DIY: How to remove the rear taillights.
google osram sylvania, go to the automotive replacement guide, follow the steps, after your selection the sylvania bulb will come up and just above the different types of bulbs there is a link called specifications, just click that
Premier Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 20
Likes: 3
From: Shrewsbury, MO
I was looking through some old posts and had a hard time finding all the information I was looking for, so I thought I'd try to put some pictures together that might help others in the future.
1. This is from the shop manual which I didn't have at the time I did the taillight removal. But I have it now!!!
2. This is what you will start with hopefully, an empty truck with access to the interior trunk trim.
3. The trim is held in place by a few black plastic fasteners.
4. Once the trim is pulled out of the way you are looking at the metal body/frame. There are three nuts holding the taillight to the body and two alignment pins which also double as holding clips. Remove the nuts from the studs.
5. After the nuts are removed pull the whole light assembly straight back. The three studs the nuts were connected to run through rubber grommets and those grommets may give you a little resistance when pulling the studs out. The tricky part is the clips/alignment pins. They require a quick solid pull of the entire assembly straight back.
Here is a picture of the car after the assembly is removed. Notice the holes for the clips.
6. Here is the assembly removed. Next step would be to disconnect the wiring connectors which I did not do.
7. While you're here, do me a favor and pull that button out and paint it something other than chrome.
8. Here is the interior trim exploded view from the shop manual.
1. This is from the shop manual which I didn't have at the time I did the taillight removal. But I have it now!!!
2. This is what you will start with hopefully, an empty truck with access to the interior trunk trim.
3. The trim is held in place by a few black plastic fasteners.
4. Once the trim is pulled out of the way you are looking at the metal body/frame. There are three nuts holding the taillight to the body and two alignment pins which also double as holding clips. Remove the nuts from the studs.
5. After the nuts are removed pull the whole light assembly straight back. The three studs the nuts were connected to run through rubber grommets and those grommets may give you a little resistance when pulling the studs out. The tricky part is the clips/alignment pins. They require a quick solid pull of the entire assembly straight back.
Here is a picture of the car after the assembly is removed. Notice the holes for the clips.
6. Here is the assembly removed. Next step would be to disconnect the wiring connectors which I did not do.
7. While you're here, do me a favor and pull that button out and paint it something other than chrome.
8. Here is the interior trim exploded view from the shop manual.
Thanks for the write up! Just changed my rear turn signals and back up lights to LEDs today, and wouldn't have thought to pain the trunk release button... It's black now just like the car and looks so much better!
WARNING!:
Watch out when you pull the tail lights out... The clips on mine have way suddenly after putting up a good fight and caused 3 small pinhead chips and an inch long scratch on my rear bumper...
I have a front lip coming in, so when I get it painted I'll ask the shop about repairing the bumper :'(
WARNING!:
Watch out when you pull the tail lights out... The clips on mine have way suddenly after putting up a good fight and caused 3 small pinhead chips and an inch long scratch on my rear bumper...
I have a front lip coming in, so when I get it painted I'll ask the shop about repairing the bumper :'(
Arrgh these tails just will not come off. Pull straight back but there's nothing to hold on to on besides near the reverse lights. Think I'm just gonna declare these led reverse lights wasted money
So I removed mine last night to install LED rear backup lights.
Once you get all the plastic rivets off the carpeting (I think there's four total per side including the tie down loop), it's three 8mm bolts.
Once those are loose, I just decided to pop off the top cover on either side of the trunk but NOT the one on the light. Don't pull with abandon but they basically come right up. I used butyl tape I bought off Amazon to secure it back down after. I have enough tape to do it three times a day for the next ten years now.
Now here's the part that'll make you squeamish. Take a pry bar and slide it down in between the light and the body as far over to the outside of the light as you can get. Pull the bar TOWARDS you gently. Don't push against the pry bar towards the front of the car. By using this method, they come out very, very easily and I did not break my plastic clips. It's applying fairly even force in the right spot.
Hope that helps someone down the line! I was able to do both bulbs in less than 20 minutes.
Once you get all the plastic rivets off the carpeting (I think there's four total per side including the tie down loop), it's three 8mm bolts.
Once those are loose, I just decided to pop off the top cover on either side of the trunk but NOT the one on the light. Don't pull with abandon but they basically come right up. I used butyl tape I bought off Amazon to secure it back down after. I have enough tape to do it three times a day for the next ten years now.
Now here's the part that'll make you squeamish. Take a pry bar and slide it down in between the light and the body as far over to the outside of the light as you can get. Pull the bar TOWARDS you gently. Don't push against the pry bar towards the front of the car. By using this method, they come out very, very easily and I did not break my plastic clips. It's applying fairly even force in the right spot.
Hope that helps someone down the line! I was able to do both bulbs in less than 20 minutes.
Registered Member
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 92
Likes: 2
I was looking through some old posts and had a hard time finding all the information I was looking for, so I thought I'd try to put some pictures together that might help others in the future.
1. This is from the shop manual which I didn't have at the time I did the taillight removal. But I have it now!!!
2. This is what you will start with hopefully, an empty truck with access to the interior trunk trim.
3. The trim is held in place by a few black plastic fasteners.
4. Once the trim is pulled out of the way you are looking at the metal body/frame. There are three nuts holding the taillight to the body and two alignment pins which also double as holding clips. Remove the nuts from the studs.
5. After the nuts are removed pull the whole light assembly straight back. The three studs the nuts were connected to run through rubber grommets and those grommets may give you a little resistance when pulling the studs out. The tricky part is the clips/alignment pins. They require a quick solid pull of the entire assembly straight back.
Here is a picture of the car after the assembly is removed. Notice the holes for the clips.
6. Here is the assembly removed. Next step would be to disconnect the wiring connectors which I did not do.
7. While you're here, do me a favor and pull that button out and paint it something other than chrome.
8. Here is the interior trim exploded view from the shop manual.
1. This is from the shop manual which I didn't have at the time I did the taillight removal. But I have it now!!!
2. This is what you will start with hopefully, an empty truck with access to the interior trunk trim.
3. The trim is held in place by a few black plastic fasteners.
4. Once the trim is pulled out of the way you are looking at the metal body/frame. There are three nuts holding the taillight to the body and two alignment pins which also double as holding clips. Remove the nuts from the studs.
5. After the nuts are removed pull the whole light assembly straight back. The three studs the nuts were connected to run through rubber grommets and those grommets may give you a little resistance when pulling the studs out. The tricky part is the clips/alignment pins. They require a quick solid pull of the entire assembly straight back.
Here is a picture of the car after the assembly is removed. Notice the holes for the clips.
6. Here is the assembly removed. Next step would be to disconnect the wiring connectors which I did not do.
7. While you're here, do me a favor and pull that button out and paint it something other than chrome.
8. Here is the interior trim exploded view from the shop manual.
ugh where are the pics
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 6,103
Likes: 592
From: People's Republic of IL
^^You quoted the entire OP to just ask where the pics are???
Where do you think they are after nearly 10 years? In addition, that user hasn't been on since 2015.
Look elsewhere on the site or you tube.
Where do you think they are after nearly 10 years? In addition, that user hasn't been on since 2015.
Look elsewhere on the site or you tube.
Registered Member
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 92
Likes: 2
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