How To Change Headlight On 2011 Malibu

2008-2012 Chevrolet Malibu Headlight Bulbs Replacement Guide
How to replace the low / high axle, turn signal & side marker bulbs in the headlight of a 2008 to 2012 GM Chevy Malibu.

Replacing the headlight bulbs in a seventh generation (2008-2012) Chevy Malibu does require at to the lowest degree partially removing the forepart bumper in order to unbolt the headlight associates and access the bulbs. I've replaced headlight bulbs on many vehicles and the 08-12 Malibu is by far the nearly time consuming i. But it'south not a hard process if yous follow the steps below.

08-12 Malibu Headlight
Black Plastic Radiator Cover
Remove 10mm Bolts This automotive maintenance "how-to" guide was specifically written to assist owners of the seventh generation (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012) General Motors Chevrolet Malibu in replacing a burnt out depression beam, loftier axle, plow signal or front side marker seedling in the headlight assembly.

Owners of other related GM vehicles such as the Buick Imperial, Buick LaCrosse, Saab nine-5, nine-three, Opel Insignia, Saturn Aura, Cadillac BLS, Fiat Croma, Opel Vectra, Signum and Pontiac G6 may also find these DIY instructions to exist helpful.

Replacement headlight bulbs for the 08-12 Malibu include the following with their function numbers: Depression Beam # H11, High Beam H9, Front Turn Betoken 4157NA, and Front end Side Marking 168.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a 7mm socket, a 10 mm socket, a ratcheting wrench, a flat head screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers.

10mm Bolt By Hood Latch
Different Bolts At Heart
Two Types of Bolts The start pace is to remove the eleven 10mm bolts and iv black plastic pop rivets that hold the radiator embrace in place.

9 of the bolts are the exactly the same only there are two 10mm bolts with larger heads on either side of the hood latch mechanism near the front end of the vehicle.

Pry Out Centre of Rivet
Pull Out Center of Popular Rivet
Pull Out Plastic Fastener To remove the four blackness plastic pop rivets near the front border of the radiator cover, pry out the center slice first with a flathead screwdriver and then pry out the outer piece from the cover.
11 Bolts & 4 Plastic Fasteners
Remove Radiator Comprehend
Front Wheel Once you are done removing all of the bolts and pop rivets, fix them bated in a safe place such as a pocket-sized parts case or in a Tupperware container. Y'all should have two large caput 10mm bolts, 9 regular caput 10mm bolts, and four black plastic pop rivets with their center pieces.

Carefully elevator off the radiator cover and set information technology aside in a rubber identify.

Turn Wheels To Left
Remove 7mm Screws To make more room to piece of work in the wheel well liner expanse, turn the steering cycle all the manner to the opposite side of your burnt out headlight bulb.

Some people may choose to remove the wheel entirely for easier access to the cycle well liner.

If you plan on replacing both headlight bulbs at the aforementioned fourth dimension, it may be easier to simply remove both front wheels and secure the vehicle with two jack stands.

Move to the front of the vehicle and lay down beneath the front bumper. Locate the black 7mm screws along the black plastic underbody cover and remove them with a socket or wrench.

There is besides 1 black plastic rivet that needs to be removed per side of the underbody cover.

If you are simply replacing bulbs in one headlight associates, you'll only demand to remove 4-6 7mm screws and 1 pop rivet.

Pry Out Xmas Tree Fastener
Four 7mm Screws & 1 Rivet
Bicycle Well Liner Next move to the wheel well liner and locate the blackness plastic pop rivets or "Christmas Tree" fasteners that agree it in place.
Pry Out Christmas Tree Rivets
Pull With Needle Nose Pliers There are iii plastic rivets forth the edge of the bicycle well liner and one a few inches in towards the engine bay.
Iv Bike Well Clips Removed
Pull Dorsum Wheel Well Liner
Organize Bolts & Screws Once all four wheel well fasteners have been removed, you lot can peel back the liner in club to admission the final ii 10mm bolts that hold the bumper cover in identify.

Exist sure to keep all of the bolts, screws and rivets organized for easy re-associates later.

