Dropped the front turning bulb inside headlight housing

[DrWinkler]

I need help with retrieving a bulb. The yellow turning bulb was loose when I was about to introduce it in to the front headlight assembly. It dropped and there is no way to get it out. Only thinkable solution is to uninstall the whole headlight. I tried but the 4th screw is really hard to get. HELP!!!!

4th generation SLR
Last edited by DrWinkler; Today at 12:54 PM. Reason: Wrong word. Autocorrect changed bulb for build

 

[kevinpt]

i have seen people use tape or gum to get bulbs out. if you can reach it with something try some tape and see if that works

 

[NJshadow93]

The housings are a pain to remove, just takes patience. The 4th bolt can be accessed by pulling back the inner fender liner. Just remove a couple screws and pull it back. A flashlight will reveal it. There are other methods, of course, but many have found this method the most helpful.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I did that too but in my 2003 highlander and had to remove the housing and shake it around to get it out. About an hour later it came out. It was a pain but I didn't want a eyesore in it because at the time I was trying to sell it.

 

[DrWinkler]

Good Idea

i have seen people use tape or gum to get bulbs out. if you can reach it with something try some tape and see if that works

Thanks. good idea but didn't work. Bulb was too heavy. I finally got it out using a straw and fishing nylon. First you need to get the battery out of the way. Take fishing nylon and fold in half making a loop. Pass the loop from one end of the straw so it comes out thru the other end. Find a small hole in the metal sheet aligned with the bulb socket and pass the nylon loop that comesout of the straw ans try to hook the bulb. I DID IT!!!!
With i knew how to opload a video the show the world.

 

[motorboatr]

The Straw & Nylon Line Saved the Day! Rather fish anyday!

:high5:

Thanks. good idea but didn't work. Bulb was too heavy. I finally got it out using a straw and fishing nylon. First you need to get the battery out of the way. Take fishing nylon and fold in half making a loop. Pass the loop from one end of the straw so it comes out thru the other end. Find a small hole in the metal sheet aligned with the bulb socket and pass the nylon loop that comesout of the straw ans try to hook the bulb. I DID IT!!!!
With i knew how to opload a video the show the world.

Per DrW I Used a straw, plastic with the corrugated bend and a 8" bent piece of no. 14 wire with cover still on, to coax the bulb under the line loop .. pull it tight and out of the headlight she comes!! 1/2 hour fishing vs 2-3 hours in the gravel!!

 

[Bluesky 07]

It's official - damn near any issue you may have with a 4R has a solution here. And another thanks to [MENTION=82412]DrWinkler[/MENTION] for figuring out the answer. I dropped an LED bulb into the front passenger turn signal opening, checked here, put some wire through a piece of flexible tubing, fished for about 10 minutes, and...

 

[aemravan]

that is ingenious wow...

luckily for me it only takes 1 minute to pull my lights so I would go that route, but can definitely see other applications for this. Nifty.