|
DIY instructions to replace the HID bulb
No photos, sorry, but you won't need...
Boy was this an unpleasant task. The biggest problem with replacing the bulb is visibility.
Contrary to some of the bull that has been fed to others, you do NOT have to remove any body parts.
I understand now why shops are charging $200+ to do this though. It's a pain in the a$$. Took me about 90 minutes knowing nothing. Might take you 30 if you're really handy and follow instructions.
This assumes that you've verified that the bulb is your HID - the one on the outside of the headlamp housing. This also assumes you can do simple things like successfully change a battery, diagnose and replace a fuse or put your spare on without killing yourself.
First, I scoped out a replacement HID bulb that matches the specs for the 2007 Solara. These HID bulbs are very common and I paid about $30 on eBay.
Second - starting the task. Remove your battery. Hang on to the bolt at the top as you remove the nut, so that it doesn't fall through.
If you're working on the left side, you'll need room to see and maneuver tools. Remove the cover of the central fuse box and unscrew the two bolts holding down the front half in place. With patience you can separate the two "halves" of the fuse box and nudge it out of the way.
For either side: Now you can remove the waterproof cover. Grip the gray round cover and twist it about 1/8th of the way counterclockwise.
Be patient. There is a rubber gasket keeping this compartment watertight for very good reason. Wiggle the cover off and you'll now see what looks like a silver bottlecap with an insulated sleeve of wires attached to it.
Turn this about 1/8th of the way to disengage it. Move it out of the way...
You now have access to the back of the actual lamp.
Here's the part where you need visibility and room to work a screwdriver.
On the bottom side there should be a wire latch (not unlike a jar of preserves) held in place with a single screw. Unscrew it PARTIALLY, enough for the latch to loosen.
When you have released the latch, the old HID bulb will be free to gently move out.
Compare the old and new bulbs. The old bulb should be visibly damaged or cloudy in the center. If it looks identical to the new, you may want to swap it with the bulb on the opposite side to test. Could be that you have other parts failing, in which case I can't help you.
Without even slightly touching the glass of the new bulb, set it in place. This part should be simple, as well as replacing the wire latch.
Be very certain in positioning the gray watertight housing cover.
Do everything else in reverse and be sure to secure your battery and terminals before you test the bulb.
I hope this helps someone out there save a couple hundred bucks!
|
to Toyota Nation! Thanks for taking the time to write up the HID procedure. 
I'll move this thread over to the Solara forum so the owners there can read your offer and perhaps take you up on it.
Linear Mode
