An up close look at that pain-in-the-butt clip that is keeping you from getting that head light bulb out. - Check my channel for part 2 and additional tips!
Really appreciate the tip. Though your video is now a bit older, you're still correct that the other videos don't explain this clip very well. Yours shows the user how the mechanism works, and in knowing that, even though it's at an awkward working angle, its easier to understand what the objective is. Thanks a million
This was the best video to get me started, the clip will easily come out if, if you had exp of taking it out, so once I got the light bulb out new one goes right it the housing. The hard part was getting the clip back in. I had to practice clipping it back in without the bulb, this helped me understand how to clip it back in. On mine which was 2008 Mazda 3. I had to push my clip like a C rotation it went right in. This takes patients.
After so many tries of replacing a bulb with my friend's mazda mpv, we took it to valvoline for an oil change and the guy was nice to put the bulb in a minute. 👍Thanks for this video, know we know.
by far the best video showing how to do this...I've had my car for 10 years and dread every time I have to replace a bulb. Thank you for posting this. Was able to replace the bulb with minimal effort. The key is getting the bulb in the socket right, then the clip goes right in.
Thanks! New sub here. I just had to change a bulb in my Mazda 3 (2005). It’s my third time over the last 10 years and each time I watch a video to figure out that “clip”. Your video is the best since it shows it out of the car. Also this time after I got it out I practiced without the bulb/socket so I knew exactly how to secure the clip after replacement.
Three tips: On the passenger side, you can lift up the degas bottle (coolant reservoir) and set it to the side. You may have to yank it upward with some force but you won't break it. The hoses are flexible. Then, divorce the power steering and windshield washer fluid reservoirs from each other by unclipping them. This will give you enough room to see what you are doing and allow you to use a tool (such as a notched wood dowel or flat blade screwdriver) for the installation of the clip behind the silver tab. On the driver's side, remove the lid from the fuse box and that will give you some room to get a tool in there to move the clip. Use a thicker wood dowel with a notch cut in the center and move the clip back, down, and behind the silver tab. That clip is a godawful piece of engineering and the person who designed it should be fired immediately, if not sooner.
I have A 2011 Miata and by far this is the easiest video to understand. Passenger side was easy to remove the super fluid box and get to it. The driver side we went through the wheel well. What I discovered was that the war was snapped off already. I put the clip in place and but the rubber back on as it was and all was golden. Thanks Ray
Super helpful vid. My headlight went out one night and i was thinking, "shiiit...." looked this up and it took me 5 minutes or less to change my bulb cause i knew exactly what i was looking for. Thank you! saved me time, money, and a trip to a dealer. Seen you're other vids and will most likely doing more of the maintenance myself.
Just replaced my bulb moments ago, wished I had watched this first. It all works, but what a pain in the ass. Thanks for the informative video. I didn't even know there was a notch thing to seat the build holder. Now I have to go back and check again. Sigh.
Thanks for the video!! Couldn't see what I was dealing with... Turned out the hook was hung up on the assembly like you'd said. Saved me a lot of four letter words.
Solid bro! Thank you Only criticism is you held the thing on your shoulder at a wrong angle of how it’s in the car so a lil confusing BUT we saw the actual clip! Props
You should have a statue built in your honor for decoding the riddle for how to swiftly change Mazda headlight bulbs. I’ll donate to this if it comes to fruition
Nice One Ray!! Fair play to you. My Girl Friends Mazda 3 is a Nightmare keeps blowing out headlights like these no tomorrow. This has save me loads of time Cheers From Poland!
Helpful and great idea to give a demo on this particular item and warn us of how it might be broken if not careful.It wasnt clear how to move the retainer clip back into position.very important when we cant see what we are doing,even if we can get a mirror in place to see what we are dealing with before our fingers are jammed into the casing's opening.It seemed as tho the clip had to be moved sideways to release it,which would be upwards in the case of this driver side unit.I wonder tho,how the clip would be oriented on the passenger side?If it cant be seen with a mirror or felt by smart sensitive fingers,this is important.Does anyone know?
Mate... Best how to on reinstalling that clip I've found... Headlights line up great now.. Thought it just clipped underneath the plastic but now I understand the tiny clip for it
thanks for the video, it wasn't as hard as some other posts made me think it will be. to others, just look at some video tutorials and you will be fine. replaced the two bulbs in about 15 minutes with no problems. good luck!
