Nazramoth

Ok so...I've been through the Search...

I've read a few threads in this topic...

This particular thread I found very helpful...

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...t=32043&page=4

Now, here's the problem. One of my headlights burnt out, ok fine, went to Walmart and bought a dual pack of H13 Silverstar's... Came home, managed to get the inner fender wall removed from the LEFT side where the burnt out bulb is located, without having to remove my wheels which took awhile I might add...

The bulb, removed from the headlight fixture rather easily, just twist and out it came. Then unplug the dead bulb, plug the new one in and back into the fixture...

Except now, its damned near IMPOSSIBLE, to twist the damn thing back into place! I managed to get this one twisted and locked in but not sure its enough, but its staying there now!

So now I have two working headlights but one is brighter then the other so I turn my car around (so I can work on the other side in the sunlight) and now I'm removing the inner fender wall on the RIGHT side, and get that bulb removed from its fixture, replaced with the new Silverstar, and.....

For the life of me, I simply can NOT, get it back into place inside the fixture!

I've been at it for 15 minutes, trying from every possible angle imaginable... and I just can't get enough leverage to put enough pressure on it to push it in and twist it into place. Funny thing is, this one twisted out easier then the other one, and now I can't get it back in!

Now here's the other problem...

I can't take my wheels off, cause I'm missing the right sized tire wrench to remove the lug nuts. Back in 2007, I replaced my stock wheels with some nicer aftermarket rims and a better sized tire, and the stock lug nut thing that comes with the stock jack and spare, is too big to fit into the little sockets on these rims, where the lugs go...

SO!

I know you guys probably can'tt give any better advice other then... "Go buy the right wrench!" ... and unfortunately I can't do that until Wednesday.

So what I want to know is, if I just unplug this second bulb, and leave nothing plugged in... tape the plug up out of the way... temporarily, and put the inner fender wall back in place, etc, etc...

Will the opposite headlight still work?

I've seen some cars, where, it detects whether or not a blub is actually plugged in, doesnt matter whether the bulb works, it still detects that a bulb is plugged in and if nothing is there, then the other bulb won't turn on...

I need my car tonight, so if I can't get this bulb back into place, then can I just unplug it and leave it for a few days until I can pick up a replacement tire wrench to take my wheels off, so I can get better leverage on this thing?

SS fan

You might have two bulb gaskets the red o ring the bulb holder seat into, well that's my guess anyway...worth a check.

Nazramoth

Damnit, you're right, thats it!

Its so simple it was something I never even thought about looking for. I can't believe I missed that!

Its the rubber o-rings that came with the bulbs, the old ones never came out with the old bulbs, making it damn near impossible to put the new bulbs in....

I'll have to fiddle with it tomorrow probably then, as I've already lost the light today...

Anyway I also already answered my own question, the other bulb will turn on with out the opposite being plugged in...

Lucky

It's easy to do and It happens a lot. Glad to here you got it

Nazramoth

Yea screw it.. I took a flash light outside and fixed the missing bulb in less then five minutes, now that I knew about the O-ring... and already knew where the three bolts, and fasteners were, that needed to be removed...

Didn't get the O-ring fixed on the other bulb that was already installed though... Light was fading too fast, so I'll fix that one tomorrow.

At least now, I have two working headlights for when I need to go out later tonight... one will just be slightly off alignment due to being forced in with 2 O-rings instead of 1.. lol

843de

Ah, the old "double o-ring" disaster, its happened more often than you might think.

Oldblue

glad you got it fixed, now for that socket for the lug nuts!!!

Jubil0509

Well, I just had my "crucible moment" , being a three week owner of a "new" 2006 HHR. I noted that my left headlight was out.....my immediate Course of Action was to research this site, lo and behold I found my "how to" and successfully installed two Silverstar bulbs, after much wrangling, wrestling and contortions. I may have to take up Yoga if "simple repairs" are this entertaining. Nonetheless, kudos to the folks who started this site up. Very valuable tool for researching and learning from others. Thanks HHR.net

843de

Glad to hear our site proved helpful Jubil, we are the place to go for HHR info and "How To" advice.

Now the next time your bulbs need changing, look up front bumper removal, it's how some of us geezers do the job. It sounds like overkill, but with the bumper off it's so much easier....and no expensive Yoga classes needed.

voigts

At least I'm not the only one who has made this mistake. Did this when I first got my '08 LS and it about drove me nuts for a few minutes until I realized what was going on.