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Autopapyrus · Hyundai Elantra VI (AD)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/hyundai/elantra/brake-light-bulb-replacement-in-the-taillight-assembly/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Hyundai Elantra VI (AD): Brake Light Bulb Replacement in the Taillight Assembly

On the Elantra AD, the brake light bulb sits in a socket that plugs into the taillight assembly from the trunk side. To reach it, you open the cover in the trunk lining, remove the socket, and replace the bulb. Depending on trim level and market, the brake light may be LED. In that case you replace the entire taillight or its LED unit, not a bulb.

DifficultyEasy Time15-30 minutes Steps11

Key figures

  • Wrench size for the taillight nuts
    10 mm, using a 10 mm socket with a ratchet; needed only if you have to remove the entire taillight (step 10)

Check these values against the manufacturer’s specification for your vehicle before you start.

Diagram: where the brake light socket is in the tail lamp and how to remove it

The tail lamp as seen from inside the trunkView from behind, from the trunk side1Brake light socket2Other sockets: there are several3Three studs for the 10 mm nutsTap to enlarge
  1. 1Brake light socket: the round holder with wires on the back of the lamp. Turn it counterclockwise until it clicks, pull it toward you and pull the bulb straight out without tilting it.
  2. 2Other sockets (turn signal, reverse): they differ in colour and connector. Check the bulb table in the owner's manual so you don't mix them up.
  3. 3Studs for the 10 mm nuts: needed only if you have to remove the whole lamp. Then unplug the wire connector and undo the nuts, usually three.

Part

№PartAlternatives
01 Taillight brake light bulb2 pcs, one for each side AlternativesOsramPhilipsBosch

Tools

3
  • 10 mm deep socket with ratchet
  • Phillips screwdriver or plastic trim removal tool
  • clean gloves or a cloth
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 5 more. See manuals →

Step by step

11 steps
  1. Turn off the engine, switch the ignition off, and open the trunk lid. If the lights are out on both sides at the same time, first check the brake light fuse and the brake light switch above the brake pedal: they are more often the cause than the bulbs.
  2. On the side trunk lining behind the taillight, find the cover or access panel. Loosen the fasteners (a screw or plastic clips) and remove the cover to expose the back of the taillight.
  3. Identify the brake light socket. The taillight has several sockets (brake/tail, turn signal, reverse), and they may differ in color and connector. If in doubt, check the bulb chart in the owner's manual or the diagram on the taillight housing. The brake light bulb in the taillight is typically a dual-filament type, or has a separate filament for the tail light.
  4. Turn the brake light socket counterclockwise until it clicks, when the tabs on the socket line up with the slots, and pull it toward you.
  5. Pull the old bulb out of the socket straight, without tilting it, so you don't break the glass envelope. Inspect the socket contacts: clean off any corrosion or melted spots, and if needed apply a thin layer of electrically conductive grease.
  6. Insert a new bulb of the same type. Do not touch the glass with bare hands: fingerprints cause hot spots and shorten the bulb's life. If you do touch it, wipe the glass with rubbing alcohol.
  7. Line up the three tabs on the socket with the three slots in the taillight, insert the socket, and turn it clockwise until it locks.
  8. Test before reassembly: turn the ignition on, have a helper press the brake pedal, and check that the brake light is bright and does not flicker. If it doesn't light, check the contacts and the fuse.
  9. Put the cover back and tighten the fasteners. Close it without excessive force so you don't damage the plastic.
  10. If the brake light can't be replaced this way (LED taillight) or the bulb doesn't fit in the socket, you will need to remove the whole taillight: disconnect the wiring connector, remove the taillight mounting nuts (on this series they are 10 mm nuts, usually three), and carefully pull the taillight out of the body. The tightening torque for these nuts is not given in the available materials: tighten them by hand with light force without stripping the threads, and check the manufacturer's specification.
  11. The high-mounted (third) brake light in the rear window is replaced separately: open the trunk, turn the socket counterclockwise until the tabs line up with the slots, and pull it out. If it is LED and not working, have a Hyundai dealer check it.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • Work with the ignition off, and do not let a lit bulb touch plastic or your hands
  • A dual-filament bulb in a single-filament position (or vice versa) causes constant glow, a dim light, or no light at all, so install exactly the same type
  • If the brake lights don't work on both sides after replacing the bulb, the cause is the switch above the pedal or the fuse
  • This switch is also involved in cruise control operation and in releasing the shift lever from the Park position, so if in doubt, contact a repair shop
  • Check the exact bulb type and wattage against the bulb chart in the vehicle's owner's manual: the figures in the materials for this model are inconsistent