This was one of the worst headlights to install. Thanks for the video even though I have gotten rid of my Mazda 3 a few years back, you probably saved someone a lot of time. lol.
thanks for posting. The retainer clip is hard to get it to catch and stay locked in when you put the new bulb in. After a few minutes I must have pushed it at a certain angle and it just clicked.
Same problems as most getting the clip back on. I ended up notching the end of a flat screwdriver and then bent it almost 90 degrees and two seconds later the clip was on.
Can you demonstrate how to remove the climate control unit to replace blown light bulb behind each manual control knob for the same car (make and model)?
Thank you for this video! Do you have any kind of digital tip jar? I used to waste a lot of time flailing around with those stupid clips, but seeing how it's supposed to work in your video let me replace a headlight bulb in about 5 minutes.
I need to replace both headlight bulbs on my 05 Mazda 3, but I can't get that damn pin to secure the bulb in place, so I said screw it I'll just take it to Walmart tire and auto. I know they don't have true mechanics working there, but I figured someone there should be able to figure it out, nope I was wrong, they couldn't figure it out. So, maybe I'll give it a shot again after watching this video.
I clarified a few points in this follow up video and give you a few tips along with another up close view. Give it a look... th-cam.com/video/Zf2i0BiGj4w/w-d-xo.html
My friend broke the clip that keeps the bulb in place! Any suggestions on ways to resecure the bulb. I know Mazda doesn't make a replacement part (sad) but any other manufacturer parts that will work? Desperate for a solution...
This is torture. I watched the other videos and this one and still can't get anything to work. I gave up and let the rubber boot do the holding ... aaargh.
I just got an 07 mazda 3 and the passenger side low beam is not working I replaced the fuses under the dash and tried the bulb on the bad side on the other and it works fine so does this mean my ballast is bad? Cheers
+Trent Marek It may. The HID control module is mounted to the bottom of the headlight assembly and is common for failure due to condensation and its location. I probably see them fail about 3x more often than the ballast incorporated into the headlight assembly.
It's such an incredibly frustrating design, and my 3 goes through bulbs about once a year so I am always having to put a new set in. I tend to just keep fiddling around until it (a) comes off, and (b) goes back in. I can't see what's happening anyway because other parts block the view.
+Maestro_T Well I hope this video gave you a little better idea of what is going on. Please click over to my channel page and click the other Mazda3 headlight video I have. It has some tips and tricks on how to keep the bulbs from having repeat failures! Thanks!
ugh is that ear made out of plastic?? I can't seem to lock in the clip on the left headlight...so frustrating. I never took a screwdriver or anything too it but if its cheap plastic I wonder if mine broke off :(
Patience is your best friend here. The ear is made of plastic and getting the clip around it can be frustrating. Ensure the bulb is properly seated. Try locking the clip over the ear with the bulb and socket out for practice. Doing so will also help you to verify that the clip is not bent.
Trying to replace the passenger side low beam light bulb on my 2006 Mazda3 but is covered by a hard plastic canister with a sticker on the back showing "Danger Do Not Remove" I don't see any rubber cover or ear so, I don't know what's going on.... ??
You have HID headlights. This video does not apply to your vehicle. The bulb replacement is similar but there is also a possibility that the HID control module on the bottom of the headlamp assembly could be failing as it is a common point of failure. Check your fuses first. The HID bulb can cost upwards of $100 from the dealer and with 15,000-25,000 volts in the headlamp you may want to have a shop take a look at it for you.
Thank you for the good info provided, I wasn't aware of the difference in bulbs, I always wondered why my headlights look brighter than my friend's 2005 Mazda 3 but anyhow, the low beam on the passenger side of my car is not completely white, (like how it use to be) now looks kind of pinkish, so I guess I need to pay extra $$ to have it check and find out what's really going on.
you skipped the 6 year engineering training need to unleash the secrets of rubic cube inventor of this spring clip. By the time most people figure this out, the clip is destroyed.
My fingers were too big to fit back up in there and secure the clip effectively. I took a Dremel tool to a flat blade screwdriver, filed a notch in it and used that to push the spring clip back into place. Horrible design. Somebody was on crack when they thought this was a good idea for a headlamp retention device. My only complaint about this car.
What a ABSOLUTELY terrible design. How could something like this every be approved for manufacture, much less be installed year after year in millions and millions of vehicles. Ive sworn off Mazdas because of it.
