Horizon Headlight Bulb Removal?

LK23 · 11-05-2005, 09:17 AM

I am attempting to replace the headlight bulbs on my 2005 Horizon with Sylvania Silverstar bulbs. I can reach the back of headlight by opening the front generator panel. How do I remove the bulbs. I attempted to turn the connection on the back of the headlight assembly and it would not budge. Any ideas. I assume the bulb is removed and replaced from the rear.

LK23 · 11-05-2005, 09:17 AM

I am attempting to replace the headlight bulbs on my 2005 Horizon with Sylvania Silverstar bulbs. I can reach the back of headlight by opening the front generator panel. How do I remove the bulbs. I attempted to turn the connection on the back of the headlight assembly and it would not budge. Any ideas. I assume the bulb is removed and replaced from the rear.

JanBCarter · 11-05-2005, 12:02 PM

I just replaced the pair on my '03 Journey and they remove from the front. There should be three screws holding the bezel which keeps the lamp in place. Don't mistake them for the hedlight adjusting screws or you'll have to realign them. Kragen here has a $10 rebate on the Silverstars, and they're so much brighter I replaced them both keeping the old ones for spares. The Silverstar H3-55 fog light bulbs are a great improvement too...also with a $10/pr rebate. Good traveling

LK23 · 11-05-2005, 12:31 PM

J.B.

Thanks for the info. My headlight assembly appears to be a solid unit with no screws on the front. When I look inside it does appear that the bulb is replaced from the front. If so, I need to determine how to get the front face of the unit off.

MrTransistor · 11-05-2005, 06:51 PM

Hi LK23,
I believe the 04 Horizon uses the 04 Nissan Frontier Headlights. I assume the 05 Horizon uses the same headlight assembly. I have had the entire left and right assemblies out of our coach (not easy) because when the coach was assembled, the headlight adjustment was kyboshed when the internal lamp adjust mechanism was knocked loose. Absolutely amazing that it could leave the factory or pass a dealer inspection that way. I almost ordered new assemblies but discovered a way to pop them back into place. Now they are bright, adjusted properly and provide very good coverage and distance. I have seen several different replacement bulb assemblies on the net and if you decide to replace the bulb, it shouldn't be too difficult. I seem to remember a quarter twist fitting that mounted the bulb but that was over a year ago. I suggest checking a Nissan Frontier if it's the same headlight assembly to see how the bulb is mounted, it should be a lot easier to get to to see how its mounted.

LK23 · 11-06-2005, 09:53 AM

Mark,

Thanks a lot!. I suspected the headlights were from a certain auto but had no idea which one. I will check the Nissan Frontier on Monday.

Did you aim your headlights? I have had my Horizon at two different dealers and they did not have the equipment to aim the headlights. Mine were considerably off when I purchased the coach. I have attempted to aim the lights myself and, while they are better, I am certain they are not aimed correctly.

MrTransistor · 11-06-2005, 12:35 PM

Hi LK23,
I suspect the same thing that happened with our headlights has also happened with many other Horizons and Vectras. The way the assembly is made, the aiming mechanism is mounted inside the outer housing and is pivoted on a ball joint with two adjuster screws on the back side of the assembly forming a three point mount. One is (I think) above and to the side and the other is just to the side. If something bumps the back side of the housing i.e. the lamp connection, this pops the ball out of it's socket and prevents the mechanism from being aimed properly. This also reduces the light output. Probably caused when the front end assembly was transported from wherever it is made to the final assembly line. The headlights are very difficult to remove but cannot be repaired mounted in the vehicle. If this is what is wrong with yours, and you cannot get the ball back into it's socket, the only choice will be to replace the headlight assemblies ($100.00? each). If I had one in my hands I'd probably remember how I fixed them. Scratch you head and be inventive, it can be done. Dony remembers a long screw driver to apply pressure and a tap on the outside to get it to pop back into place. I was quite surprised when it worked, I was that close to ordering new ones. Once fixed, aiming was a breeze. Squat down about 50 feet in front of the RV and adjust both lights so that low beam doesn't blind you. Drive at night to see if the left to right alignment seems right. Bias the beams a little to the right so as to not blind oncoming traffic.

LK23 · 11-06-2005, 01:30 PM

Mark,

Thanks again. Question: Where do I look for the ball joint you mentioned? If I understand you correctly, if it is out of the ball joint I will have to remove the headlight assembly to fix it.

I checked car photos online and it appears that the 2002 - 2004 Nissan Frontier have the same headlights as the Horizon.

MrTransistor · 11-07-2005, 07:51 AM

Hi LK23,
Try wiggling the lamp socket from the rear of the headlight housing while looking at the aiming assembly and lamp through the front. It should be solid. If it moves or wiggles , it's probably out of it's ball socket. The socket and ball can't be seen from the front of the headlight because from the front, your looking at the aiming assembly. The entire aiming assembly is sealed inside the outer shell of the headlight. That's why it's so hard to see the ball and socket. Out of the vehicle, it can be seen by removing the rubber gasket around the lamp socket and the lamp socket and peering around the edges between the outer housing and inner aiming assembly. Also check that the adjusting screws have not been turned all the way out of their threads.

LK23 · 11-07-2005, 02:53 PM

I stopped by the local Nissan dealership and looked at a 2003 Nissan headlight assembly. There is a white tabbed ring about 2 1/2 inches in diameter that holds the headlight bulb in place. A quarter turn counter-clockwise will release the bulb. The aiming appears to be on two locations on the outer edge of the large plastic assembly. I am not sure if this applies to the aiming as mounted on a Horizon.

MrTransistor · 11-07-2005, 03:31 PM

Hi LK23,
Sounds like your on the right track. The entire assembly is mounted into the coach by three screws into tabs on the plastic that have metal speed nuts (memory is unclear on this). The adjuster screws have phillips heads but are shaped a little like a small thread bobbin. The bulb mount rings a bell, does it have a rubber or silicon gasket around it? If so, grab hold of the inner part of the gasket i.e. the lamp base and see if it can be moved. If not, and the adjusters tilt the aiming assembly up and down and left and right, then you should be okay. If it can be moved, you have the problem in hand.