Troubleshooting low beam lamps on Lada Kalina

Low beam headlights are vehicle headlights that are used to illuminate the road surface in the direction of travel. The peculiarity of low beam headlights is that they are selected taking into account optimal road illumination at a distance of at least 60 meters. At the same time, the luminous flux is selected taking into account the avoidance of dazzling drivers of oncoming vehicles.

According to current legislation, if the car is not equipped with DRLs (daytime running lights), the low beam headlights must be turned on both day and night. The distant one turns on only in the dark to increase the visibility range. Low beam headlights are also used when stopping or parking on unlit sections of the road in the dark. In such cases, the low beam complements the side lights.

Replacement process

The lamp replacement process lasts 5-10 minutes. Experienced motorists can do it in two. No tools are needed. Let's start the replacement process:

1. Open the hood.
2. We remove the plug from the headlight where the replacement will be carried out. It is not necessary to adjust the headlights after replacing the lamp.

   The plug is marked with an arrow

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3. We remove the plus and minus wires for powering the lamp.

   The plug is removed, the cartridge is close

4. We move the latch aside.

   Move the latch aside

5. We take out the lamp. This should be done carefully enough so as not to break the old light bulb.

   Removing the lamp

6. We carry out the assembly in the reverse order.

Thus, the lamp is replaced and the car is ready for further use.

Lamp selection

Bulb type H7, do not mix it up

The low beam lamp is marked - H7.

It is quite easy to find in the car market or in spare parts stores. The most common manufacturer remains OSRAM.

On the left is a Chinese lighthouse, on the right is a domestic OSRAM

These are domestically produced lamps that have gained popularity due to the price-quality ratio.

Other good manufacturers are:

• Bosch,
• Hella,
• Koito,
• Philips,
• Valeo.

These are already higher quality lamps, which are also more expensive than the popular OSRAM. Thus, the choice of lamps is quite wide, and every car owner will have something to choose from.

LED lamps for low beam

Controversial issue. It is difficult to choose the optimal ones in terms of quality.

Appearance of diode lamps

Light diode lamps view of the hood

Light diode lamps view from the hood

Traditional headlight removal

Access to all upper and lower screws will only be possible if the front bumper is missing. After removing the screws, you can begin to remove the headlight unit, but first you should get rid of the pads and wires. First of all, let's look at the technology for removing the bumper.

You can learn how to adjust headlights yourself by reading the detailed material from our specialist.

Another common question is how to replace a low beam light bulb. Our expert will help you understand this problem.

Bumper Removal Guide

The bumper should be removed according to the following instructions.

1. Unscrew the screws securing the fender liners. There should be only four of them. Use a Phillips screwdriver.
2. At the bottom left and right you need to remove one more screw.
3. From below you also need to unscrew the three bolts that secure the bumper.
4. Remove the radiator grille and begin unscrewing the bolts that secure the car bumper.
5. Under the license plate you will find a decorative plastic grille; you also need to temporarily get rid of it. To remove it, just unscrew two bolts and apply a little effort, since additional fastening is provided by clamps. Don't be afraid to push yourself harder.
6. It remains to remove two screws in the area under the license plates.
7. To further remove the bumper, grab its edges on the sides and tear it off the latches, pointing it towards you. This element is quite light in weight, so you can handle it even without outside help.

Removing headlights

Assuming the bumper is removed, further steps to remove the headlights are as follows.

1. It is necessary to remove the bumper power beam.
2. The lower bolts that secure the headlight must also be removed. You won't find them right away, so tilt the beam slightly to the side and use a 8-mm ratchet to unscrew the two bolts.
3. There are also two top bolts. A Phillips screwdriver will help you deal with the first one, and a 8-mm wrench with the second one.
4. Disconnect the power plugs responsible for adjusting the height of the light beam and the lighting itself. The electrical adjustment plug is secured by a latch; do not forget to bend it.
5. All you have to do is grab the headlight housing with both hands and remove it.

