Headlights Clear Corner Modification

Because a lot of questions have been asked on the subject numerous times, I took time today, to take some shots while I was doing a LED strip integration. Of course, this is not the only way to proceed, but it is my way, and it’s a safe way (you don’t end up with broken tabs or other issue). This DIY is performed on a Xenon housing (more complex than Halogen) but the same steps can be performed for both type of headlights.

Time = 1hr per headlight
Difficulty = 4

WARNING: The internal chrome components are really fragile and I highly recommend wearing cotton gloves once you start to manipulate them.

Heat Gun
Some of you prefer to stick the headlight in the stove. To have personally gutted out numerous Xenon headlights and seen the amount of tinny plastic components, I don’t want to take the risk.



Flat screwdriver
T25 Torks screwdriver(grinded to diameter minimum diameter, you will understand later why)


Using the flat screwdriver, snap off the clips: 5 of them



Pull off the rubber protector


Install the headlight on a soft rag (prevent scratching the lens) and you are going to heat up the seal between the housing and the lens. No need to heat the entire perimeter, the glue used is messy enough when soft and you don’t want it to stick to the chrome. Heat the area for 10 mn.

Materialized in red the area to be heated.



Now, grab two rags, hold the headlight vertically and separate the lens from the housing. The lens shape on the turn signal side provides a good grip. If it’s too hard to pull, you can heat up a bit more the area.


Use a razor blade to cut the cold sealant.


Voila, headlight is open


Now you need to remove the internal housing. There are 3 screws holding it in place. Location materialized in red



Close up of screw #1


Close up of screw #2


Close up of screw #3


Now, the housing should slide off


On some headlights, it’s a bit more difficult because the housing stays clipped in the turn signal area. Gently pry under the plastic tab to release it.
Here is a close up of the tab that may stay clipped


Once the housing is removed, there is an additional screw to be removed right under the turn signal.

At this stage, I have seen people banging the orange corner with the screwdriver: 99% of the time, you will end up breaking the turn signal tabs !!!


Now, the tricky screw: He is hiding behind the chrome housing. This is where I use my trimmed screwdriver and insert it between the headlight housing and the chrome piece. Even if you scratch a bit the edge of the chrome housing, do not worry about it, you won’t longer see it once the headlight is reassembled.



You can really see the sucker hiding on this one



Now, you are going to separate the two plastic parts of the turn signal.
Take a close look at the little plastic shaft preventing the separation



Using a razor blade, you are going to trim just a bit of the edge of the center pin, trying to make a chamfer.


Once trimmed, it should look like this



And now, if trimmed enough, you will be able to slide and separate the 2 pieces.



And Voila



Now, to remove the orange cap, just push on it, towards the inside.





Because the internal inlay is gray and not black, I am going to explain now how to remove the different chrome pieces from it in order to paint it.
Gently pry the 4 tabs of the bigger ring and gently push it forward

Bumper Removal

To start, I did a breakdown with the different tools setup and I will refer these setups during the DIY. The tools I am describing here below here are for reference and in some case, alternate tooling can be used.

Time = 15mn
Difficulty = 3

The Tools

10mm Socket
Socket Extensions
T30 Extended
T25 Bit

Setup 1
T30 extended – Length 180mm / 7 Inch
I bought this tool on Ebay for $8. I have seen that some of you are using a flat screwdriver with a width that fit the T30 head. A T25 will work as well but has more play.


Setup 2
A piece of metal about 2mm thick

Setup 3
Torks bit T25


Setup 4
10mm socket with 2 extensions. Total Length = 285mm / 11 Inch


Setup 5
10mm socket with 2 extensions, one of them is flexible, like a spring. Total Length = 285mm / 11 Inch.



Let’s start.
Using Setup 2, remove the 3 locking pins under the bumper


On this top view, I have circled the 11 screws location (2 of them are optional, I’ll explain that later)


On the following set of pictures, circled in RED, the screws that need to be removed and circled in blue, the screws that only need to be loosen (3 turns should be enough).

Setup 1
Driver Headlight




Passenger Headlight




Now, the 2 following locations are optional. I do loosen these because:
1/ Sometimes they are really tight and the bumper is really difficult to pull off or reinstall.
2/ When I reinstall the bumper, I want to make sure that the gaps between the bumpers and the hood are even and identical.
Here, you just need to loose them up, about 1 turn.



Here is a close up of the Torks head inside



You are done with the top. Let’s start the sides:

Setup 3
Driver side: Start the car and fully turn the wheels to the right. Remove the 2 screws.



Pull the plastic fender and remove the 2 screws



Setup 4
If you now look closely inside, you will see the two 10mm nut that need to be removed.



Now, pull the fender toward the outside to release the clip



Important detail: On the following picture, the highlighted part locks with the bumper. A better picture, on the right side shows it locked in place. Make sure to remember that when you reinstall your bumper.


You are done with the Driver side, now the passenger side where the process is the same.

Remove the 2 screws


Remove the 2 screws


Here they are !!



Here is the picture that I was previously referring to where you can see the tab locked in place with the fender.
In Blue, the fender lip
In Red, the locking tab



Earlier, I was talking about the bumper height adjusters. Here is a close up



And this is the bumper part that slides into them.



When you are done, slide the bumper back on place.
On the passenger side, there is enough room to stick you hand and reinstall both nuts with your hand. Then, I use the Setup 4 to tight them up.
On the Driver side, you don’t have enough room to do the same and be cause they are not perpendicular (pointing towards the center of the car) this is when I use the Setup 5.

Here is a picture


I hope this helps.

Good luck and I am around if any question [up]

Phil