Automotive

My lightbulb fell into the headlight housing. Best way to get it out?

  • Last Updated:
  • Jan 2nd, 2022 1:09 am
Deal Addict
Oct 17, 2010
2059 posts
359 upvotes

My lightbulb fell into the headlight housing. Best way to get it out?

i was changing my signal lights to an LED and due to my stupidity it fell out of the socket and into the headlight housing.

I was wondering what best way was to fish it out or do i have to (or get someone) to disassemble (remove) the headlight housing to gain access to it?
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25 replies
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
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SW corner of the cou…
Laparoscopic surgery tool!
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Deal Fanatic
Jan 8, 2009
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Ontario
Attach tube small enough to fit inside headlight unit to a vacuum cleaner. Put netting or gauze over end of tube so vacuum holds bulb against it.

Works with bulbs that you can't use a magnet on.
Member
Feb 28, 2021
353 posts
357 upvotes
Bevatron wrote: Attach tube small enough to fit inside headlight unit to a vacuum cleaner. Put netting or gauze over end of tube so vacuum holds bulb against it.

Works with bulbs that you can't use a magnet on.
Or pull headlight out if you’re really stuck.
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Aug 30, 2020
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YEG/YYZ
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Take off headlight and shake out
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Aug 10, 2015
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Elgin, ON
Been there, done that. What worked for me was a bent piece of wire, with some two-sided tape. I stuck the tape to the end of the wire, fished it into the housing, and then was able to stick the tape to the bulb, and pull it out. Took a few tries, had to bend the wire just right.
Deal Addict
May 2, 2017
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Swerny wrote: hammer
He said the "best" way not the "easiest" way.
rkjredflag wrote: Been there, done that. What worked for me was a bent piece of wire, with some two-sided tape. I stuck the tape to the end of the wire, fished it into the housing, and then was able to stick the tape to the bulb, and pull it out. Took a few tries, had to bend the wire just right.
This sounds like a good idea. Maybe use some of that really sticky 3M Red double sided tape.
Deal Addict
Oct 21, 2006
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happened to me on a 2011 Camry, had to remove the lamp assembly then shook it out
Deal Addict
Jul 14, 2013
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Fill with water so it floats up. Then finger it out the hole.
Member
Mar 31, 2011
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Cambridge, ON
n0thing wrote: Fill with water so it floats up. Then finger it out the hole.
Gives new meaning to "toping up your headlight fluid"...
Buying things you don't need is what RFD is all about.
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