MrBluster

My wife told me that her right rear turn signal ceased to work. I assumed that the bulb blew, so I ran out and bought a new one, but now can't quite figure out how to actually go about accessing and replacing the old one.

Any help would be extremely appreciated.

Bert

Is it the front or the rear? In the owners manual it tells how to replace them. The rear bulbs are on page 169, and the fronts are next to the headlight shown on page 165. If you don't have an owners manual, you can download one here. https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...ls/default.asp

If the bulbs are good, try spraying electrical contact cleaner next to the hazard button and operate the hazards a few times.

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Bert

MrBluster

Thanks very much for pointing me to the manual, Bert...I didn't have a copy, and couldn't find much on the 'net.

I just took a look at P.169 and, I must say, it's as clear as mud . I guess I'll need to carve out a good bit of time to figure it out. (Some manuals are much more user friendly than others; some cars are designed more with the do-it-yourselfer in mind than others. My (admittedly limited) experience with Fords suggests that they and their manuals aren't among them.)

R.S.LOGAN

1998 Ford Escort SE: Changing a rear tail light


Craig
July 2, 2008 at 11:16 am
Answer
I changed the bulb on my 96 Escort in following manner: I hope this helps

Open trunk, Remove 2 screws that hold the taillight casing. From inside the trunk, remove(pull aside) the carpeting/lining. You may need to remove a plastic pin. The following procedure takes a lot of effort and time :

Use a plier or some device to squeeze the platic holders that are still holding the tailight casing into the vehicle body. Squeeze/push them from inside the trunk towards outside of car. This will loosen the whole tail light/backup light/side light casing out of the vehicle.

Now you can see individual bulb holders. Turn the right type of holder so it is detached from the casing and remove carefully. Remove bulb carefully by pulling out of socket, push and insert new bulb.

Hi, the plastic recepticles from the inside should actually stay there and not be distorted by pliers. They have metal nipples pushed into them from the whole tail light casing, which is removed by swinging it back and to the side to unpop them. Hope this helps….Craig

MrBluster

This certainly appears to be a bit "challenging"...

Hoping against hope: Does anyone have a drawing/digram that would illustrate the procedure? The instructions are detailed, but still hard to follow...and, as the adage goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words."

Bert

Which bulb is it. front or rear? Have you tried the hazard light to see if it still doesn't work when they're on?

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Bert

thefonz

Slipping Bert??? first post says right rear

R.S.LOGAN

No disrespect , but if you find changing the bulb "challenging" , you would be advised to get someone do it for you as you may damage / break something .

Bert

You're right, it must be my age getting to me.

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Bert

MrBluster

No disrespect taken — none whatsoever. I just have the sense that it's a tad more difficult — or shall I say "less straightforward" — than changing a bulb in my Toyota, which doesn't involve pulling up carpeting, using a plier "or some device" to squeeze, twist and pull a plastic holder (suggesting that it's not designed to be readily removed), while using great care not to break anything, etc. As you yourself indicated, the procedure "takes a lot of effort and time."

Now it may very well be that with time, care, and effort, it'll be easier than it sounds...but it certainly would be helpful — at the very least, "comforting" — if I had a drawing or diagram (similar to what some product manuals/guides/installation instructions provide) to visualize the steps that you outlined. Ordinarily, I wouldn't knock myself out, but, quite frankly, paying a garage mechanic US$ 20-30 or more to do it currently is pretty much out of the question (I'm quite unemployed and rather broke).