Jeep Grand Cherokee EZ Headlight Change (2011-2020) 

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I came here to find the easiest way to change a bulb on my Jeep and the easiest way is still hard 😂😂😂

This jeep has the worst low headlight housing design. Haha

This works - Amen! A couple of things. After the air box is out, or the ECU out of the way, there is a rubber dust cap on a 3" +/- hole into the back of the projector beam. Remove this (mine pulled out, did not rotate). The bulb is inside this hole! Then turn the bulb socket clockwise and remove. DO NOT take the outer part of the socket off - the large latch on the bulb socket is all that needs to be tripped. Then, facing the front (for the Driver's side) the bulb is angled to about 2 o'clock in the flat plane to reinsert and the rotate counterclockwise to lock the socket in.

This video should be the only video for headlight bulb replacement on these grand Cherokees. I watched your video once and then was able to tackle this in about five minutes. You’re a legend

A mix between the 1st & 2nd method works well! Easier to turn the bulb for the wheel well, but everything else that goes into it is better from the top of the engine. Thanks!

Your videos are awesome. I've worked on heavy equipment all my life. So a old dog still likes to learn new tricks. Thanks again.

I changed few bulbs in GC's over the years, and there's really no easy way. I worked on many of them that were started by customers who got half way and got stuck. Most were damaged and customer had to pay to fix the damage on top of the regular charge. I even had a car from one of the "quick lube" shops that cracked the housing. You really need to know a little about cars before attempting to remove the bulb. GC are one of the most difficult cars to get into the bulbs.

Great video. I did driver's side first bulb then two months later the passenger side went. Moved computer panel aside and reached under radiator overflow bottle to try and rotate light bulb CCW about 120 degrees to remove. I could not get good grip to rotate bulb. My wife tried with her hands and no luck. So I made a lightbulb wrench from a 1 1/4 wood dowel using a coping saw. The slot is about 13/16 wide x 1/4 deep and the whole tool is 2 5/8 long. I cut two flats on grip side parallel to 13/16 slot for light bulb. With even twisting pressure the bulb turned for me. This little tool made from a hardwood dowel probably took me a half hour to cut and I was lucky to have the dowel on hand from some other project.

Thank you for helping me, your video worked unlike others I tried first, and your explanation was straightforward and understandable, excellent teacher. Thank you again.

Dude great video. Thank you for showing how to do both sides of the car. Most of the other videos only show the drivers side bulb change.

Thanks bud. I went the 1st route as far as removing weather seal on the back of the light. No further 😮. XL size hand The air filter box saved me. Thanks again. I’ll follow ya. hell yeah brother

Thanks for saving me from wasting my whole evening going these other routes. The mother board move was 👍🏽

Went into this thinking the driver side was going to be the problem child. That turned out to be the easy one, had a hell of a time finding a position that I could get enough torque to turn the passenger side. Video was a ton of help.

Tried this via the fender hole the last time. Good to know about the ECU. Thanks a bunch!

I just used method 1 and it was wayyyy easier than I thought it would be. Seemed much easier than disconnecting 3 or 4 different things under the hood. Hardest part was dosconnecting the light

Best video on here for this type of replacement. Spent over 2 hours looking at other videos that still made it complicated especially since I had no tools at all. Your video made the replacement of both done in less than 10 mintues. Just needed to replace the passenger side but good thing I checked the driver side it was ready to go out. Thank you for your easy video to follow.

Thanks for the video, I was looking for other ways to make this change out easier.

You're the real MVP for showing us this and getting right to the point! Ty!

I saw 4 other videos first, this is the 5th one I saw. 5th times a charm...this is the best one I saw. Thanks!!!

This was great, thanks🤙🏽

I found that the access in the wheel well is the best way. My right side headlight bulb was blown. It has to be removed and replaced using your left hand only for proper leverage. Once I figured this out, I was able to do it 3 times without any problem.

