Having trouble removing left rear brake/stop light socket to replace bulb

[RMcG]

Hello everybody,

I am having trouble removing the left (driver's side) rear brake/stop light socket to replace the bulb. I became aware that the left (driver's side) rear brake/stop light was out a couple of days ago. I bought a replacement bulb, but I cannot remove the socket with the old bulb. I believe that the socket is supposed to turn counterclockwise to be removed. I have attached a couple of pictures of the rear of the socket.

The first picture below (entitled StopBrakeLightLeftMy2008ToyotaYarisHtchbck) is an actual picture of the back of the socket (tan color) that I am having trouble removing. I have tried my fingers and some pliers turning counterclockwise without success so far. I don't want to break the socket. I also don't want to remove the entire left rear lens and assembly that contains 4 bulbs, because I had a major leak problem that I solved using silicone rubber cement put on the black rubber gasket between the lens and car body. In fact, I think you can see some of that dried silicone rubber cement above the rear of the socket (gray color). But I do not think that I used so much cement that it is interfering with the socket removal.

I have attached another picture, the second picture below (entitledToyotaBrakeLight1) I got off the internet here that shows the general location of the rear of the socket at the top of the group of 4 rear Yaris bulbs. (The guy's finger is pointing at it.)

QUESTION: Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can remove the socket? Am I missing something?

Thank you,

R.

[RMcG]

I looked back through the forum and realized that I had trouble getting the bulb sockets (AKA receptacles) out through the back of the car 5 years ago (before I used the silicone rubber cement described in the previous post) and had to take the entire lens assembly off 5 years ago. Here is that thread entitled Advice on replacing a rear brake light bulb from 2019.

But after that I ended up developing the major water leak in the rear of my car that I described (in part) in this post Low temp sealant for leaking tail lights? from 2021, a couple of years later.

So, as I said, I had problems removing the bulb sockets/receptacles via the back of the car 5 years ago before I used the silicone rubber cement. So the silicone rubber cement does not appear to be the reason for the difficulty removing the bulb socket (AKA receptacle) through the back of the car that I am having.

ANY TIPS AS TO WHAT I CAN DO TO REMOVE THE SOCKETS THROUGH THE BACK WITHOUT TAKING OFF THE ENTIRE LENS WITH THE FOUR BULBS WILL BE APPRECIATED.

Thank you,

R.

[RMcG]

Hello,

I solved the problem. See attached Chilton instruction for removing the socket. Once I was confident that the socket is removed by turning counter-clockwise, I was able to be more aggressive in trying to turn the socket counter-clockwise. I tried pliers again, but no luck. But then I tapped on the bottom edge of the socket with large pliers (using the pliers like a hammer) and the socket loosened up. It took some more maneuvering with my hands and a screw driver, but eventually I got the socket free. Again, this is the left (driver's side) rear stop/brake light bulb socket that I removed. I just want to add, that I think if you are trying to remove the right (passenger side) rear stop/brake light bulb socket by tapping on the socket like I did, I think you will have to tap on the top of the socket (not the bottom) in order to get the socket to turn in a counter-clockwise direction. And the top of the socket may be somewhat less accessible than the bottom. Although based on the picture in my first post, I think it should be accessible.

Again, as in my previous thread from 2019 (see link in previous post), I had some trouble removing the old light bulb. I had to wiggle it from side to side and it eventually came out. I then put in the new bulb, this was not too bad, but took a little effort also and repeated pressing too. (I used disposable gloves that I had cleaned off with rubbing alcohol; and I cleaned off the new bulb with rubbing alcohol too, to make sure no oil was on the bulb glass to lower its lifespan.)

Then I tested the new bulb by compressing the brake pedal by wedging a small shovel I have between the front seat and the brake pedal. (I put the handle over & on the brake pedal and the blade of the shovel against the front of the lower part of the front of the driver's seat.) The new bulb did indeed light up as did the other (right) side and high middle brake bulbs.

Then I put the socket back in place. This took some maneuvering too. A TIP: you can look through the lens from outside the car and see the position of the socket relative to hole fitting the socket fits into. Eventually I got it to snap into place.

The old bulb had lasted a little over 5 years. It was put in in January of 2019.

Thanks,

R.

[JustFPV]

thanks for the tip, I'm about to replace my right tail bulb thats burnt out and couldn't get the old bulb out. I'll use your tip of tapping on the socket before trying to remove it. I just replaced my base model seats with rs seats and couldn't believe how difficult it was, Toyota goes overkill on some stuff lol.