# Toyota Corolla - Tail Light bulb needs to be replaced



## rakesh15 (Jan 6, 2006)

*Toyota Corolla - Tail Light bulb needs to be replaced*

In fact, In my car - 97 Corolla ,- 4 Dr 1.6L 4 Cyln, Corolla, 
NO SX OR DX 

one tail light bulb is bad, I need to replace. 


I removed the two screws on top of the light ( from potside, on side, next to trunk ) from out side.

I also removed the one steel nut from inside the trunk as mentioned above.

I did not touch those those two black plastic riveted screw like fixtures at all, as strongly mentioned above.

and I struggled and zuggled to remove the wholle assembly from outside by lifting and vibrating a little all the way, 

IT IS NOT COMING OUT.

Something is still holding it from inside somewhere near to that plastic bolt fixture area.

Whatever mentioned above by a guy is wrong. It''s NOT working out.

There is somewhere some place something still holding it. 

Any help ??????

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Some other people wrote,....................

I'm trying to replace a burned out stop signal light bulb, but so far haven't been able to remove the tail light assembly. I removed the carpet, undid two screws and removed the bolt, but it wouldn't come off. It's loose and I can move it around a bit, but it appears that there's something else holding it in place somewhere in the area of the turn signal. The only things I found that might be responsible for this are the two black plastic posts, but I have no idea how to remove them without breaking them. Any help will be greatly appreciated.


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I've had the same problem before.....

Try lifting the assembly up and pull it out lightly, good luck.

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Got it, thanks. Guess I was too occupied with those tabs and didn't try to simply pull the whole thing out. The scary thing is, bastards at a service station wanted $65 for a $1.50 light bulb and about 2 minutes of work.

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I am having what I think to be EXACTLY the same problem with my 1993. I removed 2 bolts and a nut (as you did) but try as I might, the lens assembly will NOT budge. 

Are the 2 plastic posts on the side involved in any way? Can you (or anyone) give me any specify advice on how to remove it with the least chance of breaking anything? Do you lift and pull straight-back (towards the back of the car?).

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since this is the only place on the internet that seems to address this question, I'd like to hit it fully. You remove the 2 screws in front, pull back the paneling inside the trunk and unscrew the bolt inside the trunk directly behind the brake panel. Ok, now there's 2 black posts with these plastic tab type things for bolts which look like they are coming IN from the light assembly. DO NOT try to remove these! These 2 posts are coming in from the outside of the car and the light assemlby actually slides onto them from the outside. So, if you have removed the 2 front screws and the one bolt inside the trunk, you are done unscrewing things and you have to sit there and juggle the light assembly up and down and if it has been awhile, it will take quite a few tries but eventually it gives way and you can lift it up and out of its position and replace your bulbs.

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Good info.


I have the same problem, and will try now to replace the bulbs for corolla 97 - 1.6L. 
However I see only one black bolt from the back trunk, behind the carpet. 
and now will not touch it,... after reading these.

I alreday opened those two bolts from the out side, right next to the plastic lens cover. I need to open another nut from in side the trunk which is just behind the lens cover, inside the trunk, behind the carpet. 


Too bad, [ go to the hell] that manufacturere book comes with no perfect instructions , [after spending that much money for car, Huh ! ]and 
Chilton books also try to cover 10 years of models at the same time, 
giving all the false informations, and does never applies to your particular model .

I already broke the plastic tab while trying to remove the higher level stop light lense , in the windows .

Thx to chilton for providing wrong info, with pictures about other models. Basturds !


Shame to the car manufatureres who could not provide a good pictorial book perfectly showing your case of eaxct model, after spending that much money for car.

Both, burn in hell. 


Shame to chilton books for providing general material for all 10 years models .

Shame to car manudfactureres for providing that, mini 2 cents of worth book - with all wrong info. ( covering 10 models at the same time ? }

Both are equally hopeless. 

Forum and group messages helps in this case. Thx 2 Forum.


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## rakesh15 (Jan 6, 2006)

*Hi folks::

Thx for all help, but,..

It's not working. 

How to remove the assembly to replace a light bulb ?????

Thx.*


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## Midnight Tech (Dec 31, 2001)

Will look at wife's car when she gets home and see how to get the bugger out and post back....


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## daveds5 (Feb 15, 2010)

The other guys are right. 
Remove the two screw/bolts from the outside of the boot that are holding the tail light assembly on using a ratchet and socket or a philips, (star shaped), screwdriver. 
Then take the nut off the thread on the inside of the boot that is under the boot lining. 

LEAVE THE 2 BLACK POLE/BOLT/RIVET LOOKING THINGS..they are NOT connected to the tail light assembly but instead they are connected to something behind the tail light assembly that parts of the assembly slide in and out of. 

Once you have removed the 2 outside bolts/screws and the nut off the inside threaded part that is sticking into the boot, you then have to wiggle and jiggle and lift and shake the tail light assembly out. It may feel like its not going to come out but it will.

I did this on my 1993 Toyota Corolla 10 minutes ago after reading these posts. (I was having trouble with it too and thought the black pole looking things were to blame). I'm guessing those black things are like they are so people break them accidently when trying to remove the tail light assembly and then have to take it in to get fixed and pay a lot to replace the stupid black pole looking things.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Hi daveds5!!

Glad you got it sorted out. It appears we have a solution to this issue and due to the age of this thread it will now close. Thanks for your input!!


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