Forepart Bumper Cover Subclass
Two 10mm Bolts
Remove 1st 10mm Bolt There is ane 10mm commodities closer to the wheel well and another a few inches in towards the front of the vehicle.

The closest 10mm bolt needs to be removed entirely. The 2nd inner commodities only needs to be loosened a bit.

Outer Commodities Removed
Liner Propped Open up
Loosen Inner 10mm Bolt To make it easier to remove the get-go bolt and loosen the inner bolt, prop open the wheel well liner with some rags, a rubber mallet or another soft particular that won't harm the trunk work.
Pull Off Side of Bumper
Inner 10mm Bolt Still In Place
Pulling Off Bumper Comprehend One time the bolt closest to the cycle well has been removed and the inner bolt has been loosened a few turns, you lot tin gently pull the bumper cover abroad from the side of the vehicle.

If the side of the bumper doesn't pull away with moderate forcefulness, you may need to loosen the inner 10mm bolt a few more turns. Endeavor to avoid removing it entirely, since it may be difficult to re-insert.

Pull Off Top of Bumper
Headlight Bolts Accessible
Side 10mm Bolt Move to the front of the car and gently pull the bumper cover away from the headlight assembly.
10mm Socket - Remove Bolt
Remove Front Lower Bolt
Two Silver Bolts - Bracket The headlight assembly is held in place past iv 10 mm bolts.

There is 1 black bolt on the side of the vehicle, one black bolt at the front of the headlight, and 2 silver bolts that concord a black plastic subclass in place just in a higher place the headlight lens.

2 Blackness Bolts, 2 Argent
Pull Off Black Plastic Subclass
Pull Headlight Housing Off Fix the four 10mm headlight bolts aside in a rubber place, preferably with a Postal service-It notation to help you remember where they get during re-associates.

Pull off the black plastic bracket above the headlight.

Now the headlight assembly can finally be pulled away from the front of the vehicle.

Plough the headlight associates upside down and gently rest information technology on the bumper. To assist avoid scratching the plastic headlight lens or the painted surfaces of the vehicle, identify a rag in between the headlight and the bumper.

Turn Headlight Upside Down
High Beam Bulb
one/four Turn Counter Clockwise The High Beam bulb is located near the center line of the vehicle and has a light blueish plastic label.

Grasp the base of the seedling with your thumb and forefinger. Rotate the base of operations 1/4 plow counter clockwise to unlock it from the assembly. Pull the bulb directly out of the headlight housing.

Pull Out Loftier Beam Seedling
Pry Off Power Connector
Power Connector & Bulb Apply a modest flathead screwdriver to gently pry off the high beam bulb's power connector.
Philips H9 Seedling 12V 65W
Insert New H9 Seedling
1/4 Turn Clockwise To Lock Avoid touching the glass function of the new halogen bulb. If you lot practice touch the bulb or it gets dirty, wipe information technology clean with a paper towel moistened with rubbing alcohol earlier installing it.

Insert a new H9 high axle bulb straight into the headlight housing and rotate the base i/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

Depression Axle Light Bulb
ane/4 Plow Counter Clockwise
Pull Out Old Depression Beam The Low Beam headlight bulb is located closer to the exterior edge of the vehicle and has a bright green plastic label.

Rotate the base of the seedling 1/4 turn counter clockwise before pulling information technology straight out of the headlight housing.

Pry Off Power Plug
Power Plug & Low Axle
Philips H11 LL 12V 55W Use a small flathead screwdriver to gently pry off the depression beam's ability connector clips and carve up the bulb.
Insert New H11 Seedling
one/4 Turn Clockwise
Sidemarker Bulb Socket Insert a new H11 depression beam bulb straight into the headlight assembly and rotate it i/four plough clockwise to lock information technology into identify.
1/four Plow Counter Clockwise
Pull Out Side Marker Bulb
# 168 Bulb The Side Marker light bulb is located at the outer edge of the headlight associates.

Rotate the side marker light socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull information technology straight out of the headlight.

Pull the side marker bulb straight out of the socket and push in a new # 168 bulb.

