How To Replace Headlights 2004-09 Mazda 3
Created on: 2013-08-02
Learn how to replace the headlights on your 04-09 Mazda 3 with this video from 1A Auto. Freshen up your vehicle's look or replace a broken unit yourself!
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step 1 :Removing the Bumper Cover
- Remove the clips in the wheel well using a Phillips screw driver to unscrew the middle (both sides)
- Remove the eight to ten 10 mm bolts under the bumper.
- Pull the inner fender back and remove the 10 mm bolt (both sides).
- Remove the Phillips screws and clips at the top of the bumper cover.
- Pull up and out on the clips behind the grill.
- Go to each side and pull the bumper cover free.
- Disconnect fog light wires.
- Detach the ambient temperature sensor wire from the bumper cover by removing the clips.
- Use pliers to pull the sensor from the mounting bracket.
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step 2 :Removing the Headlight
- Remove the two 10 mm bolts below light.
- Remove the 10 mm bolt at the top of the light, using a wrench to hold the nut on the other side.
- Remove the final Phillips clip securing the light.
- Pull the light up and out.
- Remove the wires using the clip on the back side of the light.
- Disconnect all of the wires and twist the side marker light out.
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step 3 :Changing the Bulbs
- Twist the socket counterclockwise to remove them.
- Pull the bulb free and push a new bulb into its place.
- For the main bulb remove the boot and push the wire retainer to the side.
- Take the bulb out and replace it.
- The cornering light needs to be removed by twisting the bulb counterclockwise.
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step 4 :Reinstalling the Headlight
- Remove the Phillips screw on the back of the old headlight assembly.
- Pull the ends to separate the bracket from the light.
- Put the bracket on to the new headlight.
- Connect all three harnesses.
- Line the pin on the bottom of the light with the hole on the body of the car.
- Reinsert screws and clips.
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step 5 :Reinstalling the Bumper Cover
- Reconnect all the wires and clips.
- Line the bumper cover up and reconnect the clips on the back of the grill.
- Then push the sides back into place.
- Reinsert the bolts and clips to secure the bumper cover.
Tools needed
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A Piece of Pipe (for leverage)
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Phillips Head Screwdriver
10mm Wrench
10mm Socket
Needle nose pliers
1/2 Inch Breaker Bar
Brought to you be 1AAuto.com your source for quality replacement parts and the best service in the internet. Hi, I'm Don from 1A Auto. I hope this awesome video helps you out. The next time you need a part for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video, we're going to show you how to service the headlights on this Mazda 3 series. It's a little bit of an involved process. The right hand or the passenger side headlight, you can get to the headlights without removing the whole assembly but the left hand headlight as well as the corner light on the right hand side, you do have to remove the bumper cover to remove the headlight assembly. It's not that difficult as long as you know all the steps that you have to do. If you're replacing your headlight assemblies, you'll need new headlight assemblies from 1A Auto as well as a Phillips screwdriver, a small flat blade screwdriver and a 10 millimeter socket with a ratchet and extension.
Start by removing two clips on each side, you'll use a Phillips screwdriver to kind of unscrew the middle which pulls out and the clip will pull out. If you need to use a smaller screwdriver to kind of pry the middle but you remove them from one side and as well as the other side.
There's a series of eight to ten 10 millimeter bolts that hold the lower splash pan to the bumper, remove those. I'm just going to fast forward here as we use a 10 millimeter socket with a ratchet to remove all those bolts. Okay, once you've done that, pull the inner fender back and then there's another 10 millimeter bolt up in there and I didn't get the best shot of it so the arrow is pointing it out right there. Use a 10 millimeter socket with a ratchet and you can see we're also using an extension. I'll remove the bolt on both sides.
Okay, on each side, there are two large headed screws, Phillips screws, just use a screwdriver and remove both of those. Then on each side, there are two more of those clips they're the little Phillips headed clips that you turn out the center and then pull the clip up and out. Right in behind the grill, there are two clips that clip into the bumper bar, you pull up on those and out. Pull up and then out and then go to each side, pull the bumper cover out. Okay, then the other side and then the bumper cover should come out and there are a couple of harnesses.
Even though our car does not have fog lights, it still is wired for them so you just press the clip and disconnect that dummy wire and there's a few clips that you just have to use a little force and pull from their holes. On the ambient temperature sensor, use a pair of pliers, squeeze the clip and pull the sensor out of it mounting bracket and then continue on over to the other side and disconnect either your fog light or the dummy wire as well to pull the clips out and then the bumper cover is free. To remove the headlight, there' two millimeter bolts. One there and one there and I'm going to fast forward as Don takes those out.
You remove those two lower bolts and then there is an additional bolt right at the top. That one's 10 millimeters as well. What we actually find is that bolt goes into a nut and it was turning on the car so Don is locking on or using a 10 millimeter wrench on the back side to hold that nut in place. With his left hand, he's holding that wrench and with the right hand, he's removing the bolt. The last fastner is a little Phillips clip again. Remove the Phillips headed center and then pull the clip up and out.
Now, the headlight comes right out and there is a clip on the inner light, you press a little tab and it comes off. It can be a little difficult. As you can see, Don's struggling a little bit here and then the other light disconnects as well as the side marker light that twists and pulls out. If you're just looking to change the bulbs, the right hand light, you actually can reach in without removing the whole headlight. You can reach in, the bulbs twists counter clockwise and comes out and then reinstall the same way. The main bulb, you pull the boot off and then there's a little wire clip that you press down and move to the side. That bulb will come out and then reinserts and you put the wire retainer back in place.
The next light, cornering light, I believe you have to pull the whole assembly out in order to get to this bulb and it twists counter clockwise to pull the socket out and as well as the bulb and then put it back in. The driver side light, you do have to remove to change the bulbs. You'll need to switch your mounting bracket over to the new headlight. There's a Phillips screw at the bottom, remove that. Then carefully pull the ends to unlock them and separate it. Let's fast forward a bit here as the we clip that bracket back on to the new headlight and reinstall the screw to hold it in place.
With the light back in place, be sure to reconnect all three harnesses. There's a pin on the bottom that goes and lines up into a whole in the body of the car. Make sure you line those up, put the light in place and have that little clip ready. Put it back in place and I'll speed up here as we just put the three bolts back in. Again, we do have to hold the nut on the top bolt from spinning. Okay, put the bumper cover back in place. If you disconnected all this stuff, reconnect it and put all the wire clips back in place as well as that temperature sensor.
Now, put the bumper cover back in place, start with the two clips that are underneath the grill. Get those to lock in place and come around to the side. Get each side back in place. Okay, fast forward a little bit as we button this up, the two screws at the top of the grill. Put those in. Tighten them up. Then there's the two clips that are a little further outside. Put those in, lock them in place. There is on each side is a 10 millimeter bolt that goes up into the fender. Again, both sides. Put the two clips in on each side that holds the inner fender to the bumper cover and then tighten them up. Reinstall and tighten them up with 10 millimeter bolts that hold the lower closeout panel to the bumper cover.
We hope this helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com your source for quality replacement parts and the best service in the internet. Please feel free to call us toll-free, 888-844-3393. We're the company that serves you on the internet and in person.
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