I clarified a few points in this follow up video and give you a few tips along with another up close view. Give it a look... th-cam.com/video/Zf2i0BiGj4w/w-d-xo.html
![Easy HID Headlight Replacement: No Mechanic Required! [2004-2009 Mazda 3]](/img/n.gif)
Really appreciate the tip. Though your video is now a bit older, you're still correct that the other videos don't explain this clip very well. Yours shows the user how the mechanism works, and in knowing that, even though it's at an awkward working angle, its easier to understand what the objective is.
Thanks a million
Most helpful video for this job by far. Being able to see the entire housing and your explanation made all the difference. Thanks!
This was the best video to get me started, the clip will easily come out if, if you had exp of taking it out, so once I got the light bulb out new one goes right it the housing. The hard part was getting the clip back in. I had to practice clipping it back in without the bulb, this helped me understand how to clip it back in. On mine which was 2008 Mazda 3. I had to push my clip like a C rotation it went right in. This takes patients.
Thank you so much for the video! Within moments after watching this I was able to install my bulbs without a hitch and without many tools. Thank you.
Rodney Competente My pleasure! Let me know if there's anything else I can help with!
Saved me a trip to the dealer, had it done in 5 minutes. Thanks for the close-up on the pin. Great job.
Thank you from 2024, I’m driving a 2004 Mazda and she hasn’t let me down yet!
Same, my 04 has 220,000ks now. Had her since new and she has started every single time. Amazing car
After so many tries of replacing a bulb with my friend's mazda mpv, we took it to valvoline for an oil change and the guy was nice to put the bulb in a minute. 👍Thanks for this video, know we know.
Thank you. I was totally unable to figure that clip out on my own. May you live to be 1000.
2024 and still a handy video... spent an hour trying to get this in, now will take 5 minutes... #sigh - thanks for making the effort.
by far the best video showing how to do this...I've had my car for 10 years and dread every time I have to replace a bulb. Thank you for posting this. Was able to replace the bulb with minimal effort. The key is getting the bulb in the socket right, then the clip goes right in.
IDAF how old this is, this is the most helpful video for replacing these bulbs! Thanks!!
Thanks! Just started putting out new videos after 3 years. Please subscribe!
Thanks! New sub here. I just had to change a bulb in my Mazda 3 (2005). It’s my third time over the last 10 years and each time I watch a video to figure out that “clip”. Your video is the best since it shows it out of the car. Also this time after I got it out I practiced without the bulb/socket so I knew exactly how to secure the clip after replacement.
Thanks very helpful, you’re right the other videos are useless
Three tips: On the passenger side, you can lift up the degas bottle (coolant reservoir) and set it to the side. You may have to yank it upward with some force but you won't break it. The hoses are flexible. Then, divorce the power steering and windshield washer fluid reservoirs from each other by unclipping them. This will give you enough room to see what you are doing and allow you to use a tool (such as a notched wood dowel or flat blade screwdriver) for the installation of the clip behind the silver tab.
On the driver's side, remove the lid from the fuse box and that will give you some room to get a tool in there to move the clip.
Use a thicker wood dowel with a notch cut in the center and move the clip back, down, and behind the silver tab.
That clip is a godawful piece of engineering and the person who designed it should be fired immediately, if not sooner.
🎉
Best video so far thanks mate
Thank you, the only video that shows how to properly hook that tricky latch. Great video!
Thanks for the support. Please like and subscribe to the channel!
I have A 2011 Miata and by far this is the easiest video to understand. Passenger side was easy to remove the super fluid box and get to it. The driver side we went through the wheel well. What I discovered was that the war was snapped off already. I put the clip in place and but the rubber back on as it was and all was golden.
Thanks Ray
I brokered one already!!! Thank you very much for your video,it helped me a lot to change my beam the correct way! 😂
Thank you so much! I struggled getting the bulb unclipped. Then, I saw your video, and it made it all clear. Thank you!
Super helpful vid. My headlight went out one night and i was thinking, "shiiit...." looked this up and it took me 5 minutes or less to change my bulb cause i knew exactly what i was looking for. Thank you! saved me time, money, and a trip to a dealer. Seen you're other vids and will most likely doing more of the maintenance myself.
I couldn't figure out the clip direction until I watched this. Thanks.
bobby Mullins Happy to have helped! Thanks!
At 2:05, I couldn't see how the clip hooks into the headlight assembly to keep the bulb holder in place cuz your whole damn hand is in the way!
You're a champ! Just replaced this in about 5 minutes using your instructions. Thanks for posting!
Just replaced my bulb moments ago, wished I had watched this first. It all works, but what a pain in the ass. Thanks for the informative video. I didn't even know there was a notch thing to seat the build holder. Now I have to go back and check again. Sigh.
