Is it true that you need to remove the front bumper to replace the driver side round AMG style fog lamp assembly (housing)? Has anyone replaced it without removing the front bumper?

I'm referring to the whole unit, not just the H3 bulb.

I have a 2000 CLK430 Cabrio

Thanks!

no thats not true , but it is a bich to get out if your tryin to pull it out of the trap door as i did ... if you have the round foglight like i do on my 2001 E55 it can be done . I cracked one of the lenses over the summer lifted the car on jack stands and got under there it is very tight in there but with right tools < ones that can work at an angle > you should be fine ... if you can get the car lifted I would reccomend removing that plastic cover with the trap doors that would make it so much easier .. also when i replaced the cracked foglight and looked at new one compare to old one i had to replace the other one cuz it was pitted so bad a couldnt stand lookin at old one when the new one looked so nice .. i think its 3 bolts in all that hold it together and 2 screws to take off the mounting bracket from the foglight housings but watch out for the E clips they are most likely rusted out if they never been touched before and might need some wd-40 to loosen them up. If they are rusted and you try to force them off you could snap the plastic mounting point on the bumper but once u have it buttoned up it would help to have a friend holding the the glass because it will need to be aligned to the beam doesnt shoot off angle .. Goodluck

Thanks for all the detail MBFLO! Now I just need to decide whether I want to attempt or just pay a person who knows what they're doing.

Might be easier to change your self really not that hard , I was quoted around 200 dollars or so just to change one .. I was also told they might have to remove the bumper but I would figure it would cost more then that because it might take me a half hour to remove the bumper but on the books it will be atleast 1-2 hr job plus removing the foglight housing . Its all about whats it worth to you .. But if your even somewhat mechanically inclined it shouldnt take you more then an hour to remove and install the new one if you can manage your hands inside the trap door or better yet remove the plastic skid plate that let you access the bulbs when needed to change . at the time i had installed HID xenons with ballasts in the foglights so I knew that if i took it in they would have a hard time just because of how i wired it and ziptied in myself .. one thing though if you decide to do it yourself try to remove the bracket the housing sits on , that will make it alot easier to get the housing thru the trap door . a small socket set , some extentions and one of those angle sockets and your biggest issue will be getting under the car ..

It's really rather easy to do without removing the bumper. I had to remove mine to pass state inspection, and found that removing the 'trap door' which I assume is the smaller flaps on either side of the underbody tray. I have big hands, and it was pretty easy to get in there with hand tools and remove the entire light assembly. It's quite easy, and much quicker than taking the entire bumper off. Maybe twenty minutes tops.