I thought this would be easy, but have ended up with a few questions that hopefully the community can answer.

Firstly, all videos I have watched (including Haynes), simply pull away the wiring plug .. without using force, mine does not appear to do this. Can someone look at the attached picture and say if I should 'release a clip'? I have attempted to illustrate the location with the key. I have cautiously tried to lever this 'clip' but it is very thin, makes a snap/clicking sound, and makes me think it will break.

There is actually enough flex for me to just about dislodge the headlight housing to replace the bulb, but ... after a very long wait at Europarts (struggling guy on front desk), my wife and I ended up in an interesting conversation with the other customers. This was because I was asking about brighter bulbs, and my wife's concern about blinding people. A kindly chap mentioned about cleaning the lense with toothpaste, but he said it would be the outside.

Nb for years, the headlights have been appalling .. can someone have a look at the attached pictures and give their point of view on the 'state' of the lenses? The dipped lenses on both sides are not clear, but to my eye, the glass looks to be magnified, causing the appearance of 'unclear glass'. That said, the side with working bulb has something on it, but maybe condensation considering the time of year????

Do the lenses need cleaning? If so, how on earth do you do it, as tge probkem appears to be on the inside (bulb side) of the lense ... being behind the gkass of the headlight housing ... this goes back to my initial question of completely removing the housing, needing to remove the wiring plug.

You can clean the inside of the lens, but much easier when you get it removed. 1st attack is a narrow nozzle vacuum cleaner, blocking the hole as best possible to increase the suction. 2nd attack is gently using a long wooden spoon handle covered in a MF cloth (anything metal is a risk if the cloth slips and scratches the inside of the lens). If needs be, lightly spray the cloth with water, just a mist, not soak, and rub it gently on the inside of the lens. This'll remove dust etc. As to the removal of the cable, there is a clip release, at least there was on my Focus, but can't remember how to do it. @unofix helped me out at the time...

1 hour ago, ChrizK said:

Firstly, all videos I have watched (including Haynes), simply pull away the wiring plug .. without using force,

They all Starmer lie. You need to depress the latch where you have your key AND at the same time insert a large flat blade screwdriver between the plug and the socket and give it a twist to push the two half's apart.

29 minutes ago, unofix said:

They all Starmer lie. You need to depress the latch...

The good news is, that even if you do 'break' it, the friction fit of plug & socket is so tight that it'll push back on with virtually no chance of separating... (yes, I speak from experience LOL)

1 hour ago, unofix said:

Quote

They all Starmer lie. You need to depress the latch where you have your key AND at the same time insert a large flat blade screwdriver between the plug and the socket and give it a twist to push the two half's apart.

Doh, I was prying the clip out rather than pressing it in ... just as well I stopped and asked!
Excellent instructions, and thank you for the edited picture, really helpful.

(you would have hoped that Haynes Manuals would bother to provide this detail, which is fairly important ...accepting that you can get away with breaking it)

 

2 hours ago, StephenFord said:

1st attack is a narrow nozzle vacuum cleaner, blocking the hole as best possible to increase the suction. 2nd attack is gently using a long wooden spoon handle covered in a MF cloth (anything metal is a risk if the cloth slips and scratches the inside of the lens). If needs be, lightly spray the cloth with water, just a mist, not soak, and rub it gently on the inside of the lens. This'll remove dust etc. @unofix helped me out at the time...

Thank you for the cleaning method.  Now knowing how to remove the wiring plug, I may give it a go when I have time ... daughter grabbed keys as soon as I replaced the bulbs, and off she went 🫠
NB having the two bulbs fitted, the 'mist' shown in the photo was only on that side, so I don't think it is condensation, and well worth clearing.

As ever, thanks to everyone who replied, and so quickly.  You guys* are brilliant ...Happy New Year to you all, may 2025 be great for you.

(*non gender specific, if anyone had a doubt 🥰)

Had a go at cleaning the inside if the lense, but pretty much failed miserably.

The diameter of a wooden spoon + cloth gave very little wiggle room. To make things worse, the access is blocked by ~50% internally. I am thinking of using a pipe cleaner with cuts of cloth at one end ... if I get around to it...

(Had to tightly bind the cloth to the spoon handle, and quite a way up, as surprisingly deep to reach lense .. masking tape had better glue than I thought and spoiled madams cotton cloth!)

Still had trouble with the wiring plug, but did manage to get it off by gradually edging the bottom. I think the clip is pushed up as I had initially tried (have tried to illustrate rotating screwdriver in pucture), but it is a poor design to dislodge from a 'lug' in the opposing piece (highlighted in other picture). I had to alternate from edging the bottom to un-notching using the clip.

(Tried to push, as I interpreted the suggestion, but I couldn't get any movement in that direction)

On 12/30/2024 at 11:57 AM, ChrizK said:

 

Nb for years, the headlights have been appalling .. can someone have a look at the attached pictures and give their point of view on the 'state' of the lenses? The dipped lenses on both sides are not clear, but to my eye, the glass looks to be magnified, causing the appearance of 'unclear glass'.

 

The lenses in the dipped-beam housing are exactly that - lenses - they focus and project the light that has it's source behind them - IMO there is nothing to clean and your lenses look fine.

My the-same Fiesta headlights are very good and throw a clear and bright pattern. If your photo is a true 'brightness/yellowy colour' of your lights, then there's something wrong.

Start with the cheap but excellent Bosch 'Pure White' H7 bulbs, and go from there - what bulbs did you buy already?

On 12/30/2024 at 2:41 PM, ChrizK said:

NB having the two bulbs fitted, the 'mist' shown in the photo was only on that side, so I don't think it is condensation, and well worth clearing.

Difficult to tell from your description, but it's possible that the bulb is not seated properly rather than there being anything wrong with the lens.

Did you put in the new bulbs?  Are they both 'sitting' the same in both housings?

On 12/30/2024 at 11:57 AM, ChrizK said:

Nb for years, the headlights have been appalling ..

...just to get back to this - they shouldn't be.  These headlights are good.  IMO either something is wrong in the housing, the bulb isn't in the correct place, or you may even have an electrical fault which means you are not getting the correct voltage.