A lot of people buy car parts on eBay so i thought this might help some people and save them some money as well!

Bulbs and Fuses 
 
Every car has them but a lot of people don't understand how much they mean for safety and how easy they are to replace.  
 
 
One of the simplest things to fix on your car is your lights. How many times have you seen a car with only one headlight or a tail or brake light burnt out? Yet it is so easy to replace them I wonder why more people don't do it. The fact is that driving with a burnt out light could get you a ticket. And with many towns and cities raising traffic fines to help fill their coffers, it is wise to make sure this one simple thing is taken care of. I know one night I was pulled over for having a burnt out tail light. I had spare bulbs in my glove box and replaced it right then and there. The Officer still gave me a ticket that cost me $35.00.

Usually all you need to repair a light is a Phillips screwdriver and a new bulb. Let's start with the headlights

Headlight Bulbs

Most modern cars use a bulb for the headlights and these are very easy to replace. All makes use the same system with little variation. Below you see the typical headlight bulb setup. You have the bulb and a retainer that holds the bulb in and the connector. To replace this bulb, you simply unplug the connector, turn the retainer counterclockwise and remove it. Then just pull the headlight bulb out. With this type of bulb you must be careful not to touch the new bulb by the glass envelope. The natural oils from your skin will create a hot spot on the bulb and will shorten the life of the bulb and could, potentially, cause the bulb to explode when it is on.

Typical Headlight bulb setup

When you pull the old bulb out, note the orientation of the bulb. There is a key that will allow the bulb to go in one way only. Install the new bulb the same way as the old one. Once the bulb is in, replace the retainer and plug in the connector. This is a five-minute job that anyone can do and it could save you a lot of money in fines and prevent an accident.

The other type of headlight is called a Sealed Beam headlight. This is a large bulb that is also the lens. There are two types of sealed beam headlights, standard light and halogen. They come in a round or rectangular shape. The standard and halogen bulbs should not be mixed on any one system although you can upgrade a standard system to halogen simply by replacing the bulbs. There are two and four headlight systems. Again, these lights are the same for all makes and models with few variations.

On a two-headlight system there are three terminals on the headlight, one is a ground, one is for low beam and one for high beam. These are dual filament bulbs and it is very possible one filament will burn out, usually the low beam filament and the other to be good. To replace these all you need is a Phillips or a #15 Torx screwdriver.

First remove the bezel around the headlights, there are usually four screws holding it on. Then with a round bulb there is a retaining ring with three small screws. Loosen these screws and rotate the ring counterclockwise and remove the ring. Remove the bulb and unplug the connector. There are three lugs on the bulb and three matching slots in the headlight frame. Be sure to match these up when you install the new bulb. This insures the bulb is in properly and that the lens on the face of the bulb properly illuminates the road. Now it's just a simple matter of replacing the retaining ring and bezel.

If you have rectangular headlights, the procedure is the same, except there are four screws on the retainer, two on the top and two on the bottom. Simply remove the four screws and replace the bulb.

In a four-headlight system the low beam lights (usually the outside lights) are the same as the two-light system. The inside lights (usually the high beams) have only two terminals and only come on when the high beams are used. The procedure for replacing these bulbs is the same as in a two-headlight system.

 
Turn Signal And Brake Light Bulbs

Turn signal and brake light bulbs are standard for all makes and models of cars with a few variations. The two most common bulbs are the 1157 and 1156 bulbs. The 1157 is usually used in applications where brake light and turn signals share the same bulbs and the 1156 is use for single purpose jobs.

The 1157 is a dual filament bulb while the 1156 is a single filament bulb. They look very similar but are not interchangeable. A common mistake is to put an 1156 into a socket for an 1157 bulb. This causes all kinds of weird problems like dash lights going on when you step on the brake. You can see in the pictures below that the 1157 has two brass terminals in the base while the 1156 has only one. The 1157 bulb is also keyed so it will only go into the socket one way. Note that one lock tab on the 1157 is higher than the other. This prevents it from going in wrong. Also note that the lock tabs on the 1156 are the same height so it will not go into an 1157 socket.

These bulbs also come in a bayonet style bulb and are keyed as well to prevent them from being inserted incorrectly.

To remove the round based bulbs you simply push the bulb in and turn it counter clockwise. On bayonet type bulbs there is a plastic tab that locks the bulb in. To remove these just use a small screwdriver to unlock the tab and pull the bulb out. It would be a good idea to wear gloves to protect your fingers should the bulb break. Replacing these bulbs is simple.

Sometimes the hardest part is getting to the sockets that hold the bulb. For most front turn signal bulbs and marker lights, it's just a matter of removing two screws from the lens, taking off the lens and removing the bulb. On some cars you can reach behind the light assembly and twist the whole socket assembly out and then replace the bulb. Marker lights are similar to the turn signals except most use a 197 bayonet type bulb.

Typical 1156 bulb
Typical 1157 bulb

Typical bayonet type bulb

In the back most tail light bulbs are accessible from inside the trunk. Some cars have a cover you remove to gain access to the sockets. Some cars have large plastic thumb type nuts that you remove and take the whole tail light assembly out. Other types have screws going through the lens assembly that you need to remove. These assemblies have all the bulbs for the rear in them. Back up, turn signal and brake light bulbs are all part of it.

Hatchbacks, wagons and pick-ups usually have access panels in the corners to let you get at the sockets or mounting screws. Most have the screws through the lens to replace bulbs.

This is where you have to be a little careful with the bulbs since 1156 and 1157 bulbs, and other types, are used back there. Depending on what type your car has, changing the bulbs is very similar to the front. Either twist the socket out and replace the bulb or twist the bulb out.

One place where you will run into the most problems is the Center Mount Stop Light (CMSL). Most are mounted inside the car on the rear deck lid. Removing these can be a problem. Some have mounting screws hidden by small plastic covers. Some have studs extending down into the trunk and are held in with small nuts. This requires you go into the trunk, remove the nuts and lift the whole assembly out. Some simply snap into place and can be difficult to remove if you don't know where the lock tabs are.

License plate lights are usually fairly simple to replace. Most simply have two screws, similar to the front, that go through the lens to gain access to the bulbs.

Fuses

Fuses are important in that they protect electrical circuits from overloading and short circuits. Nine times out of ten when you have to replace a fuse, something is wrong. If a new fuse blows as soon as you put it in, you have an electrical problem that needs fixing. Never install a fuse of a higher rating than the one installed. Doing so could result in damage to the electrical system.

Fuses are pretty cut and dried. All modern cars use the same type of fuse. They are plastic and come in different colors corresponding to their amp rating. They come in different sizes, from a "Mini-fuse" to a "Maxi-fuse". These fuses are clear so you can tell at a glance if the fuse is blown or not. Sometimes a fuse will wear out and the only way to tell, accurately, if the fuse is good is with an ohmmeter. Since these fuses are small, there is usually a fuse-pulling tool in the fuse box. This tool grips the top of the fuse and allows you to pull it out for inspection or replacement.

Older cars use a glass tube type of fuse. These are a clear glass tube with metal end caps. These also come in different ratings that are stamped on one of the metal end caps. Like the plastic fuses, you can see at a glance if they are burnt out. And, also like the plastic fuses, they wear out and an ohmmeter is required for testing.

Another type that was used on older European cars was a plastic fuse that had the fuse material on the outside. These were unreliable since the fuse material was exposed to air and in time became corroded and would break. These aren't used any more in favor of the newer plastic fuses.

It is always a good idea to check your lights on a routine basis. It only takes a few minutes and it could save you a ticket