Can anyone tell me how to get the plug off of the back of my headlight bulb?

I have a 2001 VFR and I am trying to change the right side headlight bulb. I cannot get the plug off the back of the bulb. I looked in the service manual and tried pushing in on the sides of the plug and pulling rearward, but it will not budge and I don't want to break anything. Any ideas? My fingers are really sore at this point. This seems like something that should be really easy to replace. Thanks, David.

 

You need to squeeze the plug on both sides. Try pushing the plug back on first, then squeezing and pulling. Do not remove the retainer ring before pulling the wires off. And you do not ever need to remove the retainer, you need to unhook it only. Do not remove the little screw that is holding it to the housing. The retatiner just unclips from the housing.

 

Thank you both for the speedy replies. How hard do I need to be pushing in on the sides of the plug (I should be able to do it with my fingers, right?)? I will try pushing in on the plug and then pulling to see if that helps. This is the 1st time a headlight has been replaced in this bike so there is a good chance it is just stuck. I tried unhooking the retainer spring 1st but I can see that that is not going to happen. Thanks, David.

 

Just pull hard!!! Those buggers really like to clamp on sometimes. Wiggle it as you pull on the connector helps too.

 

I'm changing both of mine this weekend and planning on removing the fairing to get at 'em easier. (Big hands)

 

You know what they say about guys with big hands don't you?? ...... Big gloves!! :biggrin:

 

I took a little break from headlight changing until tonight. I tried and tried on Wednesday pushing, pulling, twisting and wiggling the connector but it would not budge (I was pulling so hard that I could hear the retainer spring/plastic creaking.) So tonight I took my dear old Dad's advice and sprayed a little WD-40 in the little gaps of the connector and voila!!!.....that little plastic connector practically Jumped off the back of the headlight bulb about two minutes later.

I think the combination of time+heat+a little corrrosion were the cause of my problem. After another 30 minutes learning how to unhook the retainer spring I was home free. Thanks to everyone for their help.

--David.