Please Help Me Replace Brake Light Bulbs!

[Paul65]

Easy when you find out despite sealing around the cluster. For my 1990,Carina 11,I merely took out the two large Phillips screws, then slid the rear cluster lateral (left) & the cluster came out exposing the bulbs.

[Fat family guy]

Just done the second brake light on my wifes Avensis D4D 2007 estate. Forget about removing trim. Turn the little plastic knob to get into the rear of the light cluster in the bootspace. poke your head in and you will see various bits and bobs ... 4 tangs made of grey plastic. you will probably see 3 silvery long threaded bolts with nuts 10mm I think they are.
Step one... get your one hand in there and try your best to disconnect the 4 plastic tangs (squeeze them together in pairs). Good luck. If they come out well and good ... you now have to have superior dexterity to remove this from the light cluster and change out the bulb.

Step 2... Ok so you couldn'y get the plastic tangs squeezed together to release. Locate the three 10mm nuts 2 are visible easily the third is just round the corner and harder to see. you CAN get a 10mm socket onto these and remove them about half the way, get your hand in and unscrew by hand so as not to drop them...! Go outside the car and ease the light cluster gently away from the body of the car, you will now see clearly the 4 plastic clips/tangs and you can squeeze these now to remove the bulb holder assembly from the light unit. once apart locate the faulty bulb and replace it.

Step 3... TEST IT!!! Check the new bulb is working before you put it back together!!

Step 4... Clip the light cluster tangs into the housing as best you can and offer the whole thing back through the 3 holes in the body to accept the taillight. Be aware there are little rubber seals/whatever they are disturbed when the light came out make sure the silvery bolts pass back through these as well. return to the boot space and Very carefully screw on the three 10mm nuts removed earlier. Now press the back of the bulb assembly to make sure the tangs are all connected correctly into the housing. Test once more and replace the carpeted inspection/access hatch cover.

In my opinion you will SAVE time by going for the light cluster removal rather than dropping bulbs/breaking things/getting skinned knuckles in the tight space behind the light fitting. NB. The drivers side I did today the nuts had been left just finger tight to make removal a second time easier.
Hope this is of some help as it is my first post!!

[ken s]

Just tried above method ie full cluster removal on my T25 hatch. Far easier than messing around in the boot.

[T25BrakeLightBulbFixer]

EASY . . .

Just cut two pieces of cardboard about 3" x 1" & 2" x 1".

Prise apart one of the side of the tang and place the 3" x 1" to keep it open, fold the card and do the other side, next use the 2" x 1" on one of the remaining tangs and the just prise the last one free and pull out, probably lost the card but who cares, the bulb assembly is free, 2-3 minutes...