Some of us, "The Few, The Proud, The Adventurous", pull the front fascia off to change the headlight bulbs.

Here's a "How To" from a couple years back.....

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...dlights-17720/

 

No (hurst2001) my hands are large. I've changed out the other side about a year ago. It was a bear to get to. Made me wish it had been my truck.

 

Everyone complains about the hhr head lamp bulb replacement. I myself feel that it is one of the easy ones out there to do.

I have change a lot of different head lamps over the years and there are some real tuff ones out there.

Some of them require the front fascia removal, some require grille removal. And some can be even worse once rusty fasteners come into play.

Maybe it's just me but I just turn the wheels to left or right, remove two push pins from the inner fender well, pull the inner fender well back towards the tire.

Then reach up through the space between the inner fender well and fascia and remove the bulb. ( don't be afraid to bend the inner fender well back out of the way it won't break )

I just changed both bulbs last night. It took me 6 min. To to both sides. (Stopping for Coffee between sides ) Using only one tool to do the complete job.

Now with that all said when changing the bulb you can't see what your hand is doing, you have to go by feel. That may add some difficulty to someone that has not used the braille method of auto repair a lot.

If you have trouble finding where the new bulb go's you can look through the head light and see your hand or the tip of the bulb and it will help you guide the new bulb into place.

One important step is to look at the old bulb and make sure the gasket on the bulb came out with the bulb. If it's not there then it is stuck on the back of the head lamp and you will not be able to get the new bulb in place until the old gasket is removed.

 

 

I changed it out yesterday. Problem solved! No major problems. If I had to do again next week, I would remove the wheel. I'm too old and too big, to fit my hands in the small space. I did notice, the gasket on the light bulb, I got from auto zone. Was much thinner than the one I too out. I'm glad to have it behind me.

 

 

Cool beans bsstan!

 

I don't see it mentioned anywhere, but though the 'official' means of getting to the bulbs is by pulling away the fender liner, you can get to the the right one by popping the air intake duct (the "wooly worm") out of the top of the inner fender inside the engine bay. Still needs fairly small hands...

 

The next time I have to change a bulb, I think I'll hire one of my grandkids to install the bulb.

 

I just replaced my RF headlamp bulb tonite.
Low beam didn't work. Was driving around with high beams

15 minutes getting those plastic 'rivets' out (destroyed 2)
10 minutes changing positions back and forth to get my arm up the slot.
5 minutes to swap the bulb.
15 minutes driving to store to get more plastic 'rivets'
----
45 minutes

and YES, the orange gasket was stuck to the assembly.