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How to Replace Reverse Light Bulbs 2009-17 Chevy Traverse

Created on: 2018-02-26

How to install, repair, fix, change or replace a broken, damaged, burned out, reverse light bulb on 12 Chevy Traverse

  1. step 1 :Removing the Rear Hatch Trim Panel
    • Pry out the push clips from the trim panel
    • Pry out the handle with a trim tool
    • Remove the two 7mm screws from either side of the handle
    • Pry out the lock on the upper hatch latch
    • Disconnect the handle from the upper hatch
    • Pry off the upper trim panel
    • Pry off the lower trim panel
    • Disconnect the electrical connectors
  2. step 2 :Servicing the Bulbs
    • Twist the bulb socket counterclockwise out of the light
    • Pull the bulb off of the socket
    • Push on the new bulb
    • Twist the bulb clockwise into the light
  3. step 3 :Installing the Rear Hatch Trim Panel
    • Connect the electrical connectors
    • Lift the panel so that it latches onto the metal clips
    • Press the lower trim panel into place
    • Press the upper trim panel into place
    • Connect the upper hatch latch and press in the lock
    • Tighten the two 7mm screws to the lower trim panel
    • Press on the handle
    • Press on the push clips

Tools needed

  • Socket Extensions

    7mm Socket

    Ratchet

    Trim Tool Set

Hi, I’m Mike from 1A Auto. We’ve been selling auto parts for over 30 years!

To remove this trim panel, we'll start by removing these two push clips by the door latch. Use a small, flat bladed screwdriver. Pop them up. Pull out the center to unlock them, and then pry open this. Pull it all the way out, and do the same for both sides. To remove this handle, the plastic is actually separated, there's a seam here. Use these plastic prying tools—you can get these from 1AAuto.com.

Start on one side, get it started, and get towards the middle here. Pry down on it with a good, sharp pull. Pull it right out. There are two 7mm screws on either side that need to be removed. Use a 7mm socket and a driver handle and remove them. Hold on to this handle so it doesn't fall. There we go. Before you can remove the lower section of trim, the upper section of trim needs to come off.

To remove the little lifting arm, take a flat bladed screwdriver, pull the lock out, and pop it off the ball joint here. Get that out of the way. Start over here and disconnect it. It’s got snap clips, or metal clips that clip into the body, just got to pull it down and out. Just kind of go along and do the same thing. Pull it right out.

The rest of the panel is held on with clips. Pull down on it and separate it. Lower the plastic trim. It might take some force to pull it off the clips. If the plastic clips holding these electrical connectors break, it's not a big deal, just unplug the electrical connectors. You can then lower the panel some more. Then slide it off the front and take it out of the vehicle.

To replace the bulb, turn the socket counterclockwise, pull it out. It is a 912 bulb. Pull it straight out of the socket. Put it back in to replace it. Put it into the opening and turn it clockwise to lock it.

Get this up. There's a lip here and along this edge, it's going to meet into these metal clips here and here. Then we're going to push it up and then it'll clip into place. But before we do that, we have to plug in these, kind of lift it in place. Reach up and plug in the courtesy lights. And this is for the electric hatch. If it's broken don't worry about it, this will just slide up in place. Careful you don't press this button because the door will want to come down and it's not connected to the lift arm there. Put this up in place, little awkward because you're working up above your head trying to get it into place. Once you get those caught you can push this in, back into the clips.

Install the upper trim. Got an opening here. It's going to go over the little mount for the lift arm. It also has these metal push clips on the edge and an alignment tab here that will go into here. It clips over here that are going to clip through this darker trim. With that lined up, I’m going to start on this side, clip it in, and work this around. I'll get this side lined up.

Get this alignment pin pushed into place. Then we'll just push into place. This should clip right back on, locked in place. Push the handle up into place and carefully guide this long self-tapping screw up there. Get it started. Tighten it up. Same for the other one. Push this trim back in place. Start it over here, line up those three openings there. Push it right up. Plastic push clips, the base is in. Push the center part in. Same for both of them.

Thanks for watching. Visit us at 1AAuto.com for quality auto parts, fast and free shipping, and the best customer service in the industry.


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