Ford Flex
Headlight Bulbs Replacement Guide
How to change a burnt out low / high
beam, front turn signal or side marker light bulb in a 2009 to 2019 Ford Flex.
2019 Flex Headlight |
Xenon HID Warning Sticker |
Disconnect 12V Battery |
This automotive
maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the first
generation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 &
2019) Ford Flex crossover SUV in changing a burnt out dual filament
combination low and high beam headlight bulb (either halogen or Xenon HID),
front turn signal bulbs or front side marker bulb. Owners of other Ford or Lincoln vehicle such as the Explorer, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, C-Max, Mustang, Taurus, EcoSport, Escape, Edge, Expedition, Transit Connect, F-150, Ranger, MKZ, MKC, Navigator, MKX and Continental may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. If your Flex is equipped with Xenon HID (high intensity discharge) low / high beam headlight bulbs, the compatible replacement part number is D3S. If your Flex has standard halogen low / high beam headlight bulbs, the replacement part number is H13. The other compatible replacement light bulb part numbers are as follows: Front Turn Signals 3157NA (or 3457NA) and Front Side Marker 168. (Most model years are equipped with LED front side marker lights.) The tools needed to access and replace the Xeon HID headlight bulbs include a 5.5mm socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet and a Torx T10 star bit screwdriver. No tools are needed to access and replace the standard halogen headlight bulbs. Just pull off the rubber dust cap or twist off the plastic dust cover, rotate the old bulb 1/4 turn in the counterclockwise direction and disconnect the power plug. |
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Pull Off Negative Terminal |
Cover & Tuck Away |
Wheel Well Pop Rivet |
If you are
replacing a burnt out Xenon HID bulb, the first step is to disconnect the
12V battery.
The ballasts for Xenon HID bulbs operate at a very high voltage which can be dangerous. Disconnecting the negative terminal on the 12V battery and allowing some time to pass will ensure that the capacitor in the bulb ballast is no longer energized. The ballasts usually have a bleed resistor to safely dissipate the stored electricity when the power is disconnected. Disconnecting the battery is also a good idea to prevent the possibility of someone accidentally turning on the headlights while you are replacing the bulbs. Remove the "-" negative terminal by turning the nut in the counterclockwise direction with a 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet. Pull off the negative terminal from the "-" battery post, wrap it in a small towel and tuck it away on the side of the battery to help prevent accidental electrical contact. If the old light bulb was recently turned on, allow some time for it to cool off. There is a plastic dust cover on the back side of the low / high beam headlight housing. It is held in place by four small Torx T10 screws. Three of the screws can be accessed from inside the engine bay. The fourth screw can only be accessed by going in through the wheel well. Locate the black plastic pop rivet and three black metal screws on the wheel well liner. Pry out the center of the pop rivet fastener with a flathead screwdriver to unlock it. Then pry out the base of the pop rivet. Set it aside in a safe place. |
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Remove 3 Screws |
1 Pop Rivet & 3 Screws |
Plastic HID Bulb Cover |
Remove the three
screws on the outer edge of the wheel well liner by turning them in the
counterclockwise direction with a small 5.5mm socket and a 1/4" drive
ratchet. Set the three screws aside in a safe place. |
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Four Small Torx Screws |
Loosen Counterclockwise |
Access From Engine Bay |
Remove the three
screws on the dust cover that you can access from the engine bay by turning
them in the counterclockwise direction with a Torx T10 star bit screwdriver. Carefully spin out the screws the last turn or two by hand to prevent from loosing them. |
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Remove 3rd Screw |
Access In Wheel Well |
Remove 4th Screw |
The fourth screw
can be accessed by going in through the wheel well. Pull back the wheel well liner. Remove the fourth Torx T10 screw by turning it in the counterclockwise direction. |
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4th Screw Removed |
Four Torx Screws |
Pull Off Dust Cap |
Set the four screws
aside in a safe place. Carefully pull the dust cap off the rear of the headlight assembly. |
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HID Cover Removed |
Replace Rubber Gasket |
Rear of Old Xenon HID |
If the rubber
o-ring gasket on the rear of the cover comes off, push it back into place. Once the cover is out of the way, you'll be able to see the ballast on the rear of the old Xenon HID bulb. I recommend wearing rubber gloves for the next few steps for extra safety. |
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Nitrile Rubber Gloves |
12V Battery Disconnected |
