Replacing a headlight assembly on a Mitsubishi Eclipse is a fairly straightforward repair task that can be completed in under ten minutes. The only thing that may complicate the task is reaching all of the screws on certain model years of the Eclipse. Other than that, you should have no trouble completing this repair even if you have little or no experience with auto maintenance and part replacement.
Buy a replacement headlight fixture for your Eclipse. When doing this, keep in mind that the fixture you purchase must be compatible with your exact model year and any limited edition options packages installed. You must also be careful that you're buying a fixture for the proper side, as the left and right headlight fixtures are not interchangeable.
Locate the four screws that should come with your new headlight fixture.
Open the hood of the Eclipse and prop it open.
Use a screwdriver to remove the four screws that hold the old headlight assembly in place. These screws are located at relatively evenly spaced intervals around the perimeter of the fixture, and they may be flat head or Philips head screws. On some model years of the Eclipse, the screw closest to the center of the car may be somewhat difficult to reach. Having a screwdriver with a short handle may make this easier.
Pull the old headlight assembly out a few inches so that you can clearly see the back of the unit. Depending on your model year and options package, there may be either one or three sets of electrical wires leading to the back of the fixture. Regardless, these should all be unplugged from the old fixture, which requires no tools.
Set the old fixture aside.
Slide the new fixture part of the way into place and reconnect the electrical wires. The plugs should fit right in the sockets in back.
Push the fixture all the way in and install each of the four screws. If for some reason your new fixture did not come with screws, you can use the old ones.
Close the hood and test out the lights to make sure they work.
