How do you replace the headlight bulb located on a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am?

Answer 1

open the hood and take the black plastic off that covers the top of the lights ans look around the light for two tabs to pull up on and it should fall out but its a little troubesome getting back in.

I recently view many idea's on the internet in how to change your head lamp on your 2001 Pontiac grand am. I also responded to this same web page and answer the question by explaining the way from underneath the fender well and reaching up to the lamp for removal. Well skip that idea, yeah it's possible, I did it, but the other guy had it right!

All you need for tools is this: Channel locks or pliers, a trim tool that looks like a forked screw driver cost $8.99 at the auto parts( and you can use a flat head screw driver if you are careful), a flat head screw driver,eye protection,and your fingers and that's it!

First lift the hood and it does not matter which side of the lamp bulb you have to replace. Take your trim tool or screw driver(careful with screw driver) and pop the head up, not the washer part on the plastic pin retainers on the plastic ram shield that covers the radiator. Note: all the pins are not the same, the fatter pins go in the bigger holes, and the skinner ones in the small holes when you put the shield back together.

Now go to the head light assembly and look on top from one side to the other and you will see a metal tab on each side ( total of two tabs)Now you can try with your finger first, or use the pliers. Grab a hold of the tab and gently push away from you and at the same time pull up. When both tabs are pulled up about 1/2 way up or so, your head light assembly is ready to be pulled out. Now care fully angle it out so you can see the lamp bulb clip. Now don't worry you did not mess up your head lamp alignment, they are adjust by the small screws. Now take a screw driver and gently lift up working both sides in pulling the electrical plug wiring out from the lamp bulb. Then careful unscrew the plastic ring retainer and slide it out of the way and then remove the bulb by turning a little and pulling it out. Note: Don't break the fins on the big plastic ring retainer because if you do, that's a dealership item and it will roughly cost you $12.00 and hope that the nearest dealership has it! Second, when you install the new bulb, don't touch the lamp bulb glass area, this will add your oil base finger marks and will shorten the bulb life span. Third, make sure you wear safety glasses, if the bulb does break when you remove or install you will receive eye damage from the elements that make the lamp bulbs. Just be careful!

Now put the new bulb in and the plactic ring retainer, plug in the wiring. Now since you completed that part let's put it back together. All I need to say is this, when you put the head lamp assembly back in, apply a little pressure while pushing the clips down. Examine first where the holes are inside the frame where the clips grab the head lamp assembly. Now put the shield back in its flexable bend it in the corners and put the plastic pins in. That's it! The whole process should take you 15-20 minutes or less, and it's not that hard.

I forgot the guy's name, so credit goes to the man that I read this information on the website!

K.Parker

Open up the hood, and go in behind the fixture where the light is located. Sometimes there is an access panel on top. Open it and reach down inside and grab the bulb's socket. Twist the socket a quarter turn counter clockwise, and pull out the socket. Grab the bulb, and pull it straight out. To replace the new bulb, never touch it with your bare fingers, as this will greatly shorten the bulb's life, if it even work's at all. Use a tissue or something else in that order to handle the new bulb. Push the new bulb into the socket, put the socket back into the housing, and twist a quarter turn clockwise to secure the socket into the fixture

My wife has a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am. The drivers side headlamp went out so I tried to change it.I quickly learned that this was not as easy as I thought. It frustrated me for a while. The alternative was to take the car to a repair shop and pay the outrageous prices for parts and labor. At most libraries there is an automotive section. If they don't have a manual for your car,they can go online an search repair manuals;i our case, replacing the driver side head lamp bulb. You have to take the air deflector off. this is located under the hood on the front wall.It's held in place by about six plastic fasteners.You will see 2 metal retainers these must be slipped out . One will come all the way out ,the other will swing up out of yourway.Then you can lift the headlamp assembly away far enough to change the bulb. If not e-mail me and I can scan and e-mail you thdiagrams I got from the library. (darnell5522@sbcglobal.net)

Additional text from Brennan Haley:

Thank you for the awesome advice not included in the owner's manual. Here's some additional stuff I found when doing mine. The six plastic fasteners (mine had eight) look just like nipples, please excuse my french. The nipple is separate from the aereola and if you use pliers to pull up on the nipple about a quarter of an inch, the rest of the fastener will pop out easier, usually you can do it just by hand. Once the whole thing is out, you can see how the two pieces work. Replacing them is just the opposite. Make sure the nipple is still out, and the fastener will pop back in easy. Then push down on the nipple, and it'll secure itself in there.

The two metal fasteners have little notches on them, so you have to push them away from yourself as you pull up, so the notches clear the plastic holder. I found that out the hard way, and cracked one of the plastic holders - doh!

I miss the old style headlights, they were easier than this to replace.

haleyb@shaw.ca

Just an add on after changing my drivers side headlight. The two metal fasteners are on either side of the headlight. The one on the left is the one to remove completely. The one on the left only moves up about an inch.

thanks for the tip, guys. could not have done it without reading your advices. one more thing i could add is when you pull out the L shaped clip, you need to push it forword a bit before pulling it. otherwise, it would not come out. someone mentioned it earlier...

be careful taking out the acutal bulb. the housing ring(?) broke in mine so i had to Duct Tape it back in...cheap plastic all over...

all in all, i see why GM is struggling for market share are almost bankrupt. they make crappy car. IMHO, i will never will i buy domestic cars again.

hey everyone...first thing's first! make sure that you understand that the entire headlight assembly(s) come forward and out. that is why you have to pop the metal tabs up, to allow the whole light to come out the front. then, you remove the bulb from the light assembly while in your hands, or resting on the front bumper. once you realize that, it's a simple process. good luck to you all!

-A. Baker and Dad (ok mostly Dad)

Take it to the dealer. All this crap about things being snap in, and pull out by hand and slide back in is just lies. That black plastic piece running the length of the front end will just fracture into hundreds of pieces at the slightest touch, the little clips that hold it in explode under any pressure. The little metal sliders that lock the ficture into position snap and break so they no longer hold the fixture secure. The little retainer ring that holds the bulb to the fixture will also explode under the slightest pressure. You'll need to replace at least 25 different parts in order to get the vehicle back together, and many of them are things that only the dealer will have access to.

Short answer: DONT BUY THIS CAR TO BEGIN WITH.