Motorists do not need to explain the importance of timely replacement of the brake light bulb. This lamp performs functions important for driving safety, above all – helps to prevent accidents. A working brake light warns other drivers that the car is about to stop, and they have time to react accordingly. And that helps to avoid a collision. And, of course, the brake light is an important part of the car’s design. So you need to take care that it is always in working order. To do this, you need to know how to change the brake light bulb and when you need to do it.
When to change the light bulb
Light bulbs need to be replaced when they near the end of their life, that is, when they burn out. Most cars are equipped with sensors which respond to such malfunctions and signal to the driver.
Of course, even before the lamp burns out completely, you can notice the corresponding signals – it begins to flash, the intensity of the glow may change. Sometimes this indicates that the contacts are faulty. But in most cases you still have to replace the lamp.
It is also recommended to change the old incandescent bulbs for a new type of bulb. Instead of the classic version, it is worth giving preference to LEDs. They have more brightness, which is important when driving at dusk or in bad weather conditions. Stop light lamps that run on LEDs are triggered faster. In addition, these lamps have a longer life.
What you need to replace
First you need to find a suitable lamp. As for the power, it is not necessary to chase the highest rate, otherwise this lamp will only cause discomfort to the driver who rides behind. But when choosing, you need to pay attention to other factors, including the color of the glass. Today for the brake light use mostly LED lamps, which will give color without distortion only through such a glass. Another important point – experts recommend paying attention to lamps without a base, if the design of the brake light allows it, because the fixings of the base models are unreliable.
How to change the lamp
The scheme of action when performing such work is as follows:
- It is necessary to disconnect the onboard computer network beforehand – as with any other electrical work. Minus terminal of the battery is disconnected to avoid a short circuit.
- The trunk lid is opened, otherwise there will be no access to the lamp.
- The inside of this light is usually concealed by a decorative panel. It must be removed, but first – get rid of the trunk trim. To do this, it is enough to remove the special clips. But to remove the panel you will have to disassemble the fasteners.
- When access is opened to the lamp board, you will need to remove it, remove the old bulb and put a new one, and then put the board back in place.
- Assembly is done in reverse order. Before you put the decorative panel and trim back in place, you need to check the bulb and make sure it works. The final step is to reconnect the battery terminal.
If the lamp is made in sections, the glass is removed. In general, the procedure is similar to the one described above. The main thing is to find in which section the bulb has burned out.