DIY: How to replace taillight bulbs
#1
DIY: How to replace taillight bulbs
This is for the people who want to either swap their turn signal or reverse light to LED's, or replace a burnt out bulb.
This is my first DIY I've done so if I missed any steps or you have any questions let me know and I'll help ya.
1. Remove the two clips on the inner lining of the truck. They pop off with a flat head.
2. Remove the two hex bolts that keep the tail light in place. I believe I used a 7/16.
2a. Remove the housing by pulling straight towards you. You gotta wiggle it a bit and it'l come out.
3. Remove the bulb you want and plug in the new one. If you want to install an LED with a resistor continue below.
4. Unscrew the **** that holds your grocery bag liner. MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE SCREW BEHIND IT. Otherwise it may drop down and be lost forever.
The top one pops out with some prying. Here's an image of what the screw looks like. You pry it out with a flat head.
5. Life up the liner so you can pry open the side of the trunk.
6. Use a flat head to remove the grommet so you can thread another wire back there. This is where I threaded my resistor.
7. I put a command strip on the resistor and stuck it inside on the body of the car so it won't rattle.
7a. Test out the connections (pump brake lights, put hazard lights on, use the turn signals to make sure there is no hyper-flash etc...
8. Plug everything back in place and you're done! Make sure to slide this in when you are putting your tail lights back on.
OEM Halogen bulb installed
To access the front bulbs you pop off two tabs in the front rear wheel with a flat head. Turn 90 degress one way and they pop off. Then you reach in there to find a long gray flat tab. Turn this to the right and the bulb comes out. Simple replace and you're good to go. (sorry no pictures on this one, I had to remove my wheel to get the V3 Tritons installed and had too dirty hands to take any)
V3 Triton bulb installed
OEM Halogen Reverse light installed
To access the reverse lights there are two tabs on the inside of the trunk. Pop off both tabs and pull the liner down. Remove bulb and replace. Very easy only takes 5 minutes both sides.
LED Reverse light installed
Vled V3 Triton vs OEM bulbs Rear
Vled V3 Triton vs OEM bulbs Front
VLED Reverse bulb vs OEM
This is my first DIY I've done so if I missed any steps or you have any questions let me know and I'll help ya.
If you don't want to use a load resistor then make sure the 921/T15 bulbs are CANbus compliant. What that means is a load resistor is built-in the housing so a load resistor is not needed.
CANbus (Error free) High Power 921 T15 White LED Bulbs are what you are going to search for. I just ordered a pair of high wattage (15 watts with 800 lumens of visibility) off of eBay.
CANbus (Error free) High Power 921 T15 White LED Bulbs are what you are going to search for. I just ordered a pair of high wattage (15 watts with 800 lumens of visibility) off of eBay.
1. Remove the two clips on the inner lining of the truck. They pop off with a flat head.
2. Remove the two hex bolts that keep the tail light in place. I believe I used a 7/16.
2a. Remove the housing by pulling straight towards you. You gotta wiggle it a bit and it'l come out.
3. Remove the bulb you want and plug in the new one. If you want to install an LED with a resistor continue below.
4. Unscrew the **** that holds your grocery bag liner. MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE SCREW BEHIND IT. Otherwise it may drop down and be lost forever.
The top one pops out with some prying. Here's an image of what the screw looks like. You pry it out with a flat head.
5. Life up the liner so you can pry open the side of the trunk.
6. Use a flat head to remove the grommet so you can thread another wire back there. This is where I threaded my resistor.
7. I put a command strip on the resistor and stuck it inside on the body of the car so it won't rattle.
7a. Test out the connections (pump brake lights, put hazard lights on, use the turn signals to make sure there is no hyper-flash etc...
8. Plug everything back in place and you're done! Make sure to slide this in when you are putting your tail lights back on.
OEM Halogen bulb installed
To access the front bulbs you pop off two tabs in the front rear wheel with a flat head. Turn 90 degress one way and they pop off. Then you reach in there to find a long gray flat tab. Turn this to the right and the bulb comes out. Simple replace and you're good to go. (sorry no pictures on this one, I had to remove my wheel to get the V3 Tritons installed and had too dirty hands to take any)
V3 Triton bulb installed
OEM Halogen Reverse light installed
To access the reverse lights there are two tabs on the inside of the trunk. Pop off both tabs and pull the liner down. Remove bulb and replace. Very easy only takes 5 minutes both sides.
