Changing Headlights on a 2001 S10

In 1972, General Motors needed a small truck to satisfy the growing demand for such a vehicle in the U.S. To help keep costs and risks as low as possible, GM bought Isuzu pickups, installed some Chevy badges and dubbed it the LUV. After 10 years of market evaluation, GM finally released its own compact pickup, named the S-10, which spelled the end of the LUV. By 2001, the S-10 was entrenched in Chevy’s lineup and was a perennial success. Unlike its predecessor and early-model-year S-10s, the 2001 S-10 has a composite headlight system that allows you to replace just the bulb instead of the entire headlamp assembly. This makes the replacement process fairly simple for most owners.

Things You'll Need

  • No. 9006 (low beam)
  • No. 9005 (high beam)
  • Find the two L-shaped retaining clips on the top rear of the headlamp assembly and pull them upward to remove them. Pull the headlamp assembly out just far enough for you to access the wiring harness and headlight bulb,

  • Lift upward on the locking tab on the wiring harness and unplug the harness from the headlight. Twist the headlight counterclockwise to unlock it, then remove it from the headlamp assembly.

  • Hold a new headlight bulb -- No. 9006 for the low beam or No. 9005 for the high beam – by its base and guide it into the headlamp assembly. Twist the headlight bulb clockwise to lock it into place. Plug the wiring harness into the new headlight bulb.

  • Align the headlamp assembly with its bed in the front of the truck and press it into its bed. Hold rearward pressure on the headlamp assembly and slide the L-shaped retaining clips into place to lock the headlamp.