Jaymac7

Long story short, the ejector mechanism for both of my headlight assemblies are broken. Stripped. Just spin and spin. Does anyone have any bright ideas to get them out? Is bumper removal possible without removing the headlights so maybe I can pop them out from under or unbolt and remove/replace the entire headlight tray?

KevinGross

Not certain, but you may gain some access by removing the wheel well liners. Good luck!

tigger1197

Which part spins? I've had the tool strip out but the mechanism still works. Its just a small socket if your tool is bad.

Jaymac7

at the bottom of that Allen head, there is a toothed wheel that turns a gear that rotates the bar that pops the headlight out. All the teeth are broken off the wheel that turns the gear, so the bar won't rotate and pop the light out :-(

touareg

I would think you would be able to get the bumper off without removing the headlights. Might be a little tricky, but there is nothing to remove under the headlight when removing the bumper that I remember.

You also as noted above, may be able to get access with the liner removed, and be able to push the lock.

Either way, to replace the trays you have to remove the bumper.

RKD in OKC

Replaced the passenger side tray on my 04 S without removing the bumper. It did have one screw that was a bit difficult though.

Replaced the tray because was able to pull on the hood exposed portion of the headlight and just pull it out, no tool use.

aftCG

Worst design ever. I hate to be the guy that compares my Porsches to my VW but they use identical systems. The are no markings to indicate which way to turn the tool and the left light is not "lefty loosely, righty tighty". Add some ****ty plastic gears and there you go.

I'm in the market for a new right side tray but I can't see how you would get it out without removing the bumper. The are two bolts asking the lower edge. You can reach them easily with the light out.

At this point you have nothing to lose by turning that lot gear using any method necessary and planning on a new tray

Jaymac7

I'm going to try to remove the wheel well liners tomorrow and see if I can access the mechanism from inside/underneath.

s4for5

[QUOTE=aftCG;13903475]Worst design ever. I hate to be the guy that compares my Porsches to my VW but they use identical systems. The are no markings to indicate which way to turn the tool and the left light is not "lefty loosely, righty tighty". Add some ****ty plastic gears and there you go.

There are arrows with lock and unlock icons molded into the plastic around the opening you insert the tool on my 06 955s.

nodoors

I have done it without removing the bumper or wheel liner.

1. Pull off the gear piece that is still hanging on the shaft
2. Hog out all the plastic around the shaft to clear more room for step 4
3. Epoxy a 1/4 drive socket that fits over the nipple of the piece you removed from the shaft that is a small diameter
4. Push it back onto the shaft
5. Use a 1/4 extension and ratchet now to directly turn the shaft of the locking mechanism instead of the cheesed1ck factory method

RKD in OKC

You don't say what year yours is.

On both my 04 and 05 if you open the hood there is a rubber trim piece in the corner of under the hood where the headlight assembly comes against the hood. You can remove that rubber piece exposing the upper edge of the headlight assembly. If you pull and lift on the assembly there it will come out forcing the lever that holds the headlight assemble to release.

Jaymac7

So I took the liner out. Still no clear access. Maybe with the airbox removed, but there are screws I can't figure out how to get to to remove that.
It's an 04. I've tried to pry from the top and sides. I even tried to slide a pry bar under the light/over the bumper to try to pry the light up or the lever down. No luck yet.
"nodoors", I'd love the see pics of what you're talking about. I Think I get what you're saying. Detach the gear from the lever; expoxy a socket onto the gear; push it back on and turn it with a ratchet?Is the ratchet running parallel to the ground? Do you have to remove the factory Allen screw setup? What else do you have remove to gain access/clearance to do all this?

Dilberto

Air box has a single bolt to remove, at the front corners. Unclip the filter panels off and the remaining box lifts up and out. See the pic of the left tray? That silver crank needs to be "turned" downwards, to release the headlamp cluster. It is obviously turned upwards, holding back a huge plastic tab to lock-in the cluster:

Jaymac7

What about disconnecting the outlet tubing?

Dilberto

Yeah, disconnect that from the rubber hose too. Once the boxes are off, simply remove the plastic panel separating the headlights and intake. Go to town...