LED Reverse light installed
Last edited by jowsleyyy; 07-23-15 at 08:13 PM.
#3
Driver School Candidate
Guys,
I attempted to swap out by back-up bulbs to brighter LED today, following these instructions and figured out a few things.
1st - you don't need to touch any of the trunk interior just to change bulbs. You just pop off these two little covers and remove the 2 hex bolts with a 10mm socket. Wiggle the whole light housing backwards and it will pop off.
2nd - has anyone actually changed the back-up bulbs on the RC? I believe that other than the turn signal bulb, everything else is built in LED.
I attempted to swap out by back-up bulbs to brighter LED today, following these instructions and figured out a few things.
1st - you don't need to touch any of the trunk interior just to change bulbs. You just pop off these two little covers and remove the 2 hex bolts with a 10mm socket. Wiggle the whole light housing backwards and it will pop off.
2nd - has anyone actually changed the back-up bulbs on the RC? I believe that other than the turn signal bulb, everything else is built in LED.
The following users liked this post:
raerae1616 (06-17-19)
#4
Guys,
I attempted to swap out by back-up bulbs to brighter LED today, following these instructions and figured out a few things.
1st - you don't need to touch any of the trunk interior just to change bulbs. You just pop off these two little covers and remove the 2 hex bolts with a 10mm socket. Wiggle the whole light housing backwards and it will pop off.
2nd - has anyone actually changed the back-up bulbs on the RC? I believe that other than the turn signal bulb, everything else is built in LED.
I attempted to swap out by back-up bulbs to brighter LED today, following these instructions and figured out a few things.
1st - you don't need to touch any of the trunk interior just to change bulbs. You just pop off these two little covers and remove the 2 hex bolts with a 10mm socket. Wiggle the whole light housing backwards and it will pop off.
2nd - has anyone actually changed the back-up bulbs on the RC? I believe that other than the turn signal bulb, everything else is built in LED.
2nd-If you check here, Sylvania shows that the back up, turn signals, interior door light, stepwell light, parking light, and trunk lights are regular bulbs (since they show a part #). The rest are LED since they show that as their part numbers. This is just my assumption though.
#8
If you don't want to use a load resistor then make sure the 921/T15 bulbs are CANbus compliant. What that means is a load resistor is built-in the housing so a load resistor is not needed.
CANbus (Error free) High Power 921 T15 White LED Bulbs are what you are going to search for. I just ordered a pair of high wattage (15 watts with 800 lumens of visibility) off of eBay.
CANbus (Error free) High Power 921 T15 White LED Bulbs are what you are going to search for. I just ordered a pair of high wattage (15 watts with 800 lumens of visibility) off of eBay.
#9
If you don't want to use a load resistor then make sure the 921/T15 bulbs are CANbus compliant. What that means is a load resistor is built-in the housing so a load resistor is not needed.
CANbus (Error free) High Power 921 T15 White LED Bulbs are what you are going to search for. I just ordered a pair of high wattage (15 watts with 800 lumens of visibility) off of eBay.
CANbus (Error free) High Power 921 T15 White LED Bulbs are what you are going to search for. I just ordered a pair of high wattage (15 watts with 800 lumens of visibility) off of eBay.
#12
#13
Just got my CANbus LED reverse lights in and here is a pic.
On the left is the new LED, and on the Right is the old bulb. What a difference.
New CANbus LED reverse light on left, OEM on Right. What a difference
On the left is the new LED, and on the Right is the old bulb. What a difference.
New CANbus LED reverse light on left, OEM on Right. What a difference
Last edited by GearHead69; 04-10-15 at 08:22 AM.
#14
Does it have to be a Canbus error free for the reverse tail light?
Was thinking of using this since this is the same light that I used for our RX 350 back up light
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121988119702?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Was thinking of using this since this is the same light that I used for our RX 350 back up light
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121988119702?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT