# 2004 rear light replacement

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [April 18, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294 "2009-04-18T13:33:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lrkolden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lrkolden](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lrkolden)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294/1 "2009-04-18T13:33:26Z")

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How hard is it to replace the tail light on a 2004 Monte Carlo? By the way, your show is great=listen and tape it when I can.

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**Author:** ![87\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/8/f14d63/32.png) [@87\_Ranger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/87_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294/2 "2009-04-18T18:21:24Z")

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Your owners manual will either tell you something such as due to the complex nature of modern automotive lighting systems only your dealer should change a light bulb.

Or it will tell you exactly how to do this yourself.

The owners manual will also tell you the model number of the bulb you need.

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**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294/3 "2009-04-19T00:28:38Z")

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It’s easy. Look for any fasteners, screws, nuts/bolts, and remove them. You may have to pull out some interior trim panels in the trunk but be careful not to tear or put any heavy creases in them. These are retained by plastic covered screws or plastic push pins. Those can be aggravating to remove, carefully pull out the center then pull out the outer portion.  
After the lamp fasteners are removed the lamp may still be held in with pins that are pushed into rubber grommets, just gently wiggle them out. Be careful not to break off any plastic aligning tabs on the lamp.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294/4 "2009-04-19T00:34:25Z")

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Open the trunk lid.

Remove the top wing nut from the cover.

Pull the trunk panel back and remove the lower wing nut from the cover.

Remove the cover.

Twist the socket of the burned out bulb 1/4 turn and remove the socket.

Replace the bulb.

Tester

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**Author:** ![lrkolden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lrkolden](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lrkolden)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-rear-light-replacement/29294/5 "2009-04-19T14:47:26Z")

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I think we can do it, we need to replace the whole tail light.