How do you remove Mk4 headlights? - R32OC

nightSpirit · 28th May 2009, 10:55 PM

As the title says...I'm thinking of converting the headlights to black innards this weekend. Started to remove the headlights and got as far as removing the 2 top bolts and the xenon unit (ish) but the light seems to be attached at the bottom.

Anyone got suggestions?

Paulie · 28th May 2009, 11:18 PM

you need to take the bumper off for a start

Dazm · 28th May 2009, 11:32 PM

Pre heat the oven apparently.....

pomme · 29th May 2009, 07:10 AM

Yeah its a bumper off job.

Firstly you are going to have to jack it up to seperate the bumper fromt he undertray - i cant remember how it is actually conected or if it really is as its so long since i havd the stock undertray.

But the rest fo the bumper remove the screws in the wheel archs, cant remember the torx sizing.

Then you have to remove the grill which should pop up and then unclip the pulling mechanism. Then there are five torx screws holding the bumper on there.

If you remove the teo side bumper grills there are two bolts holding it on there.

After all that you will find the hidden two bolts holding the headlights in.

To seperate the lense from the unit i have heard of people putting them in the over for a while then try to pull the lense off as the glue has gone sticky (but dont leave it in too long as you dont want to melt the wiring as they are £300 or so new from vw) or try a heat gun.

good luck

DWolfUK · 29th May 2009, 08:01 AM

theres no need to jack the car up to remove it

- saying that i did the first time i removed mine. its just a few screws holding the bumper to the undertray.

The bumper sort of slides out. remember this as you need to fit it the same way. also put something thick and soft on the floor ready for when you drop it

its pretty straight forward. It may be worth investing in a haynes manual if youre unsure as its not likely to be that different from every other golf.

Oh except the headlamp washers which you will need to deal with first

nightSpirit · 29th May 2009, 10:38 PM

Cheers guys,

The bumper came off easily...but the headlight unit...nightmare. I wanted to remove the xenon unit so will have some soldering to do when I refit it. The actual headlamp just won't come apart though, I've seperated headlights before and it's not that hard but these seem held in place by something? is there any staples or screws/bolts holding the backs on? if I can't sort that I'll have to give up, refit and think of another solution.

Bummer.

Dan32 · 29th May 2009, 11:00 PM

I've seperated the glass on a pair of MKIV xenons and its really difficult. I basically cut away any adhesive (which is the toughest glue you've ever seen for headlights!) in the groove with a sharp knife. Then you get a cheap steak knife, and bend the tip over into a 'j' shape type of hook which you then need to get into the groove and behind the glass. By using a sawing motion, its possible to cut through the adhesive but it takes time. First one took hours but had 2nd one apart in less than an hour. I even had broken xenon to practice on and the glue wouldn't melt, even with a heat torch used for stripping paint burning away on it. The plastic around it just melted so unsure how the oven method would work.

nightSpirit · 29th May 2009, 11:13 PM

Ah bollocks...cheers Dan. I don't think I'll bother then. I'm off to Holland on Sunday for a few weeks and a guy in Rotterdam sells these, supposedly Xenons direct replacement (with black lenses) so I'm going to meet him and if they're good buy a set (£300). I'll take the headlight and xenon unit with me just to be sure.

Dan32 · 30th May 2009, 01:33 AM

Make sure they're RHD versions though. LHD versions only have a small shutter inside the lens for 'tourist mode' which cuts some of the beam out but it won't pass a UK MOT. If they're the xenons fitted to the 25th Anni, they were black as standard.

nightSpirit · 30th May 2009, 09:16 AM

Yup these ones are full black, not black innards with chrome light housing.