How do I change the headlights on the CTS/ CTS-V

It's quite complicated and takes between 1-2 hours.
You need to remove the front bumper first. In order to do this:
NEW: Bumper removal procedure

  • pop your hood and remove the rubber wind deflector to expose plastic push pin fasteners and two (maybe four) bolts that attach the faschia to the car. Leave the hood open.
  • you need to jack one of the front wheels up and remove it.
  • Remove the push pin plastic fasteners attaching the bumper to the car as well as loosening (but not removing) the washers underneath the lip of the bumper where it joins with the car body. This washers are located inside the bumper so you will have to crawl under the wheel well, they are right behind where that reflector is on the side of the bumper and there should be two of them.
  • Also remove the harnesses for the turn signal and foglights.
  • Put the wheel back on and remove the jack.
  • Now jack up the other side and repeat this process. There is also a row of plastic push pin fasteners along the bottom of the bumper. Remove these as well.

    If you did everything correctly, the front bumper should slide down and towards the front of the car and fall off (careful, don't let it hit the ground)

  • Now there are two bolts fastening the light housing to the car body, one on top and one below the housing. There is also a third behind the rubber insulation of the light housing. This one is the hardest to remove as it involves forcing the rubber out of the way to access the bolt. I'm pretty sure this are the only three bolts, but look for a fourth to be certain.
  • The headlight housing should only be held on by a ball and socket fastener.
  • Now pull the housing straight forward with some force and it should pop out. Remove the harnesses and you have access to the housing. How to open the housing should be pretty intuitive.

    Now that you know how to take it apart, putting it together is the same thing but in reverse order.

    Remember this could take 1-2 hours, maybe even three so plan for it. Hope this helps.

    Thanks MBAi2




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