Off topic (Peugeot 2008) but can you help my 80-year old dad...?

[gileshudson]

My 80-year old father was trying to change the side/parking light bulb on his Peugeot 2008 GT Line (2016) a few days ago. I for my sins was trying to help him, but both our hands (looking back now) are too big to allow sufficient movement in the hole in the inner wing by which you access the rear of the headlight. 

Once the rubber cover was removed from the back of the headlight in the engine bay, the electric supply was disconnected from the bulb holder and the small metal spring clip undone that holds the H7 bulb securely in place...

Unfortunately, the clip detached fully from the headlamp assembly and headed south towards the floor to presumably be caught in some undertray, inside the wing or wherever... as it did not fall beneath the car.

The bulb of course is not now held securely, even with the the rubber backing cap put back in place. The clip on the N/S headlamp fell off completely as mentioned above and the one on the O/S unit came half off so I removed it fully for safe keeping. 

The local Peugeot dealership refitted that one then when dad took the car in to get it looked at. In retrospect, I wish I had photographed it, but I wouldn't really fancy removing the one good one again just to try and model a second from it or even to try and use it to identify a similar model on eBay etc.

I found lots of 'Peugeot' spring clip sets on the internet but (from a fleeting glimpse in the cold before it went into dad's pocket for safe keeping) I couldn't say which, if any of them, are the correct beasties.

To try and sort the other side, the dealership checked with their own mechanics in case anyone had ever removed and kept one from a damaged headlamp unit, but no-one had.

They then told my dad that there is apparently no part number for that little spring and so he would have to buy a complete brand new headlamp unit which costs £317.

I've scanned the interweb and drawn a blank.
Does anyone on here work for Peugeot that might be able to help please, or indeed, anyone who might find a part number for the little spring clip to hopefully debunk this ludicrous idea of having to buy a whole new headlamp assembly... or indeed even a second hand one?

[Wrightpayne]

Giles, What about, with assistance possibly, removing the other headlight and looking at the clip - you may be able to fashion something out of a paper clip / bit of galvanised garden wire that will suffice till a proper one can be found?

Where abouts is he in the UK?

Ian

 

[DJ.]

I had a quick look on Ebay and it is a lot cheaper to buy a used headlight assembly, so that might be one idea. Alternatively, how complicated is the clip? It might be possible to bend one up from some stainless wire.

Duncan

[Jonathan Kay]

Private Message sent.

Jonathan

[gileshudson]

I for my sins was trying to help him, but both our hands (looking back now) are too big to allow sufficient movement in the hole in the inner wing by which you access the rear of the headlight.

The clip on the N/S headlamp fell off completely as mentioned above and the one on the O/S unit came half off so I removed it fully for safe keeping.

The dealership replaced that one then when dad took the car in to get it looked at. In retrospect, I wish I had photographed it, but I wouldn't really fancy removing the one good one again just to try and model a second from it.

- Ian, he's in Wolvey (LE10) about 200 yards from my house -

[Jim 123]

Giles chances are that the clip is a generic item that the part supplier uses in all of their headlamps.  The part will be designed around the H4 bulb.  Why not go to your local car breakers yard where you should be able to pick up the part from a wrecked headlamp before it goes to scrap?

[gileshudson]

Cheers Jim (and others),
I can and will do the scrapyard route, but was trying the keyboard route initially in the hopes that someone would know of a code or definitive source.
They are H7 by the way, not H4, as the parking lights and head lights are separate in the assembly
Giles

[Jim 123]

Giles in an idle moment before heading to the pub I did a Google on "H7 bulb retaining clip" with a few results coming up. You might get a handed match for the one you have in safe keeping.

[gileshudson]

Thanks Jim, but as I said in the post I don't have the spare one as the garage refiitted it so there's too many it could be when looking online   :O)

[bosshogg]

Giles, looks like a trip to Halfords may help. These say they cover 90% of cars and h4 h7 h1 bulbs. Sods law means your Dad's will be in the 10%, but worth a shot for £1.80 without club discount!!

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-parts/electrical-lighting/headlights/halfords-headlamp-retaining-spring-h4-hfx694

Alastair

[SM25T]

Well spotted ... hope that helps the OP.

[Bricol]

Local breakers yard, or breaker dealing in Peugeots, even an on-line one.  Ask for the clip from a broken headlight - and maybe a spare for next time.  

H7 is a strange parking light bulb though . . .

[SM25T]

More like separate main and dip beam bulbs. Wouldn't use H7 as a parking light.

[Wrightpayne]

I do like a good technical challenge - I like problem solving and its interesting and useful to see other peoples solutions!!

Mental note that Halfords stock spare spring clips!

Ian

[gileshudson]

Dur, I meant separate H7 dip and main bulbs, not parking and headlight.

I joined the Peugeot 2008 Owners Group UK on Facebook too last night and had loads of similar suggestions.
In the end a chap called Steve posted a pic of the box he'd bought as a spare
It was similar to the one that Alastair posted above, except it's the 696 box not 694.

Anyway, the long and short of it is that dad's just rung from Nuneaton Halfords and the girl who went out to the car park (small hands are such a bonus) has managed to get the top clipped in but only one of the bottom ones as she says it's larger than OEM.

But it is in and held firmly apparently.

Thanks all for your help.
All hail the power of Blatchat and online forums eh  :O)

[Roadsport06]

This thread has been interesting. A cheap result, I had imagined a trip to a scrap yard and a bit of bending as a fix. I didn't know you could buy them. I assume it can be left alone now, clipping in one place should be fine.