How to replace a tail, brake or reverse light

By Lawrence Minnie

A simple bit of DIY that you can quickly do on your car at home, is replacing broken or burnt-out bulbs. You won’t need any major tools – perhaps a screw driver or wrench to loosen the retaining hardware, and the correct replacement bulbs.

Small DIY tasks can really give you a sense of pride in your car, and help you take ownership of your vehicle. These don’t have to be incredibly difficult to be rewarding, and something as simple as changing out a burnt-out bulb can give you a tremendous amount of confidence to tackle an even bigger job next time.

Changing a bulb is a simple task that just about anyone can do, but if you’re still not sure, we will take you through the process, step by step.

Let's get started!

1. To get to the bulbs, you will need to access the rear of the taillight cluster. Automakers all have different mountings and access solutions – some will require you to remove the entire cluster, while others may just have a removable access panel.

2. On our cluster, total removal is required. Start by removing the retaining screws that hold the cluster in place.

3. Remove the cluster from its mounting location.

4. Remove the connecting plug from the cluster. Look out for locating tabs which may locate the connector – gently loosen the locating tab before attempting to remove the plug.

5. Carefully remove the bulb holder assembly from the exterior lens housing.

6. Once you have the bulb holder assembly removed, you can set aside the lens cluster for later.

7. Locating the burnt-out bulb is relatively easy, as they are usually blackened.

8. Ensure that the new bulbs you have bought are the right voltage, and have the correct number of filaments for their intended use. Indicator- and reversing lights are usually single-filament units, while combination brake- and rear lights have two filaments.

9. Carefully insert the replacement bulb, and clean off any oily residue that your fingers may leave behind on the globe’s glass section.

10. You can now reassemble the bulb holder assembly to the outer lens, and plug the entire holder and lens back into the wiring loom. Make sure that any locating tabs are clicked securely into place.

11. Replace the cluster into its mounting points, re-attach the screws, and test the unit to make sure all the bulbs are now working.