Replace Headlight Assembly

[netrooper]

I am looking for some advice or easy directions to replacement of the left headlight assembly on my 1999 Pontiac Grand Am

[GTP Dad]

Generally the light is only held in by two metal clips. Remove them and the headlight should come right out. If you have a new one it should go right back into place, secure the metal clips and the job should be done. Just make sure you get the clips securely back in place. The adjustment should not be a problem.

[Ridenour]

The tops of the clips need to be pushed toward the engine, and then they can be slid out; releasing the headlight to the point where you can unhook the light bulbs. welcome to the forum.

[netrooper]

Thanks so much for the help. I just bought the car for my son to take to college. Great car, or at least appears to be, but headlight lenses were very cloudy and I wanted nothing to interfere with light emission.

[xeroinfinity]

netrooper, you buy those headlamp assembly's new? My 99's a little cloudy too. Like to know what causes this. I thought of replacing mine, but I bet they aren't to cheap new.
I thought they were tricky to line up the adjusters and then making sure both Metal tabs get secured on the lamp assmbly. I found being pateint was a good idea, and not breaking the rings that hold the bulbs into the assmbly. Go Grand Am's!

[vibes43]

1. Is the headlight/turnsignal assembly on a 97 removed same way as 0n 99 GA? I removed two clips but afraid to pry any harder to get parts separated.

2. fyi - Headlight lenses on my 93 escort had yellow film that couldn't be washed off. I put wool buffer pad in drill and using buffed hell outofem and they looked like new afterwards . May have use polishing compound with that.

[vibes43]

To answer my own question RE: 1997 Grand Am headlamp assy: Apparently it's not the same. I removed the two clips that appeared to hold the lens to the lamp assembly and tried to pry the two pieces apart but gave up because the plastic was cracking and parts were not separating.

So I pulled the two pins holding the top of the plastic grill to each side of the hood latch to allow the grill to be partially pulled out. Then removed the three bolts atop the headlamp assy and pulled the headlamp upwards to release the tabs on the bottom and pushed the assembly towards the center of the grill and continued to work back and forth and upwards. After working the assembly out there is enough slack in the wireing to tilt the assembly forward to unscrew the lamp holders.

That may be in the owners manual but I don't have one.

[Gir-_-]

Think I read somewhere that the white cloudyness is caused by sun damage... I eventually want to buy some clear assembly w/o the yellow plastic on the side... that'd be nice with along some new brights and all that jazz (heh, first time I used that quote)