How to Replace a Bulb in a Car Lighting Circuit

Broken or malfunctioning lights on your vehicle represent a road hazard for anyone traveling down a busy street or highway. A burned-out turn-signal bulb, for example, will fail to communicate to other drivers your intention to switch lanes or exit the road, and can lead to a serious accident. However, replacing a broken or burned-out light bulb is a very simple job. The following steps will help you replace any bulb in a matter of minutes, and will save you and your family a lot of trouble on the road.

Instructions

1

Gain access to the bulb socket. Bulbs on the front of the vehicle may usually be reached from under the bumper. On rear-mounted bulbs, a cover inside the trunk or cargo area may have to be removed to provide access to the bulb sockets. Yet other models feature light lenses screwed to the cover along the outside; depending on the type of screws, use a medium-size standard or Phillips screwdriver to remove the lens.

2

Twist the bulb socket 1/4 turn counterclockwise and then pull it out of its housing.

3

Push the light bulb in and twist it counterclockwise 1/4 of a turn.

4

Use a pair of needlenose pliers to remove the metal base of a broken bulb, being careful to avoid damage to the plastic socket.

5

Check for broken, chafed, frayed, burned or loose wires; use a small wire or coarse-haired brush to remove corrosion around the socket.

6

Align the new bulb lugs with the narrow channels inside the bulb socket. On most double-filament bulbs, the lugs are not parallel to each other, so make sure that you are positioning the lugs in their corresponding grooves inside the socket. Now push the bulb into the socket and twist it clockwise about 1/4 turn.

7

Inspect the lens closely -- if you had to remove it -- checking for cracks or damage to the sealing gasket around the edge. Align the lens on its mounting base and replace the screws.