So, your car got damaged, or your tail light simply stopped working. You might think fixing any component of a car, let alone replacing a tail light, might require you to get your car to a professional, a car mechanic, and so on, to get it fixed but that might not be the case. If you opt to fix the problem with your car yourself, we can help you with that with a step-by-step guide on how to replace a broken tail light on a vehicle.
Why would you fix it for yourself? Well, if you bring your car to a mechanic for your tail light to be replaced, you will be charged more than what the new tail light is worth for the reason that what the mechanic is doing is a profession and they need to make a living off of fixing cars. If you want to pay less to replace your tail light and you don’t want to go through the hassle of driving your car to a mechanic and waiting for an unspecified amount of time for your tail light to be replaced, you are in the right place! Keep reading more to find out how you can replace your broken tail light by yourself with ease.
How to Replace a Broken Tail Light
Before you can start taking out the broken tail light and replacing it with a new one, you first need to purchase a replacement lens for the tail light. You will also need some tools like a crowbar, screwdriver, and of course, a socket wrench. If you have all of these tools and you have bought a replacement lens, you can start replacing your broken tail light in a safe environment.
Make sure the car is completely turned off before starting the process of replacement, then follow the steps below:
- You will have to remove the fasteners. A wrench or a screwdriver will come in handy in this step. The screws can be outside of the car or in less visible places like the trunk of the car.
- After you are done removing all of the fasteners, you have to twist out the bulb socket by doing a quarter-turn counterclockwise. Once you’ve done so, you can release the tail light assembly.
- Remove the tail light assembly from the car. A crowbar can be handy while doing so for some models of cards and it will require a good amount of force to take it out completely.
- Remove the old lens by unscrewing the screws or thumb nuts that are attached to the lens.
- You can now insert the new lens you’ve bought. Insert it into the socket of the old lens and do not forget the tighten the screws or thumb nuts you’ve unscrewed to take out the old lens. Doing so is crucial to make sure there are no problems.
- Then, you can reinstall the tail light assembly, to do so, socket the assembly in and turn the bulb socket clockwise, it will be held in place once you are done. Make sure you put every screw or fastener you’ve removed earlier while taking out the tail light assembly.
And voila! You are done replacing a broken tail light. That wasn’t so difficult, was it? Make sure the light is working properly before the car is back out on the road again.
The Cost of Replacing a Broken Tail Light
If you opt to have it replaced by a mechanic, the cost of repair for the light bulb will be around $20 to $100. So, you have to keep in mind that if you decide to have it replaced by a mechanic.
There can be cases where the only issue might not be that the old bulb is broken. If the problem is with wiring or assembly altogether, repairing it yourself might prove to be more difficult. Getting those issues fixed by a mechanic will cost between $200 to $2000 depending on the difficulty and the cost of fixing the issue.
Companies Who Can Replace the Broken Tail Light
If you don’t want to hassle of driving your car to the mechanic, you can also use services like Yourmechanic which offers a service in which a mechanic will come to your house to fix the issue there. This may cost more than a traditional auto repair shop but will be easier on the customer.
If you can drive your car to the shop, companies like Midas International, Meineke Car Care Centers, AAMCO, Christian Brothers Automotive, Tuffy Tire and Auto Service can be great places to fix the issues in your car in.
Conclusion
So, replacing a broken tail light is easier than expected. If you have bought the replacement lens and have all the appropriate tools mentioned above, you can fix your broken bulb in no time. However, if the issue with your broken tail light is about wiring or other issues, you might want to replace it by other means.
Overall, going to a mechanic will cost you more time and money but the choice is yours in the end. Even though it is a simple task, some people may be anxious to touch their car’s inner components because of the fear that they might break other things in the car. However, you can’t deny that fixing your own car is a lot more intuitive.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much is a replacement lens?
While it changes from model to model, a replacement lens can cost you up to 200 dollars and even more in some cases. You have to do research depending on what kind of lens you want to buy.
- How much does a mechanic take to replace the lens?
Because newer models are a bit more complicated, they might take more. But overall, the act of replacing the tail light bulb shouldn’t take more than 45 minutes on average by the mechanic or yourself.
