HID headlight (cover too tight) help?

You may consider moving the window washer fluid reservoir and fuse box slightly out of the way to give you better access in order to apply equal forces to all of the notches on the headlight cover at the same time. It certainly is a very tight fit.

 

Next step is to remove the headlight module so you can work on it on the bench. Might clean/polish the cover while it's out.

 

I did this job a couple of months ago. I couldn't loosen the driver's side either, just by reaching in from the top. I did have to take off the clip that attaches the bumper cover to the left fender and a couple of other screws to loosen the bumper cover on that side. I was then able to reach the 2 lower screws that hold down the headlight assembly, along with the one on the top that could be reached without loosening the bumper cover. It was still hard to pull out the headlight assembly, I needed to pry on it some, but eventually it came out and once it was out, the plastic cover on the back could be turned quite easily. I found I just needed to wrap my hand around it to turn it. I was a little worried that all the prying I did on the top inner part of the fender might have bent something, but it seems to have some flexibility, so there was no damage.

I had much less trouble with the passenger side, but I couldn't get the cover off that one either just by reaching in. I needed to unbolt the windshield washer fluid reservoir and twist it an inch or 2 to get a little more room.

I'm guessing the bulbs on my car had never been changed before, given how tight everything seemed to be. I did use the Philips D4R 4300K bulbs from Amazon, which are supposed to be the same as original. Hopefully, I won't have to do this again as long as I own the car, but I managed to get through it, and I'm no mechanic.

 

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I had much less trouble with the passenger side, but I couldn't get the cover off that one either just by reaching in. I needed to unbolt the windshield washer fluid reservoir and twist it an inch or 2 to get a little more room.

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That was exactly the way I did for the passenger side. Did something similar on the driver side. I just had to move the fuse box out of the way.

 

>> I just had to move the fuse box out of the way.

I was thinking of that myself, but wasn't sure it was even possible. I didn't recall anyone mentioning moving the fuse box in any of the PC posts I'd read. I might have tried that if I'd known about it. Removing (or at least loosening) the bumper cover seemed to be the route that most people took if they had difficulty getting access to the driver's side headlight. I have to say that one of the screws attaching the bumper cover to the grill was very difficult to loosen on my car. I thought it was going to break off. I guess if I ever have to do the job again, I will try moving the fuse box instead.