Hi!

I changed my passenger side headlight yesterday on a MK6.5. I chose to take out the entire assembly to do this because I find it's too fiddly to do without + it's getting cold now and I didn't fancy faffing with it for too long. 

Removing the unit was easy enough, as was changing the bulb but I'm having great difficulties in getting the assembly back in 'correctly'.

The assembly is back in, but it's not what you would call flush. Two of the serrated washers line up correctly, one does not - even when I did line them up exactly the unit wasn't flush. The headlight protrudes out to the side of the car marginally. It's not flush with the body of the car like the driver side headlight. I can run a sizeable Flathead screwdriver between the side of the driver side headlight and the body work - and I can wiggle it a bit too. With this refitting I can't even fit the screwdriver along the side of it - purely as measure. It's a little too high too, the gap between it and the bumper is quite significant.

My first thoughts are that it's not attached properly to the retaining clip on the inside bumper, but of course it's rather difficult to see as you're inserting it. I played with it for about an hour and a half, until I was shivering. 

Does anyone have any advice? Is it a case of holding it in the place I want it as I screw it in, or should it click properly back into a flush position?

My concern is that my alignment will now be out, which arguable will need doing anyway but in the meantime I'd like to get it back to as close to what it was as possible.

I do recall it being tricky on my mk6.5.  I found that I could change headlamp bulb without removing headlamp unit from car (very fiddly)  but sidelight bulbs needed headlamp unit removal.

I seem to think there was something (lug and socket?) between the side of headlamp and the car wing which need clicking in. I think I used to line it up and then thump the bottom corner of lamp (the corner nearest the wing) with the palm of my hand to get it to go in. 

Probably what you need to do is remove the headlamp unit, study it   , and where it fits ,   so it is clear to you what you are trying to locate with what and then have another go

Thanks isetta! I appreciate your response.

You're right about the lug/socket. That's the retaining clip I mention in my post. I do think that's the issue. I think I'm possibly being overcautious with it. I'll start again and give your suggestion a try - it probably just needs a little more encouragement to clip on and maybe a slightly different angle.

If anyone else has some tips for lining it up please share 

Yeah like isetta said there's some type of socket or lug on the side of the headlight closest to the wing. I took my headlights out to change my sidelights to LED and I'm sure it was this that took a bit of time to get in right. It from what I remember you should hear it click. Do be careful when removing your grill to get to one of the bolts as one of the previous owners on my car snapped one of the top clips off the grill. Also there's that bit of the bumper between the grill and headlight. It can flex but don't bend it too much. On mine there's a little slit. 

One of the clips on my rad grill broke off also, and i was very careful, and having to flex the bumber forward to get to that screw is ridiculous

48 minutes ago, isetta said:

One of the clips on my rad grill broke off also, and i was very careful, and having to flex the bumber forward to get to that screw is ridiculous

Yeah that little bit of the bumper which goes between the grill and lights you have to be careful with. It can take a bit of bending but too much could cause it to snap off. I think my bumper is slightly misaligned from one side so don't know if the snapped clip from the grill has caused it or the bumper was removed at one point.