How to: 3rd Gen License Plate Light Bulb Replacement

I've seen and heard where a lot of folks have difficulty replacing the license plate light bulbs.

There is a quick, easy way to do it without frustration and cutting up your hands on the sharp edges behind the bumper.

I use a trim tool like this:



The trim tool can be pressed in beside the lamp housing to release the clip:




Then reach behind the bumper and just push the lamp housing out.



Now you've got it out in the open where it's easy to see and handle. After you've swapped the bulb, the housing simply snaps back into place.

 

That’s helpful, I’ve changed out mine a few times already the hard way

 

Thank you Tullie D for posting this!! I spent 30 minutes trying to fit my fat hands under the bumper trying the remove the license plate light socket. Despite the cussing and lacerations, I was unsuccessful. I used your method and had both lights replaced with led's in under 5 minutes! Thanks again!!!

 

Just a quick thank you bump! Followed your process and was finished in 10 minutes.

Thank you!

 

Thank you Sir.
I plan to follow your directions this weekend.

 

Thanks for this!

 

I know I'm late to the game, but I just scraped up my hands doing it the hard way, THEN I found this! I couldn't get the bulb housings back in place tight enough so I'd like to try this method. Did it work for you? Does the trim tool have to be extra thin?
Thanks!

 

it's very easy.. the trim tool just has to be 'wedged' in enough to allow the whole thing to slide out. most trim tools are usually the same thickness, so you should be ok. If you have a trim tool as shown in the instructions, use that.

RIP @Tullie D

 

I think I do! Thanks for the quick reply. It looks like the trim tool goes in closest to the bed. Is it just that one side, or both? Thanks again!

 

closest to the bed. From there, the whole housing will slide out, with a little push from underneath/backside, and you can replace the bulb and snap it back in. When I did mine it took about 10 minutes total.

 

Still helping peeps @Tullie D

RIP

 

Perfect, thanks! As soon as the wind stops howling and it warms up a bit, I’ll give it a try.
I appreciate your replies!

 

Got mine installed this afternoon. I'll post more pics this evening for those who might not be sure about how to install. Its honestly not hard. Takes between 20-30 minutes.

 

Looking forward to it. Thanks!

 

Well, I must have missed something or I’m doing something incorrectly. I can’t get the light housings out. I can get a trim tool in far enough to get one side (closest to the bed) to pull out a bit, but the other side won’t budge, and when I push the housing from under the bumper, it pops back in place. What am I doing wrong?

I really want to try to avoid more hand scrapes!

 

Any chance you could expand on this? I can't get the darned things out!. Is it that I'm not pushing the trim tool back far enough? I'm afraid to force it in past the point of resistance, which seems to be about as far as it will go.

 

Dear God @MillbrookMike. I'm sorry.

I posted this reply in the completely wrong thread. Please don't hate me!

I was looking at another thread at same time I was looking at this (separate windows).

 

Hey, no problem. I’ll get it done.....somehow. I may not be able to use my hands when it’s done, but I’ll get it!

 

Well, I got it done, but for me at least, it wasn't as simple as described earlier. I was able to slip the tapered edge of a panel removal tool on the bed side of each light housing. That seemed to be enough to get the clip on that side to push inward and let that side of the housing move forward. However, there was no way to push the housing out from behind without pushing in the clip on the outer side of the housing. To do that, I laid down on my creeper, used a long flat head screwdriver to press it in a bit, then I tapped lightly on the back of the housing. That was enough to pop each one out. I tried tapping the housing without pressing in that second tab and it wouldn't budge. I learned a couple of things in the process. There are three raised sections on the gray piece that holds the bulbs. The larger one actually lines up with a "fin" that's on the housing. That fin is on the bottom of the housing for the left (driver's side) light and on the top for the right (passenger side) light. So if anyone is simply unscrewing the gray pieces, keep that in mind when you're trying to match up the larger raised piece with its corresponding opening. The other thing I learned is something you guys probably already know. Some folks talk about flickering license plate lights. That more likely happens because when you remove the bulbs you probably spread apart the copper terminals holding the bulbs in place. You can simply use a pointed tool or small flathead screwdriver to push the copper terminals inside the housing closer to one another. Then the new bulbs will go in tight. I hope this is helpful for anyone like me who was messing with this for the first time....

 

Hi. Does anyone know Toyota part number for the gray socket the light bulb fits into? I went to replace bulb and it looks like the socket is burned out. Thanks