In this project, Andrew Totolos installs mesh grills, LED taillights and new fog lights on a Honda Civic. In this final phase of the project, Andrew finishes out the project by installing the new set of LED taillights. Materials/tools for this phase of the project:
LED tail lights
upgraded bulbs (spider bulbs)
alcohol
clean rags
standard shop tools
Safety Alert: As a standard safety precaution, always disconnect the vehicle's negative battery cable before you begin work on any electrical or mechanical components.
DIY Difficulty Rating for This Project: We gave this a difficulty rating of 3 on a 5-point intermediate-level scale. There's some drilling and a small amount of electrical wiring involved, but if you're comfortable with that you should have no problem.
Steps:First, remove the old taillights from the car.
To begin, pull the panel out of the way and unplug the wiring harness that runs to each light (figure A).Then remove the 10mm nuts that hold the lights in place.As the lights begin to loosen, it helps to hold it steady from the outside.After all of the nuts are removed, push the assembly out from the inside, and then remove the trunk-mounted tail lights (figure B) and the opposite corner lights (figure C) in the same way.The light set Andrew uses comes with an LED ring light for the parking and taillights. He replaces the incandescent bulbs with spider lights for a total LED package.The spider lights fold up and then spring back open once they are inside the housing. The backup bulbs should be cleaned with alcohol before they're inserted.After the new bulbs are installed, take the lens assemblies back to the car.To install the new lights just line up the studs and push the new housings into place (figure D).Tighten down all of the nuts, and plug in the harness to complete the project.The Bottom Line
Aluminum mesh $7
Silicone glue $4
EL wire $30
Electrical supplies $10
Driving lights $70
LED taillights $150
Bulbs $100
Total = $371
Important: Included in this summary are the steps in this automotive procedure as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular car or truck, there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of upgrade-kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with your kit or replacement parts.
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