Hello,

I'm getting conflicting information on how to remove the headlight assemblies. Do I need to remove some grill pieces? Can anyone say for sure how to do it?

Thanks for any help,
Kevin

 

From the service manual:
Headlamp assembly Removal

NOTE: Make sure that the headlamp switch and the ignition switch are in the OFF position.

Remove the parking lamp assembly. Refer to Lamp Assembly—Parking (Explorer) or Lamp Assembly—Parking (Mountaineer) .
Remove the headlamp assembly.
Compress the 3 self-locking tabs.
Remove the headlamp assembly.
Disconnect the electrical connector.

Lamp Assembly —Parking (Explorer)
Removal

NOTE: Make sure that the headlamps switch and the ignition switch are in the OFF position.

Raise and support the hood.
Depress the locking tab and open the radiator sight shield access door.
Remove the 2 screws.
Remove the parking lamp assembly
Disconnect the electrical connectors.
If necessary, transfer the parking lamp bulbs to the new parking lamp assembly

Installation
To install, reverse the removal procedure.

Headlamp assembly Installation

To install, reverse the removal procedure.
If necessary, adjust the headlamps. For additional information, refer to Headlamp Adjustment—Photometric Aiming or Headlamp Adjustment—Screen Method Aiming in this section.

 

Thanks, I'll be trying it on Monday probably. I ordered new headlight assemblies and they should arrive monday.

 

I decided to take one of the headlight assemblies out today. I got the parking lamp assembly out. I can't figure out how to get the headlamp assembly out. I don't see the 3 self-locking tabs. I see three screws that look like the headlight pointing adjustments, but I don't see how those come out. Can anyone provide any insight?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

I found the three self-locking tabs. So here is what the following three steps are in detail.

Compress the 3 self-locking tabs.
Remove the headlamp assembly.
Disconnect the electrical connector.

With the parking lamp assembly removed, you can get to one of the self-locking tabs. You can see a second but there is no way to get a set of needle nose pliers on it. You can't see the third at all. The grill cover needs to come off to get to the third tab.

To get the grill cover off, you need to remove the panel that the two flip up light access doors are attached to. Removing these two things are straight forward except for two lower self locking type connectors on the grill cover. You can reach from the top and then towards the grill to get to the driver side tab. You can't do the same on the passenger side because the A/C cooler (maybe tranny cooler?) is in the way. You can reach it from the front between the grill and the bumper and bend a finger up to touch it, but you'd need a tough finger to press it enough to detach it. I couldn't do it at least. Fortunately with only one tab holding the grill cover, it wiggles around enough that you can get to the third tab on the headlamp.

Back to the second headlamp tab, you still can't get a tool on it even with the grill cover removed. Since I was replacing the headlamps, I took a dremel with a cutoff wheel and removed part of the headlamp so that I could get a needle nose on it.

With all that, I was able to get the headlamp out.

As an alternative to popping out the second tab, the adjuster that it is attached to it comes out. There's a rectangle piece of plastic that the vertical adjuster bar and the bolt that goes to the second tab goes into. This rectangle piece of plastic can be removed. There are two tabs at the top on the back side of it. If you can get to those, the front of it will come off. You can then remove the headlamp.

I should be reinstalling the headlamps tomorrow. I'll reply if there are any surprises.