How to replace the low beam lamp Kalina hatchback, sedan, station wagon

The replacement is absolutely easy. You don't need any special knowledge or skills to do this. Even an inexperienced car owner can cope with this task. The only thing is that you need to act consistently and clearly. So, replacing a lamp consists of the following steps:

1. First you need to open the hood.
2. Then turn off the power by removing the terminal from the battery.
3. The washer reservoir should also be removed for convenience.
4. Next, remove the rubber cover-cover.
5. Then you need to pull out the light bulb by squeezing the latch with your fingers.
6. Then the light bulb is pulled out and the terminal is disconnected from it.

This completes the procedure. It is very important to remember how the lamp was located and what wires were connected to it.

Otherwise, you may connect the new headlight incorrectly, which will require you to contact a professional. If you feel that this work is beyond your capabilities, it is better to immediately take the car to a technical service, where all the procedures will be performed for you. Of course, you will have to pay for this, but the result will be maximum.

Reasons for replacing lighting fixtures

The most obvious reason to replace the low beam is when the headlight bulbs burn out. The reasons for the failure of these parts may be different. On Lada Kalina cars of the 1st and 2nd generations, H7 type lamps are installed.

At one time, the Lada Kalina was created as a “people’s” car, affordable and unpretentious. A budget car, accordingly, cannot boast of the excellent quality of its parts, which can work without problems for several years. Low beam lamps are no exception.

Imperfection and budget are the causes of the following malfunctions.

1. Clogging due to depressurization of the flask. Due to dust ingress, overheating occurs and the lighting element fails.
2. Voltage surges in the on-board network, namely an increase in permissible values. To identify this malfunction, it is necessary to diagnose the generated voltage; the generator should not produce more than 14.4 Volts.
3. Blown fuse.
4. Violation of the integrity of the electrical circuit.
5. The output contacts are oxidized.

These are the most common factors causing low beam lamp failure. There are others, but they are extremely rare.

To figure out whether the Kalina low beam lamp needs to be replaced, or the reason is something else, you need to be able to carry out independent diagnostics. For this you will need a multimeter.

First of all, the integrity of fuses F12, F13 in the mounting block is checked. If in the dialing mode touching the terminals is accompanied by a sound signal, it means the fuses are working. If there is no signal, the fuses need to be replaced and the cause of their failure must be found out. You should also ring all sections of the circuit, especially if voltage is not supplied to the terminals.

Driving on public roads without working low beams is unacceptable. Especially in the dark, as it can cause a serious accident. For good lighting, it is also recommended to adjust the light at a car service center or do it yourself.

Replacing low beam lamps on Lada Kalina

Before starting work on replacing low beam lamps, it is worth clarifying that the Lada Kalina is equipped with two types of engines, eight- and sixteen-valve, which have different designs, and, therefore, all dismantling/installation manipulations with equipment are somehow related with an engine, will have a slightly different character.

On a sixteen-valve engine, it is more difficult to change the lamps; on the right side, if you do not have sufficient flexibility in your hands or it is large, you need to remove the washer reservoir.

And one more point needs to be clarified: when replacing one lamp, it is very advisable to change the second one (that is, both left and right), and in no case should you take the lamp by the base , since in this case dark spots will remain or it will quickly burn out.

First you need to remove the rubber plug behind which the lamps are located.

Next, the wire contacts from the lamp are disconnected.

The next step is to release the lamp from the spring.

The defective lamp is carefully removed and replaced with a new one, fixed with a holder.

The wire blocks are put in place and the tightness is checked. After replacement, it is better to adjust the headlights.

Design and features of optics on Kalina

How to change the low beam lamp on a Lada Kalina

Before you disassemble the front or rear lights or change the bulbs in the optics of the Kalina station wagon, sedan or hatchback, let's understand its structure:

• external glass designed to protect light sources and prevent moisture and dust from entering them;
• a plastic case onto which the main components are fixed;
• a rubberized seal between the headlight housing and the glass is used to ensure the tightness of the structure;
• low and high beam lighting sources, as well as turning lights;
• a plastic reflector located inside the housing, characterized by the presence of a mirror surface and used to reflect light from lamps.