Never would have been able to get it without your close up of the stupid metal clip.. Thanks!
That clip, I tell ya...! Argh!
Thank you soo much for this video!! What a pain !! After 2 people and no headlights, I did it first try after watching your video!
Thanks for this video. After watching several others I was still unclear about the pin. This one is the one I needed.
Great video. That's the trickiest part, that damn clip. Thx
Thanks for the video!! Couldn't see what I was dealing with... Turned out the hook was hung up on the assembly like you'd said. Saved me a lot of four letter words.
Harry N.Couldn't figure out how to remove bulb. Installation of two new bulbs took minutes after watching your video. Thank you
+Kevin Neiley You're very welcome! Please remember to support the channel! Thank you!
Yeah this is the video I was looking for 👍
Happy to help! New videos coming out... please like and subscribe!
Solid bro! Thank you
Only criticism is you held the thing on your shoulder at a wrong angle of how it’s in the car so a lil confusing BUT we saw the actual clip!
Props
You should have a statue built in your honor for decoding the riddle for how to swiftly change Mazda headlight bulbs. I’ll donate to this if it comes to fruition
Nice One Ray!! Fair play to you. My Girl Friends Mazda 3 is a Nightmare keeps blowing out headlights like these no tomorrow. This has save me loads of time Cheers From Poland!
Whitney good bless you
Helpful and great idea to give a demo on this particular item and warn us of how it might be broken if not careful.It wasnt clear how to move the retainer clip back into position.very important when we cant see what we are doing,even if we can get a mirror in place to see what we are dealing with before our fingers are jammed into the casing's opening.It seemed as tho the clip had to be moved sideways to release it,which would be upwards in the case of this driver side unit.I wonder tho,how the clip would be oriented on the passenger side?If it cant be seen with a mirror or felt by smart sensitive fingers,this is important.Does anyone know?
Mate... Best how to on reinstalling that clip I've found... Headlights line up great now.. Thought it just clipped underneath the plastic but now I understand the tiny clip for it
The best camera angle in the universe
thanks for the video, it wasn't as hard as some other posts made me think it will be. to others, just look at some video tutorials and you will be fine. replaced the two bulbs in about 15 minutes with no problems. good luck!
Thank you for the tip
This was one of the worst headlights to install. Thanks for the video even though I have gotten rid of my Mazda 3 a few years back, you probably saved someone a lot of time. lol.
Thanks Whitney - very well done video.
Thank you helped so much!!
Definitely helped out with my RX-8! THANK YOU!!
Doing this tomorrow.. Thank you for the pointers.
You, sir, are a lifesaver.
Hey man, absolutely great, just exactly what I needed my hand is bruised and bleeds after struggling with this fokking retainer clip
I'm quite thankful I have small and thin hands because I didn't have a problem with the pin. Only took like 2 seconds to get everything settled.
thanks for posting. The retainer clip is hard to get it to catch and stay locked in when you put the new bulb in. After a few minutes I must have pushed it at a certain angle and it just clicked.
Thank you very much for this video. It was very useful for me.
Thanks, much clearer and all I needed to know.
awesome straight forward ,speaking clearly
thank you soo much
Trev..
Same problems as most getting the clip back on. I ended up notching the end of a flat screwdriver and then bent it almost 90 degrees and two seconds later the clip was on.
Thanks bro your a life saver!
This was very helpful, thanks!
Thank you!
Awesome tutorial man ! Thanks !
Thanks..this helped out alot!!!
Vic Martinez Happy to help!
Very helpful thank you 😊
Thanks bro!
+Anthony Gallaher Happy to help! Please remember to support the channel by clicking the "Support Channel" button on the channel page!
What holds the bulb. Tight? Apparently, I'm not latching it properly?
Can you demonstrate how to remove the climate control unit to replace blown light bulb behind each manual control knob for the same car (make and model)?
Thanks a lot! The video helped me a lot! :)))
Thank you! I was about to break out the Dremel!!!!
Thank you for this video! Do you have any kind of digital tip jar? I used to waste a lot of time flailing around with those stupid clips, but seeing how it's supposed to work in your video let me replace a headlight bulb in about 5 minutes.
I need to replace both headlight bulbs on my 05 Mazda 3, but I can't get that damn pin to secure the bulb in place, so I said screw it I'll just take it to Walmart tire and auto. I know they don't have true mechanics working there, but I figured someone there should be able to figure it out, nope I was wrong, they couldn't figure it out. So, maybe I'll give it a shot again after watching this video.
