MuscleRodz.com Technical Resources

LED Tail Light Install

1) Here are the LED lights fresh out of the box.


2) Remove the taillight/reverse light assemblies from the car and remove the backing plate from the assemblies by removing the plate screws. Here is one before and one after removal.


3) Another shot of the stock lenses pulled out.


4) I took this opportunity to paint the backing plates and clean them up a bit. The old raw pieces looked old and raw.


5) Install the LED lenses in the assembly by placing them onto the rubber seals. There are contours on the lenses which mate up to the contours on the assemblies. Be sure to put the proper lens in the corresponding assembly.


6) Here is a shot of one LED lens installed and one being placed. Notice you need to pull the LED box wires through the backing plate holes, just like the stock bulb wires.


7) Re-install the backing plates and small screws.


8) Re-install the light assemblies into the trunk openings. Connect the bulb replacements by inserting them into the original connectors. Be sure to re-insert the original bulb housings into the backing plates prior to testing - the ground contact is necessary.


9) Here they are installed. Very difficult to capture the look in a photo.


I'm happy with the results. The lights are much brighter and gives the car a more custom look. The entire installation took about 25 minutes. An extra 30 minutes for painting the backing plates... Overall a simple and tasteful modification.