing for a bit then had a look at the drivers side one, my first words in my mind were "Oh f*** - How the heck do we get into that" so I squeezed my hand in to pull back the clip for the cover... that wouldn't go all the way back, so I removed the wiring for that lens for more room... came out with a struggle and managed to get the clip back a bit more but still not fully and got the cover off.
Now.... I couldn't even see the bloody bulb, couldn't get my hand in to grip it (And I don't have big hands) so I managed to squeeze my middle finger in at a stupid angle, found what I thought was the bulb holder, poked it around a bit and managed to get it a bit loose, a short tug at the wires and it came out... at this point I thought "Yass.... AT LAST!!"
Getting the covers on again was a hell of a job, but eventually got there and got everything working the way I wanted it!
This thread is a warning, if you have a Mk4 with a TDI engine and a sidelight goes, get that bumper off and remove the lens because I must have said "How the hell..." to myself about 100 times!
I'm sure many others know exactly how I feel... I'm not mechanic but done a lot of jobs here and there around the car - but this has to be one of the worst... I'm all cut down my arms from the wings, sore fingers, maann....