Have to Remove Rear Bumper Cover to Replace Tail Light

[civicboy]

Today I had a problem with one of my lights on the rear of the car. So to gain access to the light I had to remove the tail light. I tried to remove the 4 bolts that hold the tail light in from the rear side of the trunk. I tried for about 10 minutes to remove the tail light and it still wouldn't budge. I got very frustrated after all this time. So I decided to pull the rear bumper cover off. There is 2 phillip screws on each side of the car, 2 clips on the underside of the bumper cover and finally there is 2 hex bolts on the upper part of the bumper cover on each side. It took about 10 minutes to remove the bumper cover and once I remove it I could see on each tail light there was 1 screw on the bottom side of the tail light. This is a real PIA and the tail light should be accessable with the removal of the 4 screws on the back side of the tail light. So to make a long story short, I just removed the screw in the bottom side of the tail light in case in the near future I need to access the tail light again. On a scale of 1-10 in difficulity, I would say that this is a 5 on the scale!

[Special Ringpop]

For those of us who don't like to pay ridiculous rates to get a bulb in our tailight replaced, this upsets me a little bit.

I don't have the time, location, or resources in college to pull off my rear bumper in a parking garage to replace the taillight bulb.

It would've been nice if they made that a little bit easier, or less work.

[PokeyD16Z]

you shouldn't have to take it off to replace a bulb...just the taillight assembly itself.

[JeShUa]

Originally Posted by PokeyD16Z

you shouldn't have to take it off to replace a bulb...just the taillight assembly itself.

You can work on it from inside the trunk. no?

[PokeyD16Z]

Originally Posted by JeShUa

You can work on it from inside the trunk. no?

to replace the bulbs, yes. You can do it from inside the trunk.

[radiocontrolhead]

lol, he must have huge hands,

[atruhondagrl]

Just wait til you have to change a headlight bulb. It's fun. You need a super human 4 year old to accomplish it.

[PokeyD16Z]

Originally Posted by atruhondagrl

Just wait til you have to change a headlight bulb. It's fun. You need a super human 4 year old to accomplish it.

The book actually tells you to go through the wheel well to replace the headlight bulbs. high beam is from inside the engine bay.

[Skyline]

This SUCKS. I have a stupid bug stuck inside my tail light, and I'm going to have to take off the entire bumper cover to get to it? Argh...

[rmfa]

Originally Posted by PokeyD16Z

The book actually tells you to go through the wheel well to replace the headlight bulbs. high beam is from inside the engine bay.

Yes, and get prepared to scratch your arm up like crazy. Why oh why did they make it that hard?

[JeShUa]

Originally Posted by atruhondagrl

Just wait til you have to change a headlight bulb. It's fun. You need a super human 4 year old to accomplish it.

Thats funny :]. Dawn needs to make the end of the year Cali Meet :]

[NIGHTHAWKSI]

yea...i dont know why yo uassume that teh bulb cant be chaned from in teh trunk....

[sjlarue]

It's been a few months check and make sure that the taillight hasn't dropped a little.

The screw is prob. there for fit and finish reasons. if you look at the four holes that the bolts go in they are prob. all oval looking. The screw under the bumper is there to hold it against the top and sides of the quarter panel. the bolt holes are oval, otherwise they wouldn't be able to get them in at the factory, because cars are like your fingerprints, no two are exactly the same.

Believe me, they wouldn't put it there if it wasn't needed for some stupid reason. If you look a lot of your finish parts on the car are the same way all the holes are oval going one way except one. And it may be oval going the other way or circular. Every mass produced car is like this. Thank you Henry.

later

[ronevan]

Hi
I need to remove and replace the read bumper cover because some idiot hit my wifes coupe and cut it up badly. The clips that mentioned that hold the cover in place are they use once clips and then have to replaced. Do you need any special tools to get the cover to reclip? I am thinking of purchasing a prepainted cover and then just swapping it on the car in a attempt to save some bucks. Dont want to deal with insurance. I think I can get the cover primed and painted for about 375-400 bucks

Thanks Ron...
06 Accord V6 Ex 6MT Nav RED.. Dads toy
06 Civic LX coupe Cosmic Blue Moms pocket rocket.
1991 Accord DX 5mt Daughters Beater 160k.. like everready battery just keeps running n running

PS scratch scars to prove aint fun changing front headlights on 03 Accord Coupe..threw inner fender... wont use Sylvania Silver bulbs..pain to replace..burn out in 18 months

[atruhondagrl]

You should not have to replace any clips. I've removed and reinstalled my bumper with no issues and it's just fine.

[dorkiedoode]

Originally Posted by Skyline

This SUCKS. I have a stupid bug stuck inside my tail light, and I'm going to have to take off the entire bumper cover to get to it? Argh...

use a screw driver and electric tape. tape the sticky side out, reach in there, try to get the bug on to the tape, pull out slowly, then use a plier and pitch the bug (if the bug is bigger then the hole) if not just pull it out. that what i did when my led reverse bulb fell in there. horrible back pain trying to get it out.