How to Replace Tail Light 2003-05 Honda Civic
Created on: 2012-07-18
Learn how to replace the tail light or light bulbs in your 01-05 Honda Civic with this step by step video from 1A Auto.
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step 1 :Changing the Taillight Bulbs
- Turn the clip and pull it out.
- Pull back the insulation.
- Twist the sockets counterclockwise to remove.
- Pull the bulb straight out.
- Push a new one into place.
- Twist the socket back into place.
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step 2 :Removing the Rear Bumper Cover
- Remove the 10mm bolts and Phillips screws from the back of the wheel wells.
- Pry of the covers at the top of the rear bumper and remove the 10mm bolts behind them.
- Pry out the clips under the bumper.
- Pull the bumper out on each side.
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step 3 :Removing the Taillight Assembly
- Remove the two 8mm bolts under the taillight.
- Remove the three 8mm bolts from the back of the taillight.
- Twist out the sockets.
- Remove the Phillips screw and remove the bracket.
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step 4 :Replacing the Taillight Assembly
- Remove the Phillips screw from the new taillight assembly.
- Attach the bracket to the new taillight and replace the Phillips screw.
- Line up the taillight and push it into place.
- Replace the 8mm bolts.
- Twist the sockets into place.
- Replace the insulation.
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step 5 :Replacing the Rear Bumper Cover
- Line up the bumper cover and push it into place.
- Replace the 10mm bolts at the top of the bumper cover. Replace the bolt covers.
- Replace the clips under the bumper cover.
- Replace the Phillips screws and 10mm bolts in the wheel wells.
Tools needed
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Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Phillips Head Screwdriver
8mm Socket
10mm Socket
Ratchet
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Hi, I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com, thanks.
In this video we're going to show you how to service taillights on this 2003 Honda Civic. The taillights for the 2001-2005 are basically the same. They did change some color of the lenses, but the basic procedures are the same. We're going to show you both if you just need to change the bulbs or if you need to change the whole assembly, if you've had a broken one or something like that. Tools you'll need for the bulbs, all you're going to need is a flat blade screwdriver. If you need to replace an entire tail light assembly, you will have to remove the rear bumper cover, which is not that big of a deal. In that case, you'll need the flat blade screwdriver, the Phillip's screwdriver, 8 and 10 mm sockets with a ratchet and extension.
To access your outer taillight, come in the trunk here, there's a little clip here. Use a flat blade screwdriver and you basically just twist out the middle. The middle pulls out and then you can pull the clip out with the trim and pull this trim down, and if you're just looking to replace bulbs, go right in here, twist counter clockwise, come out, the bulbs just pull right straight out of the sockets. Replace them and the same thing up here.
There're a few fasteners on each side. On each side you will see an 8 mm bolt, right up under there. You'll see a Phillip's screw right there and then open up your trunk and there are a couple of little panels here, pry out, and there's a 10 mm bolt right back there and then underneath there are a few clips and what you do with these is pry the middle out. You can see they're usually a little sandy. You have to work at them a little bit.
Now pull the camera back and fast forward as I just work at getting those two bottom clips out. You basically just need to pull them down between about an 1/8 and a 1/4 of an inch and then pull on the whole clip and they come out. We'll keep up the fast pace here as we remove the fasteners from each side. Again, it's an 8 mm bolt, a Phillip's screw, and a 10 mm bolt. Both clips are out, pull firmly out on each side, and the bumper cover comes right off. Once you have your bumper cover off, there are two bolts you undo here, plus a Phillip's screw up there and then inside here and then here, there are the three 8 mm bolts there, there and there, we'll be removing the bulbs.
Coat the fasteners underneath the tail light with some penetrating oil to try to loosen them up. I'm going to fast forward here as I remove those two 10 mm nuts and they are probably going to, on this vehicle it's a north-east vehicle, so they do both break. Not the worst thing in the world. The screw underneath the taillight actually still holds the bracket in place. Under the light is a Phillip's screw here. It's usually pretty difficult to get off. Remove it, now remove this bracket. New light from 1A Auto comes with a new screw, so take that off and then put the bracket in place. I'm going to speed through here. I just put the tail light back in place and put the three 8 mm nuts back on the inside of the trunk and tightened them up and put the bulbs and harnesses back into place and put the trim back in place as well. Fast forward here and put those 10 mm bolts back in place. Fast forward here as I put the two clips in the bottom, just kind of pull the centers out, push the clips in, and then push the centers in to lock and then reinstall the little covers in the back trunk area as well as the 8 mm and Phillip's screws that hold the cover in the wheel well area. There's the tail light, good as new.
We hope this helps you out. Brought to you by www.1AAuto.com, your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the Internet. Please feel free to call us toll free 888-844-3393. We're the company that's here for you on the Internet and in person.
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