I'm wondering if anyone knows how to disassemble a 2002 mini cooper s headlight. I got some after market headlights and would like to take out the HID's from the old headlights, but the electrical housing to the HID's is inside the headlights. Any idea on how i can retrieve them without damaging the headlight assembly?

 

If you just want to take out the HID bulb, you simply pull off the rubber cover on the back of the headlight housing, disconnect the ignitor cable connected to the bulb, unclip the metal retaining clips and pull out the bulb without touching it with your bare hands.

It sounds like you're trying to do much more than simply replace bulbs as your thread title states. Be careful when working with the HID assembly as the initial lighting pulse necessary to ignite the xenon bulbs is at a very high voltage. That being said, I replaced an entire xenon headlamp assembly on my 03 when the internal electrics failed as it is just bolted in and is very easy to completely remove.

Are you looking just to replace the low-beam Xenon bulbs? Anything other than Xenon bulbs aren't going to work in the assembly and why would you want to change it? If you want to disassemble the whole headlight the clear lens is simply glued to the rest of the assembly with a strong adhesive and can be removed either with a heat gun or by putting it in an oven for a bit.

Some clarity on what you are trying to perform would make it easier to answer your question. For one specific example of what someone has done:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-retrofit.html

 

Well i bought some new headlights that are after market. And the old headlights that came stock when i bought the mini cooper has an HID kit inside the headlight assembly. The bulb i can get out, but in order for the HID kit to go along with the bulb, i need to take apart the whole headlight to get to the generator box for the bulb. do you know how to take apart the whole headlight assembly without completely destroying it?