I took the Toy 1998 XLE into a diagnostic service center and the tech told me I had both the license plate light bulbs out and also the brake/stop lights. I asked how much to replace? He said about $25.00 to fix. Sooooo, I went to pep boyz and got both bulb packages.

I replaced the License plate bulb lights ok, but it was tricky trying to remove the bottom section of the light lens near the bumper (not the ones on the actual truck)
The owners manual is pure crap.

There are illustrations but they make it so hard to understand. you really don't know how to remove the lens,then you end up crack if it and going back to Toyota parts and spend another $100.00 on a new one...I really don't know how much, but anyway, you get the point.

I was told to stick a small flat head screwdriver around until it pops out...yeah right. I heard weird grinding sounds like it was going to pop alright..in a few hundred pieces. I really think I'm going to break this lens. Please help! Thank you.

 

You changed the license plate bulb but what is the other bulb?

Is this the high mounted stop light bulb?

 

Hi and thanks!

The other bulbs besides the two license bulbs is the STOP and BRAKE light bulb located on the left rear, below the lights located on the trunk itself.

No, this is not the mounted stop light bulb inside the car rear seat in the back.

I am looking for a way to remove the left lens cover (directly above the bumper on left side) to get to three (3) bulbs. The stop/brake light bulb is "C" position, guessing it's the one on the left side of the three bulbs, according to the owners manual.

 

These lights are located below the lens cover on the trunk lid?

If so, the lens and lamp body are typically one piece. Have you tried pulling back the trunk liner and looking behind the lamp body for the 3 twist-to-lock bulb sockets?

The lamp body would typically have 4 studs, one at each corner. The studs go through holes in the chassis and nuts attach from inside the trunk.

 

Ok..I opened the truck, looked inside ans saw a plastic corner piece in which popped out the two retaining locks (they look like phillips head) then saw the electric light assembly. I also saw three or four metal nuts...Do I remove these nuts to loosen the outside lens plate, or just replace the bulb for the inside of truck?

The reason I ask is there are three bulbs in this assembly. The brake light is towards the left side of the body,not the side toward the trunk. The wiring is pretty stiff,but I did manage to turn counter-clockwise the bulb,tried to pull out towards the inside of the trunk,but afraid I might loosen the other two wires. Does that make any sense?

So the question remains, Do I replace the brake/stop bulb from the inside of the truck, or the outside and remove the lens? Thank you very much!

 

You should be able to remove each socket from the back as required to replace the bulb.

If you unbolt all the nuts the complete assy will come out the back. However the lens and lamp body are one unit, not separate lens and body. They don't come apart.

The other issue the bulb sockets and their wires will still be installed in the lamp body and limit how far you can pull out the assy. It may come out far enough that you can better grib the socket but not sure.

 

This brake/Stop light is closest to the Bumper,not the set of lights actually on the trunk.

Ok, here's what I did. I opened up the trunk, on the left side there is a plastic piece that covers the light assembly. There are two retaining clips that look like phillips heads.

You unscrew the part in the middle then it loosens up and pops out. Then I removed the #3157 bulb, this was actually on the side closest to the inside of the trunk,not the other side,which I thought and that numbered bulb was #3156.

The bulb base unscrews counter-clockwise. replace it and Voila! Just saved a fix-it ticket and someone charging me $20.00 to do this. I hope this helps.