97 neon headlight replacement

[yugdlo]

for starters let me say that I am brand new to this forum. I found it while googling for answers on my daughters neon. The headlights are beyond polishing so I am going to replace them. I looked through the posts and found one on polishing the lenses and it mentioned replacing the assemblies but did not have any details. the post mentioned a bolt down inside the quarter panel. That may be my sticking point because I have removed 5 bolts that are easily accessable and the thing will move but it will not come out. Anyone know exactly where this bolt is that was mentioned in another post?

Thanks for any insight you may have

[denisond3]

Yup. If you look at the drivers side headlamp as if it were a clockface; at about the 4 or 5 o'clock position, that last bolt is recessed back beside the headlamp a couple of inches - at the height where the fender meets the bumper. Unless your headlamp rubber gaskets have fallen apart like ours, you may need to shove the rubber out of the way - and use a flashlight to see in there. I get to it with a 1/4" drive 10mm socket on a 6" extension. The passenger side headlamp mirrors this of course.
It hasnt seemed to matter that I didnt re-install that 5th bolt, but then the car doesnt get driven on bumpy roads much.
The new headlamps made a BIG difference for night driving!

[yugdlo]

Thanks for the info. I'll go have a crack at it this morning.

[yugdlo]

OK, I found them and got them out. Now about that black rubber weather seal that disintigrated in my hand when I tried to remove it. Not sure if the new ones come with one, haven't came in yet. if they don't, is there any harm in doing with out them, or do I need to get new ones of those as well?

[denisond3]

As far as I can tell, the rubber grommets are not needed. Ours are moribund. I think it was originally done for looks and to keep the aerodynamics as sweet as possible.