Rodney_Gold

My inboard rhs stop light/turn signal bulb in my 86 C4 is faulty. I have reached in behind the licence plate and can also reach up between rear bumper and the frame/exhausts and can grasp the dangling fitting (I turned anti clockwise and the holder and bulb came free from the light)

The problem is that I cannot remove the bulb , there is not enough wiring for the holder and bulb to pull it down where one can work on it, I can get 2 hands in , one to hold the holder and the other to turn the bulb. I have a Haynes manual (and FSM which is useless in this regard) and the haynes manual tells you to turn the bulb anti(counter) clockwise to free it. I have no idea whether to push towards the holder or if the bulb has a bayonet type fitting , but just trying to turn it anti clockwise does nothing , I have sprayed some penetrating oil on the brass part of the bulb where it goes in the grey collar , to no avail. I have tried to push and turn , but nada....

The holder is a brown colour and there is a grey plastic collar where the bulb is. I assume just the bulb comes out and the grey plastic is part of the holder?
I need some help here , how EXACTLY do you extract the bulb from the holder.

It's really a mission to change this bulb!!!!! Already got scrapes and grazes and yesterday I slipped my hand in thru the licence plate hole and had a big seiko watch on , which promptly caught on something trying to extract my arm , after 10 minutes - with me calling to the wife in a trembling voice that "we might have a problem here". I managed to wiggle it free. Had vision of a 911 crew laughing with gusto at my predicament.

caddyboy84

I'm thinkin it's an 1157 and just push down and turn. I have had old bulbs "hang-up" now and then, but nothing all that serious I think that the old dialectric grease got hard.

Rodney_Gold

Thank...I'll give that a bash , scared to put huge pressure on the glass part of the bulb in case it shatters. Maybe ask my kid to get thru one gap and hold it while I do the push , turn anti-clockwise thing.
I doubt the bulb has been changed in the life of the car , doesn't look too corroded , but dark and dry.

Midnight 85

If need be, there is only two 10mm screws holding the entire taillight assembly in. Take those out then pull the bulb through there & out into the open so you can work on it. Then when you get it changed, reach in there & pull the other one out & change it too.