Changing Brake Light on 2004 Camry

[kaneohe]

I've watched some videos on changing the bulb in the CHMSL (center high mounted stop light) in the middle and actually done it for the first time and been impressed w/ the design and compactness of the unit.

The videos for changing the brake light suggest that the same technique is used. Rotate the assembly holding the bulb a small amount ccw (1/8 turn or less) , then pull out. Seems to be easier said than done in my case.......a combination of my weak fingers, difficult access to the part, etc.

Any tricks I'm missing before I pull out pliers/wrench. I'm ok w/ finesse
or brute but the combination of finesse & brute bothers me esp here where the parts are plastic , I think. And I'm guessing that reinstalling might also be a bit tricky..........saw one video where the words "easy as pie" by the subject did not reflect the struggle/multiple tries the subject was doing.

 

[imp4]

Sometimes a pair of Channellock or vise grip pliers can give you the extra leverage you need.
As the plastics age they tend to not want to come apart as easily as you'd think.

The key here is finesse and not too much squeezing of the pliers. And remember to turn counter clockwise to loosen.

The tiniest bit of dielectric grease on the socket tangs will make disassembly easier next time.

Good luck!

 

[kaneohe]

Thanks, imp4..........I will try to get up the courage (and finesse) to try this.
Thank goodness, the untighten/tighten directions are conventional and I will
try to align my body so they are..........maybe even get in the trunk.

Think I will need the luck so thanks for that too.

dielectric grease.......learn something every day. Would vaseline or silicone spray work?

ETA: I guess I must be really afraid of having to combine finesse/muscle so I tried again w/ just fingers....it worked!
(even tho 3 or 4 previous times ,it didn't). I then faced the challenge of the attached wire bundles and how they seem just long enough to make life difficult to get the bulb free......again a finesse/muscle combo but I succeeded enough to see the bulb number.

Thinking of buying from AMZN since prices seemed better but there were complaints of bulbs not fitting. Is that because the AMZN compatibility screener is goofy and the customers didn't rely on their owner manual/bulb mfg sites
to select or are the bulbs really not like OEM physically?

 

[pb4uski]

Looks pretty straightforward to me:

 

[ERD50]

" Rotate the assembly holding the bulb a small amount ccw (1/8 turn or less) , then pull out. "

If this is the kind of bulb I'm familiar with, you should add "push the bulb in and then turn CCW"


I'm thinking of the "bayonet" base bulbs. A little pin on each side 180° apart. Those need to be pushed down, and then CCW to remove.

https://www.google.com/search?q=aut...7P7jAhXMX80KHQNUAN4Q_AUIEigC&biw=1293&bih=614



https://www.google.com/search?q=aut...7P7jAhULV80KHfqBDv0Q_AUIEigC&biw=1293&bih=614

-ERD50

 

[kaneohe]

" Rotate the assembly holding the bulb a small amount ccw (1/8 turn or less) , then pull out. "

If this is the kind of bulb I'm familiar with, you should add "push the bulb in and then turn CCW"


I'm thinking of the "bayonet" base bulbs. A little pin on each side 180° apart. Those need to be pushed down, and then CCW to remove.

https://www.google.com/search?q=aut...7P7jAhXMX80KHQNUAN4Q_AUIEigC&biw=1293&bih=614



https://www.google.com/search?q=aut...7P7jAhULV80KHfqBDv0Q_AUIEigC&biw=1293&bih=614

-ERD50

ERD50........thanks for your input. Bulb is a bit different........don't know real name but one here https://www.google.com/search?clien...hUKEwjw0Mvw9_7jAhVMnp4KHc2zBUsQ4dUDCAY&uact=5 is calling it a wedge base. Anyway the problem isn't removing the bulb from the socket (pull straight out) but removing the "socket base" that holds the bulb from the "housing". Hopefully a problem no more.

 

[kaneohe]

Looks pretty straightforward to me:

It is, in theory, and I actually removed it w/o that much trouble. Had much more trouble putting it back for reasons I don't understand. Just kept messing w/ it. Had much more trouble removing the main/regular stop light bulb.....
hopefully , for reasons unknown, it will be simpler from now on.