Tim Skahen

Moshe Jacobson <bramoshe@runslinux.net> wrote in message news:<GbGcnaABHqqKb3SiXTWQlg@speedfactory.net>...
> I have a 2003 Elantra and a headlight has already gone out. I'm not
> sure if it could be a fuse or if it's the headlight, so I went to look
> at the light. Well, the owner's manual is terrible, and I can't figure
> out how to get the bulb out (it's the right side low-beam bulb). Can
> anyone tell me how to get these bulbs out?
>
> Also, is there a fuse for each light? If so, where is it? And how do
> you find out this information?
>
> There seems to be no Haynes manual for the 2002-2003 Elantras yet, and
> it's kind of pissing me off, because I want to be able to work on my
> own car, and the owner's manual is for the birds.
>
> Thanks,
> Moshe

Moshe
I have a 2002 elantra. I expect getting the bulb out is the same on
the 2003. Here's how you do it. On the engine side of the headlamp
you'll find a cap about 3" in diameter, mounted vertically, that
unscrews. It has flanges for your fingers to grip. When you get it
off, pull off the electrical connector on the back of the bulb (key
out, lights turned off of course). The bulb itself is held in by a
spring wire clip that is hinged on one side of the hole the bulb goes
in and swings across the flange and plug at the back of the bulb. The
other end of the clip is pressed under an overhang and stays put by
dint of friction and the strength of the spring. If you look you will
see a place where you can put a finger and push the molded spring wire
in towards the back of the bulb. Do that and shift the wire over a
little and it will spring free with the bulb now loose. Pull out the
bulb and put in the new one (don't touch the glass of the bulb, the
oils from your finger cook on the lit bulb and shorten its life). Make
sure you seat the bulb properly - it has three detents on the flange
that fit notches in the socket. You can put it in wrong and not
necessarily know -- I did that and rode around with my lights
illuminating the tops of the trees for a while before I took a second
look and realized I had misfit both lamps. You can actually see from
the outside of the head lamp whether the bulb is seated right. To
change the bulb on the driver's side you have to remove a plastic
shroud that covers the front part of the battery. It looks like you
have to remove the battery as well, but you don't. The bulb can be
changed with the battery in.
One other thing on lamps burning out which is talked about in this
thread. When my driver's side low beam bulb first burned out a couple
of weeks ago, I bought a replacement from an auto parts store. I
didn't look too closely and didn't notice that the wattage was too
high (70 I think when it was supposed to be 55). Shortly after
installing it, my other lamp blew. I got the correct replacements. I
wonder if putting a higher wattage bulb in one side somehow affects
the current flow in the other side, burning out that bulb prematurely.
In any event, be aware that it's easy to get the right looking bulb
(even has the same "model" number -- H7, I think) with the wrong
wattage.
Good luck,
Tim

NobodyMan

On 1 Jan 2004 13:32:07 -0800, tskahen@hvc.rr.com (Tim Skahen) wrote:

>Moshe Jacobson <bramoshe@runslinux.net> wrote in message news:<GbGcnaABHqqKb3SiXTWQlg@speedfactory.net>...
>> I have a 2003 Elantra and a headlight has already gone out. I'm not
>> sure if it could be a fuse or if it's the headlight, so I went to look
>> at the light. Well, the owner's manual is terrible, and I can't figure
>> out how to get the bulb out (it's the right side low-beam bulb). Can
>> anyone tell me how to get these bulbs out?
>>
>> Also, is there a fuse for each light? If so, where is it? And how do
>> you find out this information?
>>
>> There seems to be no Haynes manual for the 2002-2003 Elantras yet, and
>> it's kind of pissing me off, because I want to be able to work on my
>> own car, and the owner's manual is for the birds.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Moshe
>
>Moshe
>I have a 2002 elantra. I expect getting the bulb out is the same on
>the 2003. Here's how you do it. On the engine side of the headlamp
>you'll find a cap about 3" in diameter, mounted vertically, that
>unscrews. It has flanges for your fingers to grip. When you get it
>off, pull off the electrical connector on the back of the bulb (key
>out, lights turned off of course). The bulb itself is held in by a
>spring wire clip that is hinged on one side of the hole the bulb goes
>in and swings across the flange and plug at the back of the bulb. The
>other end of the clip is pressed under an overhang and stays put by
>dint of friction and the strength of the spring. If you look you will
>see a place where you can put a finger and push the molded spring wire
>in towards the back of the bulb. Do that and shift the wire over a
>little and it will spring free with the bulb now loose. Pull out the
>bulb and put in the new one (don't touch the glass of the bulb, the
>oils from your finger cook on the lit bulb and shorten its life). Make
>sure you seat the bulb properly - it has three detents on the flange
>that fit notches in the socket. You can put it in wrong and not
>necessarily know -- I did that and rode around with my lights
>illuminating the tops of the trees for a while before I took a second
>look and realized I had misfit both lamps. You can actually see from
>the outside of the head lamp whether the bulb is seated right. To
>change the bulb on the driver's side you have to remove a plastic
>shroud that covers the front part of the battery. It looks like you
>have to remove the battery as well, but you don't. The bulb can be
>changed with the battery in.

You and I disagree on this. I tried for a couple of hours to get the
driver's side headlamp out with the battery in in my 2001 Elentra. I
finally gave up, disconnected the battery, removed it and had the lamp
replaced about 30 seconds after that. Maybe they changed things in
the 2002.

>One other thing on lamps burning out which is talked about in this
>thread. When my driver's side low beam bulb first burned out a couple
>of weeks ago, I bought a replacement from an auto parts store. I
>didn't look too closely and didn't notice that the wattage was too
>high (70 I think when it was supposed to be 55). Shortly after
>installing it, my other lamp blew. I got the correct replacements. I
>wonder if putting a higher wattage bulb in one side somehow affects
>the current flow in the other side, burning out that bulb prematurely.
>In any event, be aware that it's easy to get the right looking bulb
>(even has the same "model" number -- H7, I think) with the wrong
>wattage.
>Good luck,
>Tim

It's actually pretty common to have bulbs go out in pairs within
several weeks of each other. It has nothing to do with an incorrect
lamp on one side or the other.

Old_Timer

On Thu, 25 Dec 2003 07:36:45 +1000, Jim Vatunz
<rot13.snezrewvz@vvarg.arg.nh> wrote:

>On Wed, 24 Dec 2003 15:04:14 -0600, Moshe Jacobson
><bramoshe@runslinux.net> wrote:
>
>>Jim Vatunz had nothing better to do than to say:
>>> why worry about the manual?
>>> hyundai USA have all the information online.
>>> http://www.hmaservice.com
>>> how many cars have that sort of service?
>>
>>Oh, that's definitely awesome. I'm annoyed that that site only works
>>in Internet Exploder (tm) though.
>>
>>Moshe
>that really annoys me too, but the information on there is like gold.
>

I went to the Hyundai site to get detailed information on changing the
spark plugs in a V6. The detailed info is not there. On the V6, a
significant amount of labor has to be done to gain access to the spark
plugs. The on-line site simply does not elborate on it.

Old_Timer