2004 Chrysler Sebring Headlight Bulb Installation

From the popularity of the previous post, I decided to document the procedure of replacing a bulb in a 2004 Chrysler Sebring. It's likely the same procedure for many similar cars...


Guys, if you are doing this for your wives, you get extra brownie points so its 20 minutes well spent!

Step One: Open Hood

first, there are two screw on top... use a drill cuz life is too short.

when the screws are out, you have to push down 

on the plastic body panel under the light to set it free.

the assembly comes out like this.

At the back of the light, there is a round housing / lock. It uses the screws to hold on to.

Give that a 1/4 turn to unlock and pull the housing / lock back.

the bulb assembly pulls out from there.

then the bulb assembly pulls out from the electric socket. 

there is another clip that holds these two parts together.

in this case, the bulb looks like its ok because the element is still good..

its not burnt or unattached - HOWEVER, the bulb kind of flickers on and off when I shook it

so there is something loose on it so it got trashed.

Now do everything in reverse to put the new bulb in.

CAUTION!! DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS PART OF THE BULB WITH BARE FINGERS! 

The natural oil from your fingers will go on the glass which causes a hot spot which will burn the bulb out. I used paper towel when installing the new bulb to make sure I didn't touch the glass.

You can grab the back part.. the plastic housing where I'm holding but don't touch the glass part.. besides which, the glass part is not very strong and you could break it causing another drive to the auto store and, well you know.. Life's too short.

Fix Your XJ Jeep Power Window Yourself & SAVE!! [BLOGGER PREVIEW]

Fix Your XJ Jeep Power Window Yourself & SAVE!! [BLOGGER PREVIEW]

Fix Your Own Cherokee Power Window and SAVE!!

You push the power window button. You hear the motor running but nothing happens. Usually the window drops an inch or so.. What happened?

Evidently, this is common although I wrote to Chrysler and although I have heard of many of these cases, Chrysler says there is no general recall.

I have a 98 but I'm sure most models are relatively the same. Your motor works but there is a long "worm screw" that has detached from a bracket. The bracket attaches to the bottom of the window.

I'm not a mechanic by any stretch but here's what I did... stick with me. it's really not that hard especially once you do it once -- now I cant wait for the other ones to break so I can fix them too ;~)

Carefully pull off the inside door skin. There are plastic body clips holding it on around the perimeter, three large Phillips head screws and one small one near the front.

Then there are two control arms that attach to your interior door opener handle - one for opening, one for the lock. Remove plastic clips that hold them in place then pop out the control arms.

You also have to unplug your power switch from the armrest.

Now you can pull the door skin right off.

ok, so you have the panel off right? If you don't, I'll wait here for a minute while you do that....


ok your back? Now you need to tear away the white vapour barrier - its stuck on with black stuff - peel it back and make sure you don't get it on your clothes.
now you should see the inspection ports-with the window half way down you should see the bottom of the window.

Now you need to tape the window up, otherwise it will fall down. I used 2 inch wide scotch tape - don't use duct tape 'cause the glue is hard to come off afterwards. Tape the glass to the vertical post at the back and tape along the bottom horizontal edge.











ok - see the bracket at the bottom of the window? Take that off.

now unscrew the vertical track











also unscrew the power motor.

all you need to do is get the track out of the inspection port so that you can access the worm screw. You Don't have to unwire the power motor!

Now (drumroll) Here's the ingenious part that saves you hundreds and make you a big hit with all your friends!

I took that bracket and using a chisel, I chiseled off the plastic from the steel (the plastic is the reason it busted in the first place)










I drilled two holes in the steel part where the plastic teeth would have been-make sure it lines up where it used to be on the track - mark where the holes are to go in relation with the track.










then you need a couple of cotter pins - yep that's right cotter pins.

Bend open the bottom of the track so you can get access to the worm screw and power (use the power switch) the worm screw out of the track a bit.


The cotter pins wrap around the grooves in the worm screw at the end. Make sure they are tight right into the grooves cause when the screw going back into the track, you don't want there to be any unnecessary friction. I used two. One didn't seem like enough but three might have caused too much friction in the track so two was "thy number of thy counting" in this case.



now power (using your power switch) the screw back into the track [actually first I sprayed the track, the hose where the screws comes from and everything with WD40.]











now put the bracket back onto the cotter pins which should now be sticking out from the track. Bend them over and cut off the excess.











put everything back the way you took it apart and BOB'S YOUR UNCLE!! (I haven't got a clue where that saying came from {:~0

Savings: between $150-300 for the entire regulator assembly (Canadian $) and about $200 for labor! PLUS TAXES!!

Questions? email info "at" GroupMax.ca

our other websites:

GroupMax.ca
WiseGuyProductions.ca
StockwellRealty.com
PDETA.BlogSpot.com

best, Phil

PS -- its not just about the money that was saved. For me, it was more about conservation and Repairing not Replacing everything. Today, no one wants to repair things anymore, just throw them out and replace them. This goes for VCRs, Microwaves, Televisions, Computers even cars! We are living in a disposable society. There was nothing wrong with my power window motor, or the track, or the window itself but noone was willing to sell me just the bracket. I asked dealers, mechanics aftermarket shops, not even the wreckers! So What would have happened to my perfectly good motor, track etc? Garbage?