Orange Power Plug |
Double check that
the headlight switch is off, the ignition switch is off and the 12V car
battery is disconnected. Locate the orange plastic electrical connector on the bottom of the old bulb assembly. |
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Press Release Tab |
Pull Off Electrical Connector |
1/4 Turn Counterclockwise |
Push in the release
button on the orange plastic power plug before sliding it straight off the
bottom of the ballast. Carefully rotate the base of the old light bulb 1/4 turn in the counterclockwise direction before pulling it straight out of the socket. |
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Old Light Bulb Removed |
66340HBI D3S 35W |
Empty Bulb Housing |
The OEM light bulb
in this 2019 Flex Limited AWD was an Osram Xenarc D3S 66340HBI 35W. Avoid touching the glass part of the new Xenon HID bulb with your fingers or anything greasy in the engine bay. |
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New HID Bulb |
1/4 Turn Clockwise - Lock |
Push On Power Plug |
If you do get the
glass part of the new bulb dirty, carefully wipe it clean with a paper towel
and some rubbing alcohol. Install the new D3S bulb into the housing and rotate it 1/4 turn in the clockwise direction to secure it into place. Push the electrical connector straight into the socket on the bottom of the ballast. You should hear or feel the power plug "click" securely into place. |
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Power Plug Secured |
Plastic Dust Cover |
Lower In Dust Cover |
Make sure that the
rubber o-ring gasket on the rear of the black plastic dust cover is securely
in place. Push the dust cover back into place on the rear of the headlight housing. |
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Dust Cover In Place |
Replace Torx Screws |
4th Screw - Wheel Well |
Replace the three
screws that you can access through the top of the engine bay by turning them
in the clockwise direction with the Torx T-10 screwdriver. Replace the fourth screw from the wheel well. |
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Replace Wheel Well Liner |
Re-Insert Pop Rivet |
Pop In Center Pin |
Push the wheel well
liner back into place. Re-insert the black plastic pop rivet and push in the center piece to secure it into place. |
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Replace Three Screws |
Tighten Clockwise |
LED Side Marker Light |
Replace the three
screws along the outer edge of the wheel well liner by turning them in the
clockwise direction with the 5.5mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet. If you have an early model year Flex with a traditional incandescent front side marker light, the compatible replacement miniature wedge base light bulb part number is 168. It might be easiest to access the side marker bulb socket through the wheel well liner. |
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Two Turn Signal Lights |
Two Bulb Sockets |
Turn Signal Bulb Socket |
The driver and
passenger side headlight housings are each equipped with two front turn
signal light bulbs.
The two turn signal lights are located near the inner edge of the housing. Locate the grey and black plastic bulb sockets from the top of the engine bay. |
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1/4 Turn Counterclockwise |
Remove Bulb Socket |
Pull Out Old Light Bulb |
Rotate the bulb
socket 1/4 turn in the counterclockwise direction before pulling it straight
out of the housing. Gently pull the old turn signal light bulb straight out of the socket. You may need to slightly wiggle the old bulb while pulling it out. |
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Push In New Light Bulb |
1/4 Turn Clockwise - Lock |
2nd Turn Signal Bulb |
The OEM bulb in
this 2019 Flex was a 3157NAK. Push a new number 3157NA or 3157A bulb straight into the socket. (Sylvania specifies that their 3457A bulb is also compatible with the 2009 to 2019 Flex.) Re-insert the bulb socket into the housing and rotate it 1/4 turn in the clockwise direction. Repeat the steps for the second front turn signal light bulb if necessary. |
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2nd Bulb Replaced |
Replace Negative Terminal |
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Once you are done replacing light bulbs, push the negative terminal on to the "-" battery post. | ||
Tighten Nut Clockwise |
Test New Headlight Bulbs |
Testing High Beam Light |
Tighten the 10mm
nut on the terminal by turning it in the clockwise direction until it is
snug. Try to avoid over tightening the terminal nut to prevent from cracking the battery post which could lead to an acid leak. To test the new light bulbs, turn on the headlights, flash the high beams and activate the hazard signals. Be sure to record the bulb change in your SUV's service records. If you disconnected the 12 volt battery, please remember to adjust the time on the clock and program your favorite radio stations before you begin driving. Please
check out all of my
Ford Flex DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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