Today I was going to replace the bulbs for the lights around my license plate, because both have been out for awhile now.
I bought the bulbs and bent down with my screw driver to unscrew the caps,

and then i realize.. the screws and washers and all the metal under that part of the car is rusted together!

so i took the dremel and began hacking away, and i ended up messing up the little plastic holder for the bulb also i messed up the little metal strip that the holder is supposed to screw into, lets just say the holder isnt screwed into that anymore, lol. so the bulbs are danging in front of my license plate, with nothing that they can attach to.
That metal strip was so rusted up and bent awkward after i tried pulling the bulb holder off.

im not sure how im going to reattach my bulbs up there again. dang. shoulda just payed the stealership to do it.

anyone else know what im talking about?


I tried to make a drawing to make it more easier to understand hopefully:

 

Yep, I did mine last month. 155k will be pretty rusty. I was sorta lucky - although they didn't come apart easily, I didn't destroy any of them.

Dave

 

I actually made a post about the same problem a week or two ago, so yeah I'm in the same boat. Though I haven't destroyed mine trying to open them yet. I picked up a spare harness set at the JY just in case.

 

how did you get the screws out? and how did you detach the holders without bending and messing up the metal piece they were screwed into?

i may have to take the bumper cover off and redesign whats underneath
dangit, i wish i hadnt been this clumsy

 

link to thread?

 

duct tape anyone?? lol good luck with this I have no ideas other than that.

 

I unscrewed the screws, took off the plastic cover, changed the bulb, and put them back.

Dave

 

I drove around all summer with my lights hanging down cause the metal bracket was so rusted and it just eventually crumbled. You need to go to a junkyard or somewhere else and get a new bracket.

 

ha, i figured. my guess is most of those metal brackets must be rusted pretty good. its just that people dont know it because they dont have to change their bulbs that often!
just sucks, cuz im going to have to take off my bumper cover now.

I think I'll just buy all new stuff. (bracket, holders, bulbs, etc)
how much will that run?

 

Considering your location, I highly recommend www.worldpartsexpress.com.

Here's what I found using the Nissan parts software, but you'll want them to use your VIN to pull the part numbers for you. Unfortunately this crap looks expensive - I'd say the junkyard is the place to go.

96252-40U00 $42.08 $0.00 $30.81 Rear bumper - Bumper and components - License bracket License bracket 1995 - 1999

63848-01G00 $2.27 $0.00 $1.66 Rear bumper - Bumper and components - Closing plate - Clip, Clip Back 1995 - 1999

26510-40U00 Rear lamps - License lamps - License lamp License lamp 1996 - 1999 $32.32 $0.00 $23.66
96706-89901 Lift gate - Interior trim - Gate trim panel - Grommet Grommet
$0.83 $0.00 $0.61

 

i have the whole little assembly from my old bumper that got ripped off the car. the harness plugs in but doesnt "snap" in because thats where it got ripped apart.
if your interested let me know. i'd sell it for 15 shipped.

 

just rebuild the area a little with some epoxy or something similar and drill new holes (I've never had to do it but that's how I would go about it) if it's in a not too visible area right?

 

chillin, thanks for the offer.

ill think about it. im tempted to just wait and deal with this in the spring time.
what are the odds of me getting pulled over at night because my license plate bulbs are out?

 

i have to do mine....i know they are messed up...i got pulled once for them

 

Well, I got pulled over just the other day for my lights being out. Its a good excuse for them to pull you over and then they can treat you like **** and interrogate you about where your going and ****.
So...don't doubt it...

 

i changed mine the other day, and my car has nearly 200k on the body, and it was very easy. i guess since i dont live up north or around saltwater, it didnt rust

 

how hard is it to take off the rear bumper? something tells me this will make it easier!

 

hey I was just wondering can you change the bulb to a brighter bulbs like how the new lexus has it???