2018 altitude (Canada model). Mine has rubber round gaskets covering the entry into the bulb housing. Just pull these off (no need to twist). For the passenger side, I found I was able to work with both arms (left arm around through the wheel well, right arm from over the top. This helped me get the leverage to unseat the old bulb, and to reseat the new bulb. Note: I do have raccoon sized hands. I was actually able to get the old bulb out and a new bulb in place on the driver side just by going in through the wheel well. But I couldn't get the leverage to seat the new bulb, so had to remove the air intake stuff as you demonstrated. Thanks for the video, it helped me change both. Ultimately the trickest part for me was getting the new bulbs back into their rightful place and securing it with small clockwise turn.

I’m part grizzly bear and part human my hands were already having trouble entering through the mud guard but your video help out allot!! Thank you!

For the passenger side reach under the radiator overflow reservoir parallel with the radiator for better leverage to remove the bulb.

What side do we to turn it to remove it?

I wish I saw your video last year! I replaced the passenger side through the hole in the wheel well and it torn my hand and wrist up. I have big hands and it was a nightmare! Now the driver side is out and im very glad I decided to search it again. Great video

Need to try it

Thanks man. Trying this tonight!

Thank you sir! This is the first “second option” video I’ve seen all day!

very good tips, thanks a lot👍👍👍

Super helpful! Really appreciate the video, thank you!

Quick informative video. Too bad mopar made it so hard. Thank you

I tried all the other ways to change the passenger low beam and your way to move the computer was the best !!!! Thank You !!!!

Thank you. This was very helpful.

Have a 2016 Summit. Is it one bulb for the high and low beam? Also does it have to be replaced with the same type? It's HID, but the LED are much cheaper.

Thanks for the info and tips!

How do you adjust the headlights? We can only find one adjuster for up and down. Low beams are shining to the sides, not forward.

Great information..thanks

Great descriptions! THANKS

I was able to grab the connector thing from underneath but I can't pull it out. I was able to turn it back and forth but it wouldn't come out

super thanks!❤

Have question,,,,,,,, when reaching where I can't see and didn't see in video. What exactly am I feeling for? Dinfinitly not doing under wheel well. that sound bad, am glad to have that explained BEFORE I did it........A hole/panel, then feeling for a bulb? is there only one I will be able to feel in that direction. I have changed headlights before, just not on this vehicle.. It seem kinda intimidating, but committed. Changing main headlight Sincerely, Kelley

Thanks buddy. Great info

Best video so far on this, thankyou

Loved your video. Thank you

Well, as I commended to you several days ago about the passenger low beam replacement, which also as I said went perfect because of your RU-vid, the drivers side low beam went out. Personally I think the car computer does planned obsolescence. Anyway , So I watched your video again about the drivers side low beam and as I suspected it went easy based on your RU-vid . Someone mentioned the windshield washer container was still in the way ..... it was not in the way for me at least. Thanks Again for taking your time to do the RU-vid video !!!!!

Thanks for the knowledge on both sides.

Thanks for this video

Why are there 2 different types of headlight housing. I got a 2016 and they look like the ones in your video but on some others of the same yr have different style ones ???

Thank you for doing this.

Thank you. This will be my small next project

Thank you so much!!! Was going to take it to a buddy's shop but don't have too. I did it the last way. Thanks again!

I am so glad I watched this. If I drop the bulb in, I am just gonna buy a new car 😂

Thanks mate, that was super helpful. Took me 10mins

Really helpful. Thanks!

You didn’t tell us how to remove the connector from the housing. Had my hand on it from the fender and the engine compartment but not sure what to do from there. Pull? Twist?

Thanks for the great video. By far the best I've seen. Definitely a tricky task for both the driver and passenger side.

Thanks

We followed your instructions and got as far as taking the cap off. However, our "lightbulb holder" looks like a set of 8 teeth (2 for each cornere). To get the bulb out, instead of rotating it like you mentioned, we rocked it back and forth and it came out. The square base is held in with these teeth. But how do we get it back in?

This is the best video on the subject. Thank you for posting it.

Nice thanks 🙏

Thank you. Thank you sir you saved me from whole lotta blood and sweat 👍🏾

By any chance do you know where I’d be able to get a replacement cap for the hole by the wheel?

Thanks great video

well i was afraid to pull out the air filter housing but will, try it ..it doesn't look that easy since that plastic bolts are very tight..not sure how to pull it out ....

