I tried to remove my tail light housing but it wouldnt budge! I pulled and pulled, rocked it everywhich way but it just wouldnt come off. Granted it was in the middle of winter, -20c outside, so it might've been frozen solid. But I gave up, and didnt want to risk breaking any plastic pieces :(

It's really easy. I've been swapping out tail lights lately, trying to find out how to fix the stupid LED brake light/cruise control problem and I've pretty much mastered the tail light removal. Here's how you do it (all directions are for the LEFT housing, please compensate when working on your RIGHT housing):


1.) Remove the screws from the housing.
2.) Place your fingers from your right hand behind clamp that holds the screws in.
3.) Place your left palm right over the side tail marker on the brake light housing (it's the small bulb just after the turn signal).
4.) While pressing downwards (towards the ground) with your left hand, gently pull the housing away from the car.
5.) With your right hand, gently rock the housing left and right.
6.) After a few rocks, the housing should pop out.

The reason you want to push downwards is to keep the housing from popping upwards when you take it out, which is how I ended up chipping my housing. It's super easy and if I had a better camera, I'd take a video too.

Ok thanks man, its a warm day today, so I'll give it a try!


Is it even worth replacing the tail and brake lights with red LED's? I cant imagine the color will be any different.

Honestly, I think they are. LEDs last much longer than filament bulbs, they draw less current, and they don't get as hot either (which also contributes to the longer lifespan). Furthermore, if you colormatch the LEDs to the housing (red to red), the effect produced at night is astounding. You get this deep crimson color from your brake lights and it looks absolutely AMAZING.

If you take a look at the stock bulbs, they are all clear. Clear filament bulbs create a yellowish white light and if you combine that to the red of the housing, you get this slightly orange glow from your tails. I prefer to have my red brake lights... well, red!

:grin: and yes, the blue text was deliberate.

Ah yes I see what you mean. Ok you're tempting me! If I can successfully get the housing off this weekend, I'll order new brake/tail lights :)

How about I get some videos and/or pictures before you finally decide? I'll even put the old stock bulbs in so you can see the difference :grin:

There is a problem with putting LEDs in your brake lights and I think you remember it. Cruise control won't work anymore and sometimes all the other LEDs in your car will turn on when you press your brakes (like the city lights). I did find a solution to the problem... with a small catch. You know how your brake lights dimly turn on when you turn on your city lights? Well, now mine remain off no matter what. They only time they turn on is if I press my brakes. My tail markers and side tail markers still turn on in a dim state, so I'm still visible at night.

Hmm i actually did not know about that problem! :huh: I guess if thats the problem, its not worth removing the housings just for the sidemarker lights. And I'm not sure I wanna go through the trouble of peeling my trunk lining to change the tail light :( Hmmm

It's just the brake lights themselves. The side marker brake lights and the tail markers work perfectly fine. And like I said before, there is a fix for them... it's just that they don't dimly turn on with your city lights.

Plus you need to remove the housing in order to change your brake lights themselves.

And it's super easy to remove the trunk lining... :grin:

oh boy! and i planned on ordering my LED's tomorrow ...oh well i want that Real Red Light!!! haha ima do it anyways i will be happy in the end i will get some night pics of 1 side red and 1 side led to show the difference for people

I am getting some Tint Vinyl and I am going to try and do the ralliart look.