This procedure covers the replacement of tail light bulbs on the 2016-2021 Honda Civic sedan or coupe by accessing the bulb assembly from inside the trunk.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Tail light bulb - brake/turn signal × 1 — 7443 or 7440 amber/red bulb depending on position (verify in owner's manual)

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and turn off ignition
2. Open trunk and locate the inner trunk liner panel behind the tail light assembly on the side needing bulb replacement
3. Identify which bulb has failed (brake light, turn signal, reverse light, or tail light) to determine which socket to access

Procedure

1. 1

   Access tail light assembly from trunk
   Locate the fabric or carpeted trunk liner panel directly behind the tail light assembly. On sedan models, pull back the trunk liner to expose the back of the tail light housing. On some models, there may be plastic clips or fasteners holding the liner in place that need to be carefully pried out with a trim tool.
2. 2

   Identify the correct bulb socket
   Behind the tail light assembly, you will see multiple bulb sockets plugged into the housing. The sockets are typically labeled or color-coded: upper sockets are usually brake/turn signal (red or amber), middle is tail light (red), and lower is reverse light (white). Identify which socket corresponds to the failed bulb.
3. 3

   Remove bulb socket from