How do I change a lamp?

[Absolutebeginner]

I have a 2015 Pilote G600 and looking at the various lights on the front of the vehicle I cannot see how I can get at each fitting to replace a lamp. No help in the Pilote manual, It shoes the various lamps they think are fitted but not where they are on the vehicle or how to replace one. The rear lfittings all have two obvious screws securing each lens, but the front ones have nothing obvious.

 

I will try to attach a photo

[tonyishuk]

I assume you are writing about interior lights

 

If the lights have a circular bezel, it might be worth a try to see if the bezel will rotate and loosen the bulb and glass.

 

Just a thought, I have no idea what the lights look like, but may be similar to our cab lights.

 

Rgds

[Keithl]

Or are you asking about how to change a headlight bulb?

 

You mention "various lights on the front of the vehicle" and I see that your Pilote G600 is an A class so the headlights will not be Fiat (chassis looks to be Fiat by wheel style) and almost certainly a Pilote fitment. Do the headlights have any manufacturers name on them? eg Hella.

 

Keith.

[Derek Uzzell]

I have attached below photos showing the front of a 2015 Pilote Galaxy G600 motorhome (left-hand drive - though that’s unlikely to matter regarding the headlamps) plus a close-up of the headlamps.

 

The headlamps (as Keith has touched on) are very likely the 90mm-diameter Hella units that have been commonly fitted to A-class motorhomes,. I’m guessing that the bulb used in all four headlamps is an H7 55W halogen type (or possibly a H1 55W) with the outer units having an additional ‘side-light’ bulb. The 3rd photo below shows an example of a Hella 90mm unit.

 

In principle it should be fairly straightforward to change a the headlamp bulb, but (as these MHFun forum threads mention)

 

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/hella-90mm-headlights.171246/

 

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/hymer-hella-headlights-mot-failure.146587/#post-2207547

 

gaining access to the rear of the headlamp units can be an absolute swine and, in extreme cases, require removal of the motorhome’s front bumper or a front wheel-arch liner. (The bigger your hands, the harder the task...)

 

The handbook for my 2015 Rapido motorhome is the generic type covering all Rapido models for that model-year including the A-class type. The A-class headlamps used then were the small round Hella units and, although the bulb type (H7 55W) is specified in the Rapido handbook, no guidance is provided on how ro replace the bulbs. Replacing a bulb may be a pain (literally) but as this 2015 MHFacts forum thread observes, replacing a complete headlamp unit may prove to be far more challenging.

 

https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/63-rapido-motorhomes/155993-rapido-90-mm-hella-headlight-change.html

 

(For the 2017 model-year Pilote dropped the four headlamp units arrangement for their A-class motorhomes, fitting instead the single large headlamps used on ‘ordinary’ Fiat Ducato X290 vehicles. Replacing a bulb in the latter headlamps requires the complete unit to first be removed. This is easy to do (and covered in the Ducato Owner Handbook) when a motorhome retains the Ducato cab and, hopefully, will still be easy to do on Pilote A-class models that have the Ducato lights.)

[Absolutebeginner]

Thak you Derek. It is the external front headlights that are bothering me, and your photo is exactly the arrangement on my van. I have had a look from inside the bonnet and am hoping that what looks like a panel that the three fittings are mounted in will come out to give access to the back of the panel. I can see some wing nuts!!! Still not exactly accessible though.

[Derek Uzzell]

The G600 photos do suggest that the set of three lights might be in a removable panel.

 

I notice that there’s a Pilote Owners Association club (£18 annual subscription)

 

https://www.piloteowners.co.uk/home.html

 

and also a Facebook page

 

https://www.facebook.com/piloteowners/

 

though I think it’s necessary to be a paid-up member of the club to use the forum.

 

(Let’s hope the wing nuts are the answer...)