I clarified a few points in this follow up video and give you a few tips along with another up close view. Give it a look...
th-cam.com/video/Zf2i0BiGj4w/w-d-xo.html
+Whitney Automotive Hi, how can I tell if my mazda has h7 or xenons in it?
Fucking genius Mazda. Brilliant.
your hands covered up the part where it clips...can you show how the clip attaches or goes back on with out covering it? thanks
Good video
How do you adjust LEDs on these ?
My friend broke the clip that keeps the bulb in place! Any suggestions on ways to resecure the bulb. I know Mazda doesn't make a replacement part (sad) but any other manufacturer parts that will work? Desperate for a solution...
View # 87,443 thanks you for the straight forward suggestions.
thanks man!
This is torture. I watched the other videos and this one and still can't get anything to work. I gave up and let the rubber boot do the holding ... aaargh.
I just got an 07 mazda 3 and the passenger side low beam is not working I replaced the fuses under the dash and tried the bulb on the bad side on the other and it works fine so does this mean my ballast is bad? Cheers
+Trent Marek It may. The HID control module is mounted to the bottom of the headlight assembly and is common for failure due to condensation and its location. I probably see them fail about 3x more often than the ballast incorporated into the headlight assembly.
It's such an incredibly frustrating design, and my 3 goes through bulbs about once a year so I am always having to put a new set in. I tend to just keep fiddling around until it (a) comes off, and (b) goes back in. I can't see what's happening anyway because other parts block the view.
+Maestro_T Well I hope this video gave you a little better idea of what is going on. Please click over to my channel page and click the other Mazda3 headlight video I have. It has some tips and tricks on how to keep the bulbs from having repeat failures! Thanks!
Thank you..
This works for Mazda 5 as well
ugh is that ear made out of plastic?? I can't seem to lock in the clip on the left headlight...so frustrating. I never took a screwdriver or anything too it but if its cheap plastic I wonder if mine broke off :(
Patience is your best friend here. The ear is made of plastic and getting the clip around it can be frustrating. Ensure the bulb is properly seated. Try locking the clip over the ear with the bulb and socket out for practice. Doing so will also help you to verify that the clip is not bent.
Whitney Automotive Thanks! Will do.
How do you adjust them
Trying to replace the passenger side low beam light bulb on my 2006 Mazda3 but is covered by a hard plastic canister with a sticker on the back showing "Danger Do Not Remove" I don't see any rubber cover or ear so, I don't know what's going on.... ??
You have HID headlights. This video does not apply to your vehicle. The bulb replacement is similar but there is also a possibility that the HID control module on the bottom of the headlamp assembly could be failing as it is a common point of failure. Check your fuses first. The HID bulb can cost upwards of $100 from the dealer and with 15,000-25,000 volts in the headlamp you may want to have a shop take a look at it for you.
Thank you for the good info provided, I wasn't aware of the difference in bulbs, I always wondered why my headlights look brighter than my friend's 2005 Mazda 3 but anyhow, the low beam on the passenger side of my car is not completely white, (like how it use to be) now looks kind of pinkish, so I guess I need to pay extra $$ to have it check and find out what's really going on.
What about low beam?
Mine doesn't have the clip...I'm confused...
My problem is putting the clip back in place,which this vid just glosses over
you skipped the 6 year engineering training need to unleash the secrets of rubic cube inventor of this spring clip. By the time most people figure this out, the clip is destroyed.
G Eazy?
My fingers were too big to fit back up in there and secure the clip effectively. I took a Dremel tool to a flat blade screwdriver, filed a notch in it and used that to push the spring clip back into place. Horrible design. Somebody was on crack when they thought this was a good idea for a headlamp retention device. My only complaint about this car.
62 overpriced mechanics disliked the video
you sure like the sound of your own voice...LOL
you're cute!
This is an atrocious design. Thank god they arent owned by Ford anymore, I hope the new design is easier to work with.
What a ABSOLUTELY terrible design. How could something like this every be approved for manufacture, much less be installed year after year in millions and millions of vehicles.
Ive sworn off Mazdas because of it.
WORST DESIGN ON THE PLANET
very bad video Ray no help at all for the 2004
Thank you!
I clarified a few points in this follow up video and give you a few tips along with another up close view. Give it a look...
th-cam.com/video/Zf2i0BiGj4w/w-d-xo.html