How to replace a brake light on your car

Brake Lights and Backup Lights on a Car

It is important to have working brake lights on your car. If one or both of your brake lights are out you can get a ticket and of course even worse you could be rear ended and end up with repairs and possible injuries.

Changing a brake light is not very difficult. You will need a new replacement light, a screw driver if you have a light that needs to be accessed by opening up the tail light compartment from the outside of the car.

For cars that you have to open the lens or the plastic cover from the outside.

* Unscrew the lens - cover with red, white and/or yellow plastic over the light bulbs.

* Unscrew the old light bulb that is not working, push in and turn simultaneously.

* Put in the new bulb, screw to tighten, push and turn at the same time.

* Put back the plastic cover - tighten the screws.

* Check to make sure the light is working.

For cars that you have to access the light bulb from inside the trunk. If you can't unscrew the plastic cover it probably means the access to the light bulbs is inside the trunk.

* Look and open a plastic cover inside the trunk to access the light bulbs - located on each corner of trunk
The cover may be attached to the wall of the trunk with tabs, or screws.

* Unscrew the correct light bulb, push in and turn at the same time.

* Put in the new light bulb, push in and turn at the same time to screw the new light bulb in.

* Pop the plastic cover back into place.

* Check to make sure the new light is working.

If the connection or the socket where the old light bulb was is dirty, clean it before putting on the new light bulb. You can use wire brush or rag as needed for cleaning.

Replacing a tail light or a turn signal light follow same steps.

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• March 25, 2010 -- How to check by yourself if your brake lights are working