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How-To: Headlight or Bulb Replacement 07-13 GMT900.


bgbdwlf2500

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For some people the low beam headlights can be changed by squeezing your hands in there and getting to them or removing the airbox on the passenger side. The issue with that is that all the other bulbs in that headlight are not accessible. There are many videos but none seemed to be straight forward enough or seemed way to hard so here it is in a few steps.

 

So here goes:

 

Socket sizes are 10 and 7mm

 

First step is removing the 8 fasteners that hold the top cover on. Flat head screw driver works just fine.

After removing the plastic cover it will reveal 4 bolts which i believe are 13mm.

After removing those remove the 2 bolts on each side that hold the plastic piece below the grill. (they are exposed on the fender well and are 9 or 10mm I think)

Next there are 6 clips that hold the grill to the truck. I used channel lock pliers and was easily able to release all the clips. Once you release them, pull them far enough back to have them disconnected from truck.

 

This is where it gets a little tricky but isn't really hard. For me, I grabbed the middle of the painted trim piece and pulled back slightly and worked my way to each side of the truck, releasing it little by little. Once you get to the very ends near the fender well, grab where the bolts were and pull it away from the truck and very slowly work your way around the curve. Because the part is actually pinched in between 2 other parts it takes a little bit of pressure to get it to pull out, and it is also held by a type of clip that doesn't need released, just a little pressure pulling straight out. Don't try to make it come out the first time, I added a little pressure each time I pulled to try to help it work its own way out. The straighter you pull towards you the better, as I said there are clips that hold it. once the 2 sides release you should be able to pull the grill and that trim piece out and set it aside.

 

Once that is out, its easy from here.

 

Each headlights is held in with 3 bolts, 2 of which are easily accessible before you did all that work as they are right on the top. The last bolt is now easily accessible as well. There is a plastic brace looking thing on each corner of the truck with a hole in it. That is your access to the 3rd bolt. Very easy to get to with a short extension. After that one is out the headlight is yours. There are 2 alignment pins on the outside edges of the light so grab toward the fender and pull that side first and then it slides out of the bottom bracket.

 

There is one main big plug that you squeeze to disconnect and then the entire headlight is free from the truck.

 

So after doing what you needed done, reposition the headlight where it goes and install the 3 bolts per light.

 

To reinstall the grill and trim piece set it up as centered as possible and start in the middle. There are good size tabs on the piece that slide into brackets that are on the bumper. So starting in the middle align the tabs and and work to both sides until the corners slide back in. Push the clips back in on the grill, reinstall all bolts and the top cover and youre done.

 

I did not have all the bulbs I needed to do what I wanted to do so I will be doing this again when I have them all and may take pics or a video of it when I do. Any questions let me know. This is how I did it, if you break something its on you :)

 

if you are changing your grill the steps are identical except you don't have to remove the headlights.

 

all in all its not bad to do, the fear of breaking that trim piece is the worst as it does take some pressure to get it free. I did not use a tool just my hands to pull on it.

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Thanks for doing this write up. GM engineers took a giant leap back from the previous gen. 2 pins on each side and the entire assembly was out.

Yes they did, I had one of those trucks as well. A hole in that trim piece in the perfect spot with a cover would be ideal for that last bolt, but even with that I'm not sure the entire headlight assembly could be gotten out with the grill in the way.

 

Nice write up, I am going to move to the How To section as a reference.

 

 

 

I had considered putting it there but wasn't sure, so thanks.

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I found it was easier to remove the painted trim piece and grille as one unit. I really didn't want to risk breaking those plastic clips on the grille. It's much easier to detach the grille from that trim piece once it's off the truck. And then replacing the two separately is a piece of cake.

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I found it was easier to remove the painted trim piece and grille as one unit. I really didn't want to risk breaking those plastic clips on the grille. It's much easier to detach the grille from that trim piece once it's off the truck. And then replacing the two separately is a piece of cake.

Guess i wasnt clear in the initial post, yes it comes off as one piece and stays together, no reason to seperate it

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Guess i wasnt clear in the initial post, yes it comes off as one piece and stays together, no reason to seperate it

 

Actually, I found it a hell of a lot easier to separate them once they were off the truck, and reinstall them separately. The grille make the assembly very top-heavy and unstable. Either you need a helper, or if you're working alone, it's best to separate them. It's very difficult to align all the necessary tabs while the grille is flopping around.

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Actually, I found it a hell of a lot easier to separate them once they were off the truck, and reinstall them separately. The grille make the assembly very top-heavy and unstable. Either you need a helper, or if you're working alone, it's best to separate them. It's very difficult to align all the necessary tabs while the grille is flopping around.

my grill was actually pretty stable on top of the trim piece. i did have the wife hold one side so it wouldnt fall off the bumper while i was trying to get it back in place. its a preference for the person doing it. :)

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