3rd Gen Ram - Tail Light Replacement & Bulb Replacement
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3rd Gen Ram - Tail Light Replacement & Bulb Replacement
It's really simple, but hey, i took pics, and some people are not very mechanically apt at all.
This is a write up on how to change your full tail light assembly (also, most of this is how you'd simply change a bulb as well).
Tools:
Torx T-20
Flathead
Phillips Head
^^ I used more of a "gasket scraper" than i did a flathead.
Step 1:
Remove the two torx screws exposed when tail gate is in lowered position
^^The top one is already out, and my torx screwdriver is working on the second one. Those are only two screws.
Step 2:
Only thing holding tail light in are rubber grommets. There is one on top, and one on bottom.
^^ If this is your first time, you will swear on your life that the tail light doesn't just pull right off...but it does. The picture shows the top grommet hole. What i did was stick my flathead [gasket scraper] back there, and gave it a twist, and it popped right out.
Did the same thing for one on bottom.
^^ Here's a good shot of both grommets, and what the tail light looks liek removed.
Step 3:
Removing wiring harness
^^ There is a little red tab on them. Pop them out, to release the harness from the tail light. In "Step 2" you can see a picture of the harness still connected to the tail light.
Step 4:
If you're trying to replace a bulb and/or you're trying to get your old bulbs out to put into a new aftermarket or oem replacement tail light.
^^ You remove those four screws, then that whole white part pulls up, with all the light bulbs attached to it. Either replace the malfunctioning bulb, or remove them to put into your new tail light. If all you were doing was replacing a bulb that was out, from here just follow the rest of the instruction, but apply them to your existing tail, not an after market tail as i have pictured.
Step 5:
Plug in new (or old/existing) tail light
^^ The new tail lights actually came with bulbs! Awesome! Anyways, remember that wiring harness you unplugged? Plug it back in to new tail light. It should be the same plug as the OEM ones you just pulled out.
Step 6:
Put it back in.
^^ Put the grommets in first, THEN put the screws in the side. When running screws back in, it may be a good idea to push the tail lights in a bit to get a better seal.
This side is done
^^ This is completed driver side
^^ How is looks with tail gate closed.
Step 7:
Repeat to opposite side.
DONE!
Ram3rdGen
This is a write up on how to change your full tail light assembly (also, most of this is how you'd simply change a bulb as well).
Tools:
Torx T-20
Flathead
Phillips Head
^^ I used more of a "gasket scraper" than i did a flathead.
Step 1:
Remove the two torx screws exposed when tail gate is in lowered position
^^The top one is already out, and my torx screwdriver is working on the second one. Those are only two screws.
Step 2:
Only thing holding tail light in are rubber grommets. There is one on top, and one on bottom.
^^ If this is your first time, you will swear on your life that the tail light doesn't just pull right off...but it does. The picture shows the top grommet hole. What i did was stick my flathead [gasket scraper] back there, and gave it a twist, and it popped right out.
Did the same thing for one on bottom.
^^ Here's a good shot of both grommets, and what the tail light looks liek removed.
Step 3:
Removing wiring harness
^^ There is a little red tab on them. Pop them out, to release the harness from the tail light. In "Step 2" you can see a picture of the harness still connected to the tail light.
Step 4:
If you're trying to replace a bulb and/or you're trying to get your old bulbs out to put into a new aftermarket or oem replacement tail light.
^^ You remove those four screws, then that whole white part pulls up, with all the light bulbs attached to it. Either replace the malfunctioning bulb, or remove them to put into your new tail light. If all you were doing was replacing a bulb that was out, from here just follow the rest of the instruction, but apply them to your existing tail, not an after market tail as i have pictured.
Step 5:
Plug in new (or old/existing) tail light
^^ The new tail lights actually came with bulbs! Awesome! Anyways, remember that wiring harness you unplugged? Plug it back in to new tail light. It should be the same plug as the OEM ones you just pulled out.
Step 6:
Put it back in.
^^ Put the grommets in first, THEN put the screws in the side. When running screws back in, it may be a good idea to push the tail lights in a bit to get a better seal.
This side is done
^^ This is completed driver side
^^ How is looks with tail gate closed.
Step 7:
Repeat to opposite side.
DONE!
Ram3rdGen
Last edited by derricksmash; Jan 12, 2009 at 12:52 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From:
RE: DIY Tail Light Replacement & Bulb Replacement (2002-2008 Ram 1500)
wow dude, those tail lights look awesome....I'm looking into getting the Recon Smoked LED tails sometime in the near future. and oh, just noticed in your sig you changed your exhaust to an 80 series, hows it sound?
