Tech Article Title Author Date
Tail Lights: Upgrade 96-98 to the New Style Scott Sierakowski 2002

Since it was hard for me to find the proper guidance I thought it may be helpful to others to have some sort of reference in the future. It wasn't that people didn't do it, just that they forgot which wires etc. Thus why I'm writing this.

Tools needed:

8mm socket
Screw driver (very small straight blade and a regular size one)
Needle nose pliers

Parts Needed:

8D9 945 095 E left tail light
8D9 945 096 E right tail light
8D9 945 257 bulb holders, I believe they come as a pair (check dealer)



First remove the "pressure plugs" holding the carpet over the tail lights.  This will give you access to the back of the light housing. Unplug the harness and remove the four 8mm nuts holding the light housing to the car.  Remove the light.

Next we have to modify the harness plug.  On the passenger side you must swap wires 4 and 6 and on the drivers side you must swap wires 1 and 3.  To do this I opened the plug on the side with the numbers. Then I used the small screw driver to push the pins out.  You may have to straighten them out if they get pushed too hard.  Clip the wired into the new homes and close up the plug.



Bulb installation is next.  Hold the bulb holder with the connection socket pointing down.  The bottom is where the 2 filament brake/parking bulb goes.  The middle one is the reverse and the top is the blinker. On the drivers side it's the same accept there's one more bulb on top,
the fog light.

Next you have to remove the lower body colored molding.  There are 6 tabs that you have to unclip using a screw driver, there are 3 on top and 3 on the bottom.  If it doesn't come right off there may be some black adhesive on the back side, just pull a little harder.

Install the lights and put the 8mm bolts back on, plug the harness to the bulb holder and clip into the light housing and you're good to go!

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Written by SScott




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