Rear License Plate Light
 

Hey guys, I have been real busy with school lately and haven't had time to do a few things.

I have a question on the rear license plate lights that come on when turn the headlights on, how the hell do you change them out? I was looking at it yesterday when I got out of class and I could see that there are 2 bulbs drivers side/passenger side but they didn't seem to be in good condition, the passenger side bolts are rusted. I know the drivers is just going to turn into dust if I try to unscrew it.

So what have you guys done to fix this issue? How did you put new lights in there?

This is what I did:

• Took the whole assembly out and replaced it with a new one ($45 if I recall on EBay). I first sprayed it down completely with anti-rust spray paint (silver) and then another coat of black spray paint on top of that.
• Cut off the screws on the old assembly (or just hold one end with pliers and try to unscrew) - only thing you really need is the screw inserts
• I put new screws and old inserts into the new assembly piece
• Buy two nice white LED 194 (I believe) bulbs from v-leds on ebay or some other source and install and then install it all back on the car. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE GASKETS FOR THE BULB HOLDERS! (they are small and can fall out when you open them to replace the bulbs)

Here is some pics of my look (cops do not bother me - my bulbs are HID White - look more blue on camera than in person - equivalent to about 6000k HID's):

http://www.anyyouth.com/ilya/Maxima/...ictures/13.jpg

http://www.anyyouth.com/ilya/Maxima/...ors/Cutoff.jpg

i went to install some ricer bulbs in mine too and the thing just fell apart in my hands. i went to the dealer and i think they wanted like $50. than i went to home depot motorsports and got a piece of sheetmetal and made my own. i just bent it up like the stock piece was and drilled holes to mount the lights and housings, and thats all.

My bracket also disintegrated when I tried to replace one of the bulbs 4 years ago. I toyed with fabricating a replacement bracket (something I would have jumped at in my younger days) before realizing it was way simpler to just order a replacement from the dealer.

All brand new parts together including tax were just a tad over $80 (bracket #96252-40U00 was $38, lamp assembly #26510-70T00 was also $38, and clip #63848-01G00 was $3).

I replaced my license plate bulbs 3 years ago. No real problems but I did replace the old screws with new stainless steel ones frome Home Depot.

Yep same problem here, my driver side went out so I went to replace it and the whole piece was rust, and broke apart. Made my own bracket out of sheet metal(painted so it doesnt rust) and its been good for about three years. There was no way I was gonna pay the dealer almost $50 for that.

replaced mines 1 month ago , no problem at at for a 12 yr old car

I just had this issue this summer too. my bracket fell apart before I could even get it off so all I had left were the 2 lamp housings, which I couldnt take apart either because the screws were completely rusted. I went the cheap way and found a bunch of maximas in a huge junkyard and just picked the best looking bracket out of all of the ones i found, and just replaced bulbs and stuck it back on mine. I would recommend junkyard if you have a nice sized one but might not be the best place to look in Conn. because of the winters. If you can find one though, I think I paid $2 for the bracket and light assembly and maybe $4 or 5 for the actual bulbs.

Oh dear god. 40- 80$
I noticed my lights were out, bracket had rotted away completely.
I just made a new bracket, replaced the 194 bulbs.

Cost - 0$
Time - 20-30minutes

I am having the same issue right now and I wasn't sure what to do before I saw this thread. lol
How do you get the entire bracket out? I never really took the time to look under there to see how its held on together.

I just bought an 07 Max, but I'm also thinking about buying a 99 Max SE as a spare/beater.....

Whats the average price range on them?

Thanks.

Why are you asking this question in this thread?

NEWBIE!!!

I know! LOL WTF?!

Have you browsed the 4th Gen clasified section? That gives you a pretty good indicator as to the price of them these days...

I was under the impression that you didn't need to take the bracket off to get at the light. At least, I didn't have to when I was replacing them on my GF's maxima, it was just a screw. :gotme:

You don't have to take the bracket off (if I remember correctly) but the screws you have to remove to get at the bulbs screw into the bracket. The way the bracket rusts, it just disintegrates when you try to remove those screws, leaving nothing left to reattach new bulbs and the old bulb covers too - hence the need to buy (or fabricate) a new bracket.

I still say $80 for all new parts is relatively cheap, considering what your own time is worth. Though I will admit that the personal satisfaction one can get by making a pretty simple part that you know is way overpriced in the first place is worth something.

Mine was rusted to ****, so I had to buy a new bracket from Nissan. It was like $65 irrc. Kinda a lot but the other lasted 10 years so I think this will.

I just went with new parts from the dealer, about $60.00 with tax.

Zack

Dang after reading this thread i want to go out and check my car, BUT it was origanally from AZ now its in NM so i think it is good, but maybe i will check anyways. Either way thanks for all the ideas

trying to get rid of old licence plate lites to pass saftey
 

hey guys just bought one maxima 96 and to get the saftey done thr is one issue other then others to get rid of that broken licence plate lights
iam trying to take it off but it seems imposible any steps to folow ??
to change the licence plate lites .

and which other models should i loook for if i go to junkyard for licence plate lite assembly which will fit in ma 96 maxima

looking faw for the reply thanks

First of all, I went ahead and made your post readable.

So did you not even read the 6 month old thread before bumping it?

If you had read above, it clearly says how to change out the lights.

And if you go to the junkyard, which ones will fit? ...the ones from a Maxima...that should be a given :scratch:

Take the whole bracket off. This way it is easier to replace the lights. Mine was very rusted and took a lot of spraying with lubricant in order to take it off.