How to Change a Headlight in a Nissan Pathfinder

Most owner's manuals have a do-it-yourself section to help with routine maintenance, such as headlight replacement.

Many car owners choose to do simple maintenance on their cars themselves rather than paying a car mechanic to do the job. Replacing the headlight on some cars is complex and requires the removal of the front wheels and bumper. However, replacing a headlight on a Nissan Pathfinder is simple enough that most car owners can do it.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
New headlight
1

Turn off your Nissan Pathfinder's engine. Engage the emergency brake. Pull the hood release located under the dash board. Open the hood.
2

Reach into the back of the burned out headlight, and unplug the electrical connector from the bulb by gently pulling out the connector.
3

Grasp the retaining ring that holds the bulb in place within the headlight assembly. Twist the ring counterclockwise, and remove it from the headlight assembly. Pull the used headlight out of the retaining ring. Insert the new bulb into the ring.
4

Insert the bulb and retaining ring into the headlight assembly, and twist it clockwise until it stops. Turn the headlights on to make sure they are working properly. Close the hood.

Tips & Warnings

Replacement headlight bulbs for the Nissan Pathfinder should be 65/55 wattage and number 9007 (HB5).

Check your owner's manual for possible model year discrepancies in headlight replacement steps.

Turn off the headlights before servicing them to prevent electrical shock.

Do not touch the glass part of the headlight bulb with your hands. The oils from your skin can create hot spots on the bulb that cause it to burn out prematurely.