DIY: Xenon Headlight Bulb on Infiniti QX4

How to change Xenon headlights on an Infiniti QX4 (2001-2003)

Tools required:
10mm socket and ratchet
Pliers to remove the air hose connected to the back of air box (maybe). 

Parts: 
Two D2R 85126 Xenon bulbs. I bought two Philips D2R Xenon HID Headlight Bulb (Pack of 1)

Steps:
Remove battery for access passenger side low-beam bulb and personal safety. 10mm nuts secure the battery and the positive and negative cables.

Remove air filter box on driver side.

The air filter box is secured with two 10mm nuts with washers and two 10mm bolts. Red arrows point to their location.

Remove the two hoses that go on top of the air box. One of the hoses attached to the back of the air box and may be difficult to remove. I used needle nose pliers and carefully wiggled it back and forth until the hose came off.

Remove mass air flow sensor tube from the back of the air flow box.
-Remove four 10mm bolts that hold MAF tube to the back of air box. The bolts have two small washers on them.
-You may or may not want to remove the wiring that plugs into the mass air flow sensor. Up to you, just be careful not to damage any of the wires.

-Use a Phillips screwdriver to loosen the clamp that attaches the throttle body boot to the top of the mass air flow sensor.

There is a large wiring bundle that is in the way of my air box so I removed the mass air flow sensor tube first and then removed the air box. Do whichever way is easiest for you.

You now have proper access to the headlamps.

Remove the caps that protect the headlamps by twisting clockwise. Below is a picture of what the caps look like. Note: If the caps were difficult to remove, use some 3M Clear Silicone Paste - 8 oz.

The wires attached to the xenon bulb and the clips that hold it in place are now exposed.

Gently remove the plug by twisting it counter-clockwise and pulling it out of the way. The wire plug is highlighted with a star outline below.

There is a clip that holds the xenon bulb in place. Depress each side and move the clip out of the way.  The arrows point to the clips in the picture below.

Carefully remove the old Xenon bulb by pulling it straight out. The picture below shows what the light bulb housing looks like after the bulb has been removed.

 

Here is a side by side comparison of the old and new xenon light bulbs. The old one is on the left and you can tell it is going bad because the circular ball in the middle is very cloudy. The new xenon bulb is clear.

Insert the new Xenon bulb back into the housing. DO NOT touch the bulb with your bare hands. The oils will create a hot spot on the bulb and may explode when you turn on your lights. Please wear gloves if you absolutely have to touch the bulbs.

There is a half circle and rectangular detent on the bulb that needs to be on top to be correctly inserted into the housing. You must match this up to the housing so the bulb will fit properly. Look at the picture below for the detents.

-Reinstall the clips and plug the wires into the back of the bulb.
-Turn the plug clockwise and make sure it is secure.
-Install the cap that cover by placing it over the bulb housing and turn clockwise. There is an arrow that indicates which side is up.

Reinstall the battery and turn the lights on to see if they work.

Reinstall the air filter box and mass air flow sensor tube. I installed the air filter box first and then the air filter tube. It is easier this way on my car but do whatever is easiest for you.

Make sure:
Clamp is tightened on the side facing the engine of the MAF tube.
Four bolts and eight washers are installed on the side facing the air box of the MAF tube.
Reinstall wire plug to MAF if you removed it.
Install air box with the two 10mm nuts and washers and two 10mm bolts.
The air hose that goes on the back of the filter box is reinstalled. I put some silicone grease to make removal and installation easier in the future. Super Lube Synthetic Grease works well.

You may or may not want to put some dielectric grease on the light bulb plugs. It's up to you; the bulb will work either way. I use Permatex Dielectric Tune-Up Grease to prevent corrosion and easy removal next time I change the bulb. 

Enjoy your new lights. Please do not touch the bulbs with bare hands and disconnect the battery before doing any work.

Why should you change the Xenon bulbs yourself? 
It is super easy and much cheaper than the dealership. The dealer wanted $250+ to change the each bulb. Amazon is selling the bulbs for $34+ each!



If your ballasts are bad, this replacement and installation guide will be helpful.