If the lights are not adjusted, this can cause inconvenience not only to the car owner, but also to drivers of oncoming cars. If the car owner can properly adjust the headlights, this will allow optimal illumination of not only the road, but also the side of the road. At the same time, the optics will not blind oncoming drivers.

When the low beam is operating, only the corresponding bulbs turn on. If the driver activates the high beam, then the high and low beam sources are turned on. The headlight itself for Kalina is equipped with an electromechanical drive and can be easily adjusted using a corrector. The corrector itself is installed on the center console, so adjustments are made from the passenger compartment. The regulator is connected to the drive located directly in the headlight using wiring (the author of the video is the Lada Kalina channel).

Reasons for loss of low beam

There are several reasons for the low beam to malfunction, some of which lead to the usual burnout of the lamps. It should be noted that there is a likely tendency for a similar malfunction to recur on Kalina with an enviable frequency - one and a half to two months. Reasons for this:

1. Lack of tightness of the headlight (dust or moisture entering the bulb settles on the reflector mirror and the lamp bulb, which leads to its overheating. You can learn more about the reasons and ways to eliminate fogging of headlights at the link);
2. An upward change in voltage in the vehicle network (a voltage surge also causes the halogen headlight bulb to burn out).

There are other possible problems that cause the lack of low beam:

• failure of the fuse responsible for the proper functioning of optical devices;
• violation of the connection of the lamp plugs (oxidation or burning of contacts).

Which lamps are best to use in low beam headlights?

As a rule, on the Lada Kalina, halogen type H7 lamps from the German company OSRAM (12-volt, 55 Watt) are installed in the low-beam headlights. You can replace it with an equivalent lamp from a German manufacturer or choose, for example, a halogen light source from Philips Extreme Vision, which is distinguished by its brightness and exorbitant price. But you can approach this issue from a less expensive side, purchase, for example, lamps from GE SportLight or even simpler: buy domestic halogens. Despite the low cost, the products are in no way inferior in lighting brightness to their famous competitors.

Despite the low cost, the products are in no way inferior in lighting brightness to their famous competitors

Replacing the low beam lamp on Kalina is quite easy and simple. The main thing is to choose the right lamp, which must be marked H7 . The most common manufacturers chosen by motorists are OSRAM and Philips.

Common causes of lamp failure

The main reasons for lamp burnout are:

• the tightness of the headlights is broken, which leads to the appearance of dirt, dust or the formation of condensation inside the housing;
• fuse is blown;
• unstable generator voltage, in particular increased voltage, which caused overheating of the fuse link;
• poor condition of wiring, oxidation of contacts.

In addition, lamp failure can occur for the usual reasons - the service life has reached the end, a short circuit and other problems. It should be taken into account that low beam lamps fail more often than others, which is associated with increased load and duration of continuous operation. Therefore, replacing the low beam lamp of a Lada Kalina is a fairly common procedure that you need to be able to perform correctly. Moreover, it is unacceptable to drive with non-working headlights, and you can replace the lamp yourself, without going to a car repair shop.

Installing a new one: sequential instructions

The procedure for removing and installing a headlight, which is located on the right or left side, is not particularly different from each other. It is only important to act strictly according to the instructions. When installing a new light bulb, you must only hold it by the base and do not touch it with your hands. When removed, you can completely hold it in your hands.

Note that for the Lada Kalina (16-valve engine) a lamp with an H7 socket is required. Install the new one as follows:

• Determine the seat so that the protrusion in the base coincides with the groove on the headlight. It must be firmly fixed. Only then will it be clear that the protrusion has fallen into the groove;
• press the latch against the lamp so that the center of the base is between the antennae of the latch;
• snap the latch into place;
• connect both wires to the clamp and close the lid tightly.

After completing this procedure, you need to turn on the headlights at close range and check their operation. If everything is fine, then the installation was completed correctly. Otherwise, you will have to take the car to a car service center and pay money for it. Lamps should only be purchased in special stores. It is advisable to give preference to well-known manufacturers and models with a guarantee. Osram H7 12V 55W headlights for the Lada Kalina Cross are very popular today.

