Went for an inspection today and was informed that I have a bad left tail light. I tried to remove the bracket to get behind the red plastic cover but after removing the screws it wouldn't budge. There is a bit of rear bumper damage which might have wedged the cover in tightly, but in general do you need to remove the entire bumper to change tail light bulbs??

Thanks

 

OMG NO!!
The tail light is held in place by 4 screws on each corner of the lens. Undo the screws (DONT lOSE THEM = they're not that common) and the lens will come out. FYI it is a 2 piece lens. If it is a little sticky on the gasket, gently insert a flatblade screwdriver between the metal and plastic and gently wiggle it on all areas around the lens. It should pop out without too much effort. Chances are you may need to replace a pigtail if it's corroded. THAT would mean taking off the bumper shield on the backside of the bumper so you can remove the talight assembly.

 

No. The red lens covers are held in place by four screws on each cover. I don't know what bracket you are referring to---the screws are in plain sight from the outside. The covers may be stuck to the gaskets, but they will come loose with a little "gentle persuasion". Try prying the cover loose with something that won't harm the lens or the bumper----maybe a piece of plastic, thin wood or a screwdriver wrapped in a rag. The light socket will be in view after removal of the lens. The bulb is easy to change---push down on the bulb as you turn it in the socket to remove and install new bulb.

 

Oh yes, most important when you change the bulb - make sure it's an 1157. Can be clear or amber, but MUST have the 2 filaments or it won't work right. The 1156 looks a lot like the 1157 but only has 1 filament

 

Problem solved! I had to slide a screwdriver under there and wiggle it off a bit. Have a feeling its never been changed since it was so stuck in there and the bulb housing itself was rather corroded and difficult to remove.

Thanks again for the guidance...

 

Glad it worked out for you. May I suggest you join the site called Wild About Cars too? they have free use of their posted resources including the 72 Chassis Service Manual. The 71 Assembly Manual will also have much the same info you need. Consider joining - it's free and they have great info on more brands - not just Olds.