At 200,000 miles my bulbs were starting to fail often. Mainly the left one but when the right went out at the same time on the drive home one day, I stepped up needing to get it done. Hitting the Park/On button to reset them was getting a bit much.
I had originally scheduled a Tesla Service appointment but when I was quoted $120 for each bulb and $470 for the ballast each headlight, I decided I would see if I could do this on my own. Total bill would have been $1,400.
I wanted to give a walk through of how I replaced my 2013 Model S headlight bulbs and share with the community. Hopefully there might be a few people who can use my example as well as other great write ups including one from @xAgyex, because they were help to me as well! This will be rather long and I will try to use pictures as often as I can because every once and a while the write ups I was looking assumed to do a particular thing but may have skimmed over it leaving me to guess. Feel free to glance or keyword search wherever you need if it’s too wordy!
Parts:
HID Bulb- I got mine from @uscgreel at ReelDealEV. Originally I had thought I would do the ballasts as well, but he was out. So I took a $120 chance that it would be just the bulbs and I’d still come out about $1,300 ahead Tesla Model S Headlight replacement ballast and D3S bulb — ReelDeal EV - EV Car Parts and Accessories
Fastener clips- I’ve had this are since 89k on the odo so I knew most if not all the clips were 9 year old plastic facing salt and gravel road conditions. The tool that came with it was quite useful after I was able to pry the ‘rivet’ up with a flat screwdriver. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKV7JHJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Tools:
3 Ton Jack Boss Jack lift- https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Boss-Hy...6547126&sprefix=jack+boss+3+to,aps,330&sr=8-3
Chirano Lifting Jack Pads- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084VTSDXK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wheel Lug cap remover- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q5MLYLJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Flathead Screwdriver
Latex/Nitrile gloves
Eye protection goggles
21mm deep socket
10mm socket
Impact Wrench (or breaker bar)
Tekton Torque Wrench- https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-Torqu...ive&sprefix=trekton+tor,automotive,130&sr=1-3
Patience
---
Turn off HVAC/Radio/Lights. This was easier ahead of time when it came to make sure I could determine success or failure with the lights and any sounds they would make (they did, more on that later)
I put some wood on the back tire on the side I was working on
Used the jack pad and put it into the lift point. Slowly listened to the aches and squeaks of a 9 year old car as it went up in the air.
Used the impact wrench to drive out the 21mm nuts.
I made sure to diagram them where they went, just to make sure they would go back nicely. I’m sure I could’ve swapped them around but I didn’t want an extra variable.
Unrelated to the lightbulb job, I took time to inspect the brake pads.
All the old plastic fasteners. Most were the same size. Some where more difficult to get out than others
To pry them out without the least amount of damage I used a flathead screwdriver to release the ‘rivet’ for lack of a better term, then used the fastener tool that came with the box from Amazon. For the most part it worked out well. A few broke in the lining and one probably needed to be drilled out but came off when I pulled the liner.
Probably overkill, but I numbered each one of the fasteners to where they went in hopes if there were fit problems I could keep them in the same place. Also helped me keep track of how many I needed to take care of. 15 if you’re asking.
Two 10mm bolts underneath and a few fasteners
With the fasteners and bolts of (one 10mm behind the shocks) I pulled the panel down revealing the temperature sensor in the middle. Because I was unsure how to clip it, I just set it down under the rotor/bumper with it still clipped. Oddly, on the right side there was a clip on the wire and the temp sensor that didn’t give as much slack
Bunch of road cruft back there and a lot more fell down when the felt was removed.
I had originally scheduled a Tesla Service appointment but when I was quoted $120 for each bulb and $470 for the ballast each headlight, I decided I would see if I could do this on my own. Total bill would have been $1,400.
I wanted to give a walk through of how I replaced my 2013 Model S headlight bulbs and share with the community. Hopefully there might be a few people who can use my example as well as other great write ups including one from @xAgyex, because they were help to me as well! This will be rather long and I will try to use pictures as often as I can because every once and a while the write ups I was looking assumed to do a particular thing but may have skimmed over it leaving me to guess. Feel free to glance or keyword search wherever you need if it’s too wordy!
Parts:
HID Bulb- I got mine from @uscgreel at ReelDealEV. Originally I had thought I would do the ballasts as well, but he was out. So I took a $120 chance that it would be just the bulbs and I’d still come out about $1,300 ahead Tesla Model S Headlight replacement ballast and D3S bulb — ReelDeal EV - EV Car Parts and Accessories
Fastener clips- I’ve had this are since 89k on the odo so I knew most if not all the clips were 9 year old plastic facing salt and gravel road conditions. The tool that came with it was quite useful after I was able to pry the ‘rivet’ up with a flat screwdriver. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XKV7JHJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Tools:
3 Ton Jack Boss Jack lift- https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Boss-Hy...6547126&sprefix=jack+boss+3+to,aps,330&sr=8-3
Chirano Lifting Jack Pads- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084VTSDXK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wheel Lug cap remover- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Q5MLYLJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Flathead Screwdriver
Latex/Nitrile gloves
Eye protection goggles
21mm deep socket
10mm socket
Impact Wrench (or breaker bar)
Tekton Torque Wrench- https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-Torqu...ive&sprefix=trekton+tor,automotive,130&sr=1-3
Patience
---
Turn off HVAC/Radio/Lights. This was easier ahead of time when it came to make sure I could determine success or failure with the lights and any sounds they would make (they did, more on that later)
I put some wood on the back tire on the side I was working on
Used the jack pad and put it into the lift point. Slowly listened to the aches and squeaks of a 9 year old car as it went up in the air.
Used the impact wrench to drive out the 21mm nuts.
I made sure to diagram them where they went, just to make sure they would go back nicely. I’m sure I could’ve swapped them around but I didn’t want an extra variable.
Unrelated to the lightbulb job, I took time to inspect the brake pads.
All the old plastic fasteners. Most were the same size. Some where more difficult to get out than others
To pry them out without the least amount of damage I used a flathead screwdriver to release the ‘rivet’ for lack of a better term, then used the fastener tool that came with the box from Amazon. For the most part it worked out well. A few broke in the lining and one probably needed to be drilled out but came off when I pulled the liner.
Probably overkill, but I numbered each one of the fasteners to where they went in hopes if there were fit problems I could keep them in the same place. Also helped me keep track of how many I needed to take care of. 15 if you’re asking.
Two 10mm bolts underneath and a few fasteners
With the fasteners and bolts of (one 10mm behind the shocks) I pulled the panel down revealing the temperature sensor in the middle. Because I was unsure how to clip it, I just set it down under the rotor/bumper with it still clipped. Oddly, on the right side there was a clip on the wire and the temp sensor that didn’t give as much slack
Bunch of road cruft back there and a lot more fell down when the felt was removed.