Stress indeed. It's not as if the CHOD went pop and the engine had blown up or even as if I'd got a puncture, no. All I wanted to do was change 1 centre console bulb, one little bulb, but 1.5 hours and blood and broken glass later neither bulbs are working and I need a new centre console and 1 or both of the 3-button blocks.

I swear some scrote must have glued that bulb in because with all my finger grip I couldn't get it out, so I turned to the pliars and thats when the fun began. Gently at first but it would just slip off, so each time I gripped it harder until smash! Bits of glass everywhere and stress level rising. So all I could do was bastardize the bulb housing to try and get some more grip with the pliars, but that just made more glass dust, even grabbing the filament remains which were quite strong didnt do it. Stripped it down to the 6 copper contacts, and spiked my finger in the process, thats the blood part. Hacked at it with a small screwdriver and in the end just crushed it up so the bits could drop out. Finally!

Put the new bulb in and it was flickering and wasn't a tight fit so I bent the contacts a bit more and tried again. This time no light at all. Stress reaching critical levels! So I poked about with the screw driver while the ignition was on and pop, flash, blown fuse somewhere and now neither bulbs are working

In a fury I thought sod it and tried putting the centre console back in place to leave it for another day. But no the little sh!t just kept tormenting and would it go back in place? Would it ! By now stress is off the scale, I just had to spank it full force and heard another smash and bits rattling everywhere. Dont know what that was but one set of buttons fell through and the top strip of plastic that holds the 2 vents in place snapped out.

I decided to leave it at that before I flipped out and torched it. Yet I've changed spark plugs, filters and cleaned the throttle body out, changed speakers, removed all the seats and most of the trim, wired in a sub and amp, changed other bulbs and replaced this that and the other no hassle! Rant over

Refitting the center console can be a bit of an arse, but still

Lol, I feel your pain, but find your post funny

I think a few of us have been in your position before, including me and know exactly what torment you've gone through, but still quite funny reading your description

I hope you get it sorted soon though and mean no malice by the above comments either, just been there, done that and know exactly what you're describing

Thanks, although a bit of s sod for you that post had me in stitches this morning!

Do you work at Halfords by any chance?

Lol, funny post. I know exactly what you mean, sods law a 2min job turns into an hour job and makes you feel like crushing everything in sight, been there done that.

I find chanting " wooo-saaaa" and rubbing your ear lobes normally helps lol.

Wouldn't you have better just giving him a hand??

:-)

I find I just get oily earlobes...

This is why I never get anything done! I know a 30 min job will take up more like 3 hours and I'll probably break something...so I use that as an excuse to never start. Probably explains why my heater panel lightbulb still hasn't been replced!

Yes HH, some small jobs on the Coop can put you over the top. When I first purchased my Coop, one of the first jobs I tackled was to clean out the third brake light. Some hours later, complete with burnt fingers & dodgy back, sweating like a mad man, I finished the task.

I thought it would only take 1/2hr tops.

Funny post by the way, I can picture these scenes

Glad some folks got a laugh out of it, gotta maintain the comedy/tragedy balance in the universe. Think ill try some DIY on the centre console for the triple buttons, got some long computer fan bolts that look the right size and will just screw them in from the front of the pannel and glue a nut on each of the tabs on the button blocks.

Oh and does anyone know which fuse controls those 2 bulbs? Im guessing its a blown fuse and not worse.

Been there many times and this How-To does help a little

http://www.fiatcoupeclub.org/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=61769#Post61769

However bulbs and their housings shouldnt be such a pain in the xxxx. Maybe its been replced before and superglued in place?

This is one tricky mother to take out and sort.. mine is due for further LED bulb upgrades..

Just walk away for 15-20mins when the temper flares and then go back..

sorry to hear of your issues but it did make me laugh

almost as much as CarlT's how to do an oil change post

which is here for those of you that haven't had the pleasure