How To Change The Headlight Bulb on a 09 - 15 Honda Pilot | | Changing Car or Truck Headlights

[@stevenreynolds7968]

Hi there, I wish I had read the comments first, for I struggled with it for quite a while before I realized I should have unclipped the wire harness from the lightbulb and then it would freely twist exactly quarter of a turn just like you said. No problems getting the new Sylvania Bulbs from your video to go in and both work great. I can’t wait to drive the car at night to see how much brighter they are. I think I will work on cleaning up the headlight shield, so they shine even brighter. Thank you very much for the great video, saved me a lot of money!

[@alexsalazar3507]

Thanks, I messed with this for 30 minutes before I came to comments. Done 30 seconds later

[@tomdemartino3125]

Great video. I just did it now myself. Here's the process for the driver's side which is a much tighter working space: 1- unpin and slide away the intake valve. 2- remove the bulb with the wire attached. 3- unattach the wire . 4- most important step: install the bulb WITHOUT the wire. 5- attach the wire back on with the bulb already installed. Otherwise there's no room to work to attach the wire to the bulb prior to installing the new bulb.

[@bscheelerful]

Thank you for step 4!!!

[@foroughsanai1041]

Thank you for step 1 to 3 At step 4, I attached the wire in the bulb THEN Placed it at the slot and twisted quarter of the turn to lock it-VERY Easy ; it took me 2 minutes with GOOD LIGHTINGS (important) I tried to follow your step NOT enough room at driver’s side to see … Thanks again!

[@mattwhite9398]

For those also struggling withe the clip that many need to remove before the bulb will turn: I used a 12" peg hook to depress the tab. The little bend at the end of the hook is perfect to reach the tab from the other side of the windshield washer tank. I was able to depress the tab, then reach in after that and pull the harness right off. One minute job after that to remove and replace the bulb and reattach the harness! Thanks to all the left comments about getting the harness off!

[@doctorwork]

On my 2014 Pilot, it started at the six o'clock position and I had to rotate it to the 3:30 position to remove it. I completely agree that you can't remove it with the harness attached. I struggled mightily to turn it with the harness on. Once I removed it, though, the bulb turned fairly easily. I found that by standing on a short stool and leaning over the front of the hood, I was able to use an unsharpened pencil to depress the tab on the connector with my right hand (coming from underneath all that stuff that's in the way) and use my left hand to pull down on the harness. I had a reel light lighting up the area so I could see what I was doing, once I stuck my head down low enough. Why do they make it so dang hard to replace these? It's a repair you have to do a lot!

[@chinitatw]

Thank you for the tip! I spent a few minutes trying to figure out what it meant by releasing the headlight from the wiring, but after that i replaced my lightbulb in less than 5mins! Im small so kitchen steps were used but i never actually got to see what i was doing!

[@markbudos]

@@chinitatw No kidding. You have to unplug it before you can twist it. There must be different variants of the Pilot because every video says you can turn it without unplugging it first.

[@johnokeeffe8271]

Do you depress the connector towards the top or the bottom? Currently attempting this mighty feat also

[@juanb7527]

Heads up, my 2012 pilot bulb would not twist with the wiring harness attached. I Had to unplug that, then the housing of the bulb twisted out no problem.

[@TightWadDIY]

Interesting!

[@asyed313]

Same with my 2015 Pilot!

[@Chicago_Clout]

Thank you very much. Very, very much...😎😎😎😎😎😎

[@shootindoc1jam_n80]

2013 is same 👍

[@bruceezell4017]

Of course our 2013 Pilot is being difficult!!! can't turn the thing.

[@billyoung4214]

I bought the same "Sylvania Xtravision H11 brighter downrod" as pictured here for my 2013 Pilot and the bulb doesn't fit in the socket. On the dead one I removed, the two gold prongs are about a quarter inch farther apart than the prongs on the new bulb. There's also a black plastic 'separator" between the prongs on the new bulb which isn't on the old one. Bottom line is, the new one doesn't fit. Were there variations for these bulbs?

[@TightWadDIY]

There was a small grill change after the 2011 model. It’s possible they changed the bulb model too.

[@ericmichaelmixx4738]

Nope does not fit. Just ordered the 9005, which is on the Burned out Sylvania I just pulled out

[@chantalward2729]

same 2015 EXL- @@ericmichaelmixx4738

[@kenalexander7614]

Great vid, great detail.. nothing skipped, no assumptions, nice. 😊

[@sgbrowning]

As others have also said here, my experience with 2012 pilot is that the bulb will not rotate from locked to unlocked position until the socket has first been disconnected. Press and hold the tab on the socket (by feel) and slowly wiggle it free from the bulb, then the bulb should rotate to the unlocked position easily. Before knowing this, I tried twisting like crazy to no avail, but once I removed the socket, it twisted easily. Both driver and passenger side. Also, the 'o'clock positions' and rotation directions are different for my pilot than what is shown here, just need to gently twist each way to figure out what is right for your car.

[@TightWadDIY]

Thanks for the tips!

[@anthonyjohnson1864]

I really appreciate your tip, I struggled with it for 15 mins before I saw your comment and then knocked it out in 2 minutes. The video creator left that out for some reason. ​@@TightWadDIY

[@bravoswede]

Like others said , had to release bulb to unlock it to twist (2013 touring). Appreciate the guiding comments or i would have broken that sob lol

[@TightWadDIY]

That’s great! I’m glad it worked for you too!

[@tcore7]

Great video. Thanks!

[@TightWadDIY]

You're welcome!

[@jsylvester1945]

Hello Good day I cant seem to find the link to the wave your hand sensor LED headlight strap. I was looking through your description Thought you said you will put it.

[@TightWadDIY]

Here is a link: amzn.to/3UEdX9S

[@kentscholz7787]

mine will not twist at all - - I think that I am screwed - - these DIY videos never work for me like they do for the person doing the video - - what do I do next?

[@TightWadDIY]

Mine were really hard to twist too. Try spraying some compressed air around it to blow out any road dust.

[@juanb7527]

My 2012 pilot bulb would not twist with wiring attached. I Had to unplug that, then the housing of the bulb twisted out no problem.

[@markfranjione6786]

Found another video where the mechanic chastises all the other videos (like this one) that never tell you that you MUST REMOVE the power connector from the bulb before the bulb housing can be rotated. So, yes, you have to remove the clip first, THEN rotate COUNTER CLOCKWISE looking FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE compartment OUT to REMOVE the bulb. BTW, the DRIVER's side low beam bulb is practically impossible to access, even after removing the air intake manifold. Found a different video where the person ONLY did the PASSENGER side - easy peasy they said/showed (both sides take the same bulb, so, of course, driver's must be easy like the passenger side, right!?! NOT!!!)

[@gusmarrero]

Thanks all worked

[@TightWadDIY]

You're welcome!

[@jessejz]

Why does my 09 pilot have hb3 9005 headlights instead of h11? When I look it up, my make and model should have h11 bulbs. Does anyone know why?

[@TightWadDIY]

I’m not really sure. They could be aftermarket parts.

[@priley817]

What a total shitshow, the drivers side i think is actually impossible to do. I ended up breaking the bulb inside the headlight when i was removing the power from the bulb, now it’s stuck and i’m trying to pull it out with a needle nose now i have even a bigger problem this fucken thing stuck in there. Lord help me i’ve never cursed this much in my life.

[@billthestinker]

I feel exactly the same way you are not the only one

[@sarahluna1299]

What if it is stuck

[@TightWadDIY]

Try using compressed air to blow out the dirt.