changing headlights. someone please help!

I have a 1993 1rzh hiace and my headlights are so dim I nearly rolled the van last night. bought new bulbs but can't find anything online on how to change.

mine dosent have the screw in the door frame trick.

how on earth do I gain access?!

no screw trick inside door for me, nothing under that cover either

Haha - the screw is there !

I have the same layout...
But I can't recall where the screw is... but it might be behind the plastic cover. Sorry for my bad memory.

Have a very careful look at the main reflector: is it dull matt? If so, simply order 2 brand new headlamps from your toyota dealer. That's the only cure.

GPW wrote:

Haha - the screw is there !

I have the same layout...
But I can't recall where the screw is... but it might be behind the plastic cover. Sorry for my bad memory.

Have a very careful look at the main reflector: is it dull matt? If so, simply order 2 brand new headlamps from your toyota dealer. That's the only cure.

There isnt anything behind the cover except the door hinge. Had it off already. That bottom plate isnt plastic. Its metal. you can take the bottom screw out, but the top is a fastner and ive spent hours around and under the car trying to figure it out.

finding a fuel leak was easier than this!

Nothing wrong with my glass, its just the bulbs need doing - as they should every 3 years or so.

Not the glass, the silver reflector. They get smokey and matt in those lamps. Not sure why.



There's only 1 screw, I think you removed it already. The indicators slid out directly forward. BUT, you'll need to jiggle, with care, because age can cause swelling of the nobbles that clip them in. Easy easy, jiggle, straight forward.

Thats all well and good, but i dont have indicator lights like in the other posts etc. Theyre just one solid light. I cant even find photos of another van that dosent have side indicators that are separate

Are you saying i try to slide that whole glass portion forward?

and what about that fastner thats at the top of the panel mirroring the bottom screw? Surely thats attatched to something no?

ok, so that fastner at the top of the metal panel is attatched to the back of that large side light assembly. if i poke it with a screwdriver the light assembly moves a tiny bit, but it sure as hell aint just wiggling out. That faster is wedged tight.

My headlamps and indicators are identical to yours.
The top knob is just a locator. Ignore it.
The difficult clips that need coaxing actually connect with the main headlamp.

Slide it in the direction you drive, straight. Forward. Jiggle and coax, don't force.

its not even moving a touch. not a hair. :/

all im manaing to do here is chip the paint and make squeaking noises

alright! the drivers one came right off with no effort. the passenger one - which is the one ive been trying all day is being a little bitch.

Sometimes the metal pins rust, swelling, which jams the plastic locating knobs in. Time, and if you can get some WD40 in there, is the only way IME.
But at least from the lamp you freed, you can see how it works.
When I put mine back in, I ground the pin a little smaller so it was possible to remove it again if I needed to. Also use a dab of plumbers silicone grease when refitting, on any metal bit..

Good luck!

On my camper there is a dust cover around the front door hinges remove them, they cover a screw holding in the indicators which you can then detach. I know yours is different lights but might be a similar arrangement

https://youtu.be/rNwBv8pcxkg

Here’s how I took mine out, not the exact type, but similar so hope it helps. As others have said it might be rusty so try spraying some pb blaster in to loosen things up? Also using anti seize when you reinstall might help keep it from rusting.