Dismantling and repair of optics

One of the most common malfunctions in the operation of optics, if you do not take into account the failure of lighting sources, is damage to the headlight glass. If the lamp itself is damaged, it will have to be removed and disassembled to change the glass.

How to disassemble the headlight and how to replace the brake light bulb:

First you need to open the trunk and move the brake light source to the left. The Kalina brake light lamp must be pressed and turned to the left, so that the device can be removed from the installation location. The installation procedure is performed in reverse order. If you need to replace the glass, you will have to remove the bumper to do this. To do this, you need to unscrew the corresponding fasteners. After dismantling the bumper, it is necessary to disconnect all the wiring connectors that are connected to the optics. After completing these steps, you can unscrew the lower fasteners of the flashlight; to do this, use a wrench. After this, similar actions are performed with the upper bolts securing the optics. When all the screws are removed, the optics themselves can be removed. The next stage will be the glass repair itself.

You need to pull the headlight towards you and carefully remove the rubberized seal. It is usually attached to the lantern quite tightly, so most likely you will have to use a utility knife to cut the elastic. After the headlight housing and glass are separated from each other, all remaining adhesive and sealant should be removed from the perimeter of the housing.

To do this, you will also need to use a utility knife, and if the residues are small, then use sandpaper. Make sure that the surface on the housing is clean and free of sealants and dirt. Before installing new glass, the housing around the perimeter of the installation will need to be treated with a solvent. This will allow the surface to be degreased, so that the fit of the new glass will be maximum. Next, apply glue to the new seal and connect the glass itself to the body. The tightness of the structure must be optimal, otherwise the problem of fogging of the optical glasses from the inside may arise. Press the headlight on both sides so that the lens is connected to the housing as firmly as possible. At this stage, the repair can be considered complete; assembly is carried out in the reverse order. When installing the lights, they will need to be readjusted.

Low beam lamps, their types and malfunctions

Lada Kalina is a budget project of the domestic AvtoVAZ plant, and as befits an economy-class car, it cannot please you with high-quality components that can last at least a couple of years without interruptions. Most often, low beam lamps fail. There may be several reasons for malfunctions. This:

• The headlight is not sealed, which leads to its clogging. Dust settles in the lamp and leads to destructive overheating.
• Increased voltage in the on-board network, which is directly related to the operation of low beam headlights. In order to find out what voltage the generator produces, you need to diagnose it using a tester. The voltage should not exceed 14.4 V.
• Overvoltage causes the fuse to overheat.
• Violation of the electrical circuits of the right and left lamps.
• Oxidation of contacts.

There are other reasons, but these are the most common.

In order to find out whether the lamp needs to be replaced, or whether the breakdown lies in other parts, for example, in a defective fuse ( F12 and F13 ), you must first check it with a multimeter, put it on a continuity test and touch the parallel contacts on the fuse or lamp if it rings Either it works properly, it is silent, then you need to change the faulty part.

It is important to find out whether voltage is supplied at all to all terminals. If voltage is not supplied, then you need to ring the wire until the cause of the breakdown is discovered .

Here it is worth clarifying that driving without low beam lamps is categorically unacceptable, since in the dark, such an omission can lead to a serious accident.

At the moment there is a wide range of lamps. Experienced motorists put the following on the Lada Kalina:

• Lamps from Osram, which cost about 310 rubles.
• Narva, which cost a little less, 290-300 rubles.
• An excellent option for the Lada Kalina are Philips H7 halogen lamps, costing 290 rubles. a piece.

There are also all kinds of modifications: all-weather lamps, improved visual effect, heavy-duty, designed for round-the-clock operation, etc.

Before you start repairs

Before changing the low beam lamp on Kalina, you need to check the integrity of the on-board network:

1. When understanding the causes of failure of any component of electrical equipment, you should first make sure:

• the fuse is in good working order;
• look at the circuit connectors, which should be well secured;
• Often the causes of electrical equipment malfunctions are the oxidized ends of the pads; their terminals should be cleaned.

