how NOT to change your taillight bulb...

toastmaster7

Registered User
maybe you'll find this amusing...

so I noticed my taill light was very dim, almost out, I opened the trunk to notice the bulb was burnt out ( i suppose there was just reflections from the other light). I tried to remove the bulb only to find it was quite hard to get out, as i began to pull the bulb itself separated from the plastic piece it was attatched to. wonderful. I grabbed a pair of needle nose plyers and start pulling at the piece and trying to get it out when SNAP, my hand slips off the socket, and i pull it from the wire completly, smacking myself in the face and leaving a bit of a black eye in the process (all the while my brother is standing behind me almost crying from laughing so hard). well long story short i can reatatch the wires easily enough, but what do i do about the plastic piece still stuck in the socket? any suggestions?
 
LMAO

Did you pay any attention to the wire spring that holds the base of the bulb in the socket? That has to be removed with some needle nose pliers, then the bulb comes right out. Put a new bulb in, replace spring. How did I learn? About the same way you did, except I bruised my chest.
 
Sometimes the bulbs get hot and melt into the socket. If this is the case, go to anyautoparts store and buy a replacement socket. They run under 5.00 bucks.

Thanks for the story, it was really funny, sorry to hear about the black eye though.

good luck
Tim
 
Ring

That ring is very thin and hard to see, its around the base of the bulb. You would think that after being on this earth for more than 50 years I would realize that things don't have to be forced, they are made to come apart easily if you know how. I did the same thing with the bulb, it came out in pieces and then I looked closely at it. A good lesson, things that are put together usually are made to come apart fairly easily. I have to admit, I would have liked to see the whole routine though.
Ed
 
So glad to hear that I'm not the only one!!!!!!!

Been there, Done that!

Yeah, look around the base for that #%$^ wire clip. I busted my lip while doing the same thing with the needle nose pliers.....

Just proves that "great minds think alike"......if it doesn't work the first time........JUST GET A BIGGER HAMMER!!!!
 
haha, thanks guys, yea apparently i missed that little clip thing...oops... oh well, im just glad to hear im not the only one, thanks a lot!
 
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