How To Replace Side Lights On Your Vehicle

Sidelights, known in the US and Canada as parking lights, are a great safety feature. They allow you to see better at night or in the daytime when you don't need headlights on. They also make your car more visible to others. Installing sidelights or replacing your bulbs is a simple process, and doing it yourself can save you a trip to the mechanic.

Keep in mind that every vehicle is built a little differently. There's no one simple set of directions for all cars. However, the process for installing sidelights can be similar for many vehicles.

Choosing sidelight bulbs

Firstly, it's important to select the right bulbs for your sidelights. Most vehicles come with halogen bulbs for sidelights, but that doesn't mean you have to stick with standard bulbs.

One option is to upgrade to high performance halogens. There's a wide variety to choose from now, and many halogen bulbs offer close to the same brightness and performance as xenon HID or LED bulbs.

You can also upgrade to LED lights, a popular choice. They're longer lasting and tend to be brighter and whiter than halogen bulbs. With LED sidelights installed, you're not likely to need to change out your bulbs for several years.

Converting to LED bulbs is slightly more difficult than simply switching your old bulbs, but it's still a fairly simple process. Find the right fit in LED bulbs, and you should be able to replace your old halogen bulbs on your own. Use the Bulb Finder (which you can find on our hompage) to help you find the right bulb fitting for your vehicle.

Replacing sidelight bulbs

In many vehicles, you'll need to open the hood to access your sidelights. In this case, you should find an access cover near the headlight unit. Remove the cover and locate the plug for the sidelights. Pull the plug out. You may need to use a screwdriver to remove the sidelight housing.

Other vehicles require you to get to the bulbs from the exterior of the vehicle. You may need to reach under the front wheel to locate the access cover and find the bulb.

Once you have accessed the bulb, it's a simple process of unscrewing the old bulb and inserting the new one. Be sure to replace all covers exactly as they were, then test out your new bulbs.

That's all it takes to install new sidelight bulbs! Although the process can vary from one vehicle to the next, replacing your own sidelight bulbs is usually a simple job that anyone can do.

Shop sidelight bulbs here.