If you would like to have brighter side marking lights, install some compatible replacement 168 LED bulbs.

Insert the bulb and socket dorsum into the headlight and rotate it i/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

1/four Turn Clockwise
Turn Signal Bulb Socket
Pull Off Wire Loom The turn signal light bulb socket is located at the inner edge of the headlight assembly.

Gently pull the wire loom away from the rear of the headlight to brand some slack. Then rotate the plough indicate seedling'south socket 1/4 plough counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the headlight.

1/iv Plough Counter Clockwise
Pull Out Old Turn Signal Bulb
# 4157NA Turn Indicate Bulb Pull the one-time turn signal low-cal bulb straight out of the socket.

Push in a new # 4157NA (or 5702NAK) amber colored calorie-free seedling straight into the socket.

Insert the plow signal socket back into the headlight and rotate information technology 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

Alternate Bulb # 5702NAK
Re-attach Wire Loom
Line Upward Plastic Spikes Re-adhere the wire loom to the rear of the headlight housing.

It would exist a good thought to test the new lite bulb(s) now before re-assembling the bumper.

Turn the headlight dorsum over and line up the plastic spikes on the rear with the holes in the car's metal body work.

Insert Peg Into Hole
Headlight Associates Replaced
Tighten 10mm Side Bolt Button the headlight back into place until the plastic spikes are fully seated.

Insert the black 10mm bolt on the side of the headlight and tighten it with the socket and ratcheting wrench.

Insert Black Front Commodities
Re-Attach Black Bracket
Black Bracket In Place Insert the 2nd black 10mm bolt into the front end of the headlight housing and tighten information technology.

Re-attach the black plastic bracket in place over the acme border of the headlight. Insert and tighten the two silverish 10mm bolts.

Insert 2 Silver 10mm Bolts
Line Up Front Bumper
Lower Bumper Over Bracket Line upward the forepart of the bumper and gently push it towards the vehicle.

Lower the top office of the bumper over the black plastic subclass until the bumper is affluent with the quarter panel.

Top Of Bumper In Identify
Insert Bumper Side Over Bracket
Side of Bumper Installed Next insert the side of the bumper over the black plastic subclass by the bike well.
Test New Headlight Bulbs
Line Up Bumper & Bracket
Insert Closer 10mm Bolt If yous oasis't already, test the new headlight seedling(south) earlier continuing the re-associates procedure.

Pull aside the wheel well liner and insert the 10mm bolt back into the closest hole. Tighten the closest 10mm commodities and too the other ane located a few inches forward of the wheel well.

Further 10mm Bolt
Tighten Both 10mm Bolts
Bike Well Liner Line up the black plastic wheel well liner with the holes in the bumper cover and re-insert the Xmas tree fasteners.
Insert Plastic Pop Rivets
Line Upwardly Liner & Hole
Bottom Of Bumper Push all four black plastic pop rivets firmly into the wheel well until they are flush with the liner.
Insert Xmas Tree Fastener
Insert 7mm Screws
Tighten 7mm Screws Motion to the underbody embrace located below the bumper and insert the 7mm screws. Tighten the 7mm screws and re-insert the black plastic pop rivet fastener.
Replace Plastic Radiator Cover
Replace eleven Bolts & four Rivets
2 Big Bolts - Forepart Center Identify the black plastic radiator cover back over the top of the engine bay.

Replace the nine standard 10mm bolts, the two large head 10mm bolts (front heart virtually hood latch), and the 4 black pop rivets (front end edge).

10mm Bolt By Latch
4 Pop Rivets - Front Corners
Insert Center of Rivet To re-install the blackness plastic pop rivets, starting time insert the larger outer piece so push in the smaller piece into the center.
Tighten 11 10mm Bolts
Re-Assembly Complete
Test Low, High Axle, Bespeak Tighten all 11 of the 10mm bolts and close the hood of the auto to complete the job.

Exist sure to record the bulb change in your vehicle'southward service records.

Please bank check out my other 2008-2012 Chevy Malibu Repair & Maintenance Guides.