1. Take a good look at the places where the car is connected to ground. Often, due to the lack of reliable fastening, disturbances in the functioning of electrical equipment occur, so replacing low beam lamps on Kalina may not always help with the problem.

• the equipment will help to find faulty places in the electrical circuit;
• is a combined electrical measuring device.

There are several types of such devices:

• digital, equipped with a liquid crystal display;
• analog;
• universal models, characterized by the presence of a liquid crystal screen and a dial indicator.

How to replace the lamps yourself

Changing a light bulb in Kalina yourself is not difficult. The time spent on the work depends on the skill of the driver and the size of the hands. Some owners change light fixtures in 15-20 minutes without removing the headlight, while others suffer for more than an hour and ultimately dismantle the optics.

When replacing, cloth gloves are used. This helps protect the skin on your hands and also prevents contact with the bulb. When touched, fingerprints remain, which heat up when the light is turned on and after a while burn through the thin glass.

During work, the battery terminal is unscrewed to avoid a short circuit, which will lead to burnout of the fuse link in the fuse box.

Far module

Replacing the high beam lamp is easier than in the low beam module, since the cover is located closer to the radiator grille.

To perform the operation you will need:

1. Turn off the Kalina engine.
2. Open the hood lid.
3. Remove the protective boot on the back of the flashlight.
4. Carefully disconnect the plastic chip.
5. Open the latch.
6. Pull out the lamp.

Assembly is carried out in reverse order. When installing the terminal, you need to check the contacts and, if necessary, clean them using a flat-head screwdriver, sandpaper or a special chemical spray.

Low beam

Replacing a low beam lamp on a Lada Kalina depends on the experience of the owner and is divided into two types:

1. Without removing the headlight.
2. With module dismantling.

Most Kalina owners cannot replace the lamp in the left headlight due to limited space. In this case, you will have to ask a more dexterous friend or dismantle the lighting device yourself for convenience.

To change lamps on installed optics:

1. Unscrew the filter housing near the left headlight and move it towards the engine.
2. Disconnect the washer motor terminal, remove the screws and move the reservoir to the side.
3. Open the light module seals.
4. Remove the block with wires.
5. Remove the spring clip.
6. Remove the part.

Design Features

Low beam lamps VAZ-2110: types, selection, replacement

Kalina's light is not technologically advanced, since the optics use classic halogen elements. From the factory, the modules contain parts from Philips or Osram with the Long Life prefix, which means an increased service life.

The Kalina lighting system in the old and new body differs in the location of the modules, shape, and size. The elements used in optics are:

• turn signals – PY21W;
• low beam – H7/55 W;
• high beam – H1/60 W;
• fog lights – H11/55 W;
• Dimensions – W5W.

In modifications of Kalina since 2013, running lights have been added from the factory, which use parts with the index W21/5W.

Some car owners cannot fit their hand into the cramped space between the TV and the air filter housing. In this case, the Kalina intake system is dismantled or the radiator grille and headlight are removed.

How to make lighting at VAZ

First of all, let's see how to change a burnt-out low beam lamp on a Grant. We'll need gloves.

We begin work in the engine compartment.

1. First of all, by pressing the upper latch, remove the cover from the back of the headlight housing.
2. Disconnect the plug with the wiring.
3. Pull out the rubber seal by the notch.
4. We slightly compress the ends of the spring bracket, snap it off and move it to the side.
5. We remove the lighting element and install a new one.
6. We put everything back together in reverse order.

This is such a simple operation. Next, we’ll look at how to change a failed low-beam light bulb on a Kalina. Let's take gloves for work.

We act by opening the hood.

1. Here you just need to initially pull out the rubber plug.
2. Then also disconnect the wiring.
3. Press the latch antennae and move it to the side.
4. Pull out the extinguished part by the base and install a new one.
5. Reassemble everything in reverse order.

In order to figure out how to change a non-working low beam lamp on a Priora, just put on gloves and open the hood. And then we proceed like this.

1. We also remove the rubber cover.
2. Disconnect the electrical wiring block from the base.
3. Squeeze and remove the wire holder.
4. We reinstall the burnt out element.