Honda Accord Forum : “how do you replace the headlight bulbs?”

Never done it before but I found this info in a Honda Accord users forum.

"After much research, and little info on "how-to", I replaced both stock 9006 low-beam bulbs on my 2004 Accord. Despite much info on removing fenderwell splash shields, I was able to open the hood, and reach the passenger side harness, remove plug, twist and remove bulb and reinstall- no problem. Driver's side required removing the battery, but same procedure. No problems, no cuts or bruises. Owners manual is unclear, Hayes 2003-05 Honda Accord repair manual is wrong, and the dealer charges $29.95 per bulb installed. Took me 10 minutes. Tried to save the radio settings with a 9V battery in the power plug (memory-saver) but that didn't work."

Good luck.

Good post... I just did this myself on the passenger-side low beam bulb and DID NOT go through the wheel well.

Steps I took:

- Get a right-angle ratcheting screwdriver so you can loosen the three screws securing the bulb in place.  Search Amazon for "Lisle 64250" and you'll see what I bought, it's around $15.

- With the help of the ratcheting screwdriver to just do an initial loosening of the screw, carefully unscrew (by hand) and remove the screw closest to you, and the screw at the top of the "screw pyramid"... the screw closest to the hood.  For the third (the one on the other side of the bulb from you) just loosen it a couple of turns.  No need to remove it as that would be the hardest to put back in place later.  Just loosen enough so the bulb can be turned and removed from the housing.  Be careful not to drop screws into the well as they will be hard to find.

- You'll need two hands in there, but unplug the old light from the power harness.  Do this by squeezing the harness near the wire end... this will lift the plastic tab that holds the bulb in the harness and allow you to unplug it.

- Put new bulb in the housing.  Once it is in, with the same hand you should be able to hold the bulb in place while you tighten the screw you left in there.  That should hold the bulb in place fairly well to get the other two screws in place.  As others suggested I didn't touch the bulb but also didn't run into a point where I felt I had to.  I handled it from the plastic end.

- Once the holding screws are in, plug in the power harness to the new bulb.  It should click right into place.  You're done.

The whole process took just a few minutes... you'll want to do it with plenty of light available.  When I first looked this over it was at night in my garage and it looked harder than it was.  In the daylight with no weird shadows it was a no-brainer, and going in through the well wasn't necessary at all (unless maybe if you fumble-finger one of the screws and have to find it. Telescoping magnet would hopefully help in recovering).