Pull the fasica off, the headlight housing assy out and then yu can turn it upside down and fish the dropped bulb out. I did it too, but it was during an HID upgrade so I Had it all apart anyway :)

You saved me time and money great video

Thanks u

Awesome bro,quickest method I have seen yet

Much easier. Still managed to scrape some knuckles, but that's where the fun is. Super quick too! Thanks

Start to finish with computer move less than 5 minutes. Again ..... Thank You for the video !!!

Does it use a different bulb for low or high beam? Thanks

Kurt, you are awesome! Bad design by Jeep. I never had to do this on my old Ford Taurus or my wife's Honda van.

I did mine last night, the driver side was pretty easy to get everything off, but the passenger side was truly horrible due to the low beam not wanting to turn and my hand being too big I think. Now after I finished my Jeep check engine light is on and I feel like my jeep is running sluggish, not sure what happened. Any suggestions??

Thanks!

Thanks for this it helped me from spending $100 to have the dealership to do it

Hello Kurt! Great video! My situation is different on my 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. My bulb is good but there seems to be a bad connection because when I turn on the headlights, the passenger side headlight doesn’t turn on. When I put my hand on the housing and tap it, the headlight comes on. Any suggestions?

Best video on this

Thanks for this. Got it done and only swore twice.

Ya I have a 2016 jeep grand Cherokee..i had to change out the head light. So i went through the access point. It was easy.

For the passenger side, I could get my fingers onto the base of the bulb but the angle was so bad I had no leverage to be able to rotate it out. After about an hour and half of trying every angle possible, and cursing the whole time, I called my girlfriend who did it in about 5 minutes. If you have medium to large male hands, save yourself a ton of frustration and find someone with smaller hands to help you out.

Thanks dude

My hero

I’m gonna try this today. I tried it yesterday but didn’t go that far with the intake. I’ll let you know the outcome

For a 2017 GC Trailhawk, This works great if you're swapping the out passenger high beams, but the fn lowbeams are housed in a separate tube that impossible to reach into without summoning the devil.

Where are the brights?

My '18 has rubber cups which are falling apart and had to buy new $12 each. The bulb is also H11.

Saved my life

Thanks! I also added making a bulb turning tool in a comment.

I solved the problem with the tight space with a wooden jig. I wish I could upload a photo to the comments, but I can't so I'll try to describe it so people can make one themselves. DM me if you want one. I used a simple block of wood 1.25" square and 3.25" long. I used a chopsaw to carve a slot on one end the same width as the square housing on the light. My new light was exactly the same, so that helped. I removed the ECM and slid my arm in under the coolant overflow tank, turned the wood until it fit over the bulb housing and it turned easily. If it's tight, both will come out together.

Thanks this was extremely helpful

Some additional tips for the passenger side. Turn your tires full lock to the driver for better access from the wheel well. The light bulb turns counter clockwise to remove, clockwise to install. Take note of the bulb position when removing so you know the proper position to reinstall.

My headlights burnout fast. It's annoying getting them changed every 6 months. They make it so complicating to do it yourself. Thanks for your video

Thanks for the video! Moving the air box wasn’t bad but it was pretty hard to fit your hand around the corner to get the lightbulb out. However, it is doable! Thanks!

Great video. 2015 jeep. I want to see someone do it via the wheel well on a 2015. I don't think it is possible.

Great video! I picked up the Sylvania H11 bulbs, went to replace the passenger side one and it doesn't fit. The OEM is a H9. The difference is that there is a divider piece in the middle of the female end that is different. The OEM has a 2 dividers, one at both the top and bottom while the H11 has a single one that extends into the middle so you can't plug it in. Any thoughts? Mine is a 2019.

Worst part i found was to release bulb from housing it had gravel in it and wouldn't twist all way kept going back and forth while applying pressure down counter clockwise on bulb and bingo.

Hey bud. Solid vid on a common problem. Keep up the good work.

You forgot to mention the retaining ring that actually holds the bulb in. Trying to force the bulb to turn will reck your housing. The ring is locked when the two tabs are at 10 and 4. Rotate ccw to 7 and 2 to loosen.