1998 Ford Explorer Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 187

Maintenance and care • back-up lamps Do not remove lamp bulbs unless they can be replaced immediately with new ones. If a bulb is removed for an extended period of time, contaminants may enter the lamp housings and affect lamp performance. Replacing headlamp bulbs Handle a halogen headlamp bulb carefully and keep out of children's reach. Grasp the bulb only by its plastic base and do not touch the glass. The oil from your hand could cause the bulb to break the next time the headlamps are operated. If the bulb is accidentally touched, it should be cleaned with rubbing alcohol before being used. To remove the headlamp bulb: 1. Make sure headlamp switch is in OFF position, then open the hood. If you are replacing the driver side headlamp, unclip the electronic module on the right side of the battery and move it out of the way. 2. Locate the headlamp bulb through the hole in the upper radiator support assembly. 3. Disconnect the electrical connector from the bulb by pulling the connector rearward. 4. Remove the bulb retaining ring by rotating it counterclockwise (when viewed from the rear) about an eighth of a turn to free it from the bulb socket, and by sliding the ring off the plastic base. Keep the ring because it will be used again to retain the new bulb. 187