Headlight Problem

[RushFactor#9]

I have OEM headlight assemblies on my car (98 eclipse), running xenon bulbs. My passenger bulb seems to have blown and some how heated up, fusing the housing cap that allows you to open and remove the bulb to the housing. For the life of me I can't get the damn cap off. And yes, I'm turning it the right way. As most of you know, the engine bay is really small on the passenger side low beam. So I'm trying to figure out the best way to get the headlight assembly out so that I can fix the problem.

Do you have to take your front bumper off to install/remove the headlight assembly or will it just unbolt?

Thanks in advance for the constructive help.

 

[VTRICCO]

yes you have to remove the enitre front bumper due to the one headlight bolt that is on the under side of the housing and is unreachable by any other means

 

[RWKustoms]

I would recommend taking it off because it's not that hard but some people have done it without. I would strongly suggest you take the bumper off. Just spend the extra 15 minutes taking the bumper off rather than trying to remove the headlights for an hour with it on.

Here's a really nice detailed write-up with pics from Azdave on removing the bumper:

http://www.rcaz.com/rcaz/sub indexes/eclipsebumper/index.htm

BTW, So you're saying that the screw cap somehow got melted on to the headlight housing? How the hell did that happen?

 

[RushFactor#9]

Awesome link RWKustoms. Thanks a ton.

To be honest idk how the hell the screw cap managed to lock tight. From an outside view the cap seem perfectly normal but something is holding that bi*** on. It seems to be on the lower portion of the cap as if where the wires lay, it heated up the seal around the cap.

I've tried everything to get it loose, but it will not budge a bit. I might try using one of those rubber band grip wrenches (sorta like a oil filter wrench) if I can find it, before I take the bumper off.

 

[Defiant]

Just use a ¼" extension through the flexed bumper to get to the bottom bolt, and leave it out.

No, you do not need to remove the bumper.

 

[RushFactor#9]

Damn Defiant, I wish the forum wasn't down this morning or else I probably could've saved myself all the trouble.

Good news, thanks to the link I got the bumper off. Took about 40 mins. What set me back was my aem cold air intake. The pipe was covering on the of bolts that holds the bar to the frame.

Bad news, once I got the headlight off I figured out the problem. After having to use a flathead to jam the cap of the headlight assembly there was the problem. The xenon bulb somehow over heated and melted the entire bulb housing - both the plastic bulb clip (wiring harness) and the plastic around the bulb. It was pretty unbelievable to be honest. I'll upload some pics tomorrow.

So since my low beam headlight 'wiring harness' melted, I'll be replacing the whole assembly. I'm going to try some local salvage yards to see if I can find an oem replacement. If that doesn't work out, I'm looking to buy some after market projectors. For those who have them, can you recommend some? Links please?

Thanks.

 

[RushFactor#9]

Also, on the projectors.. how difficult are they to install? Do they plug up just like the oem? I've noticed the halo projectors have wiring that seems to need to be spliced into something?

 

[RushFactor#9]

Ok, so I bought some projectors and installed them. They look great but I have a problem. The side that the bulb burned out on is not work. The turn signal and high beam work but the low beam doesnt. So I hooked up another headlamp assembly that does work and got the same result. Which tells me there's nothing wrong with the projector or the bulb that there is a fuse or relay blown. I called me local Mitsubishi dealer to ask for a list of fuses, and they don't have that information. I was wondering if any of you know if they is a low beam fuse or what fuses run the headlamps. I noticed there are two under the hood, but what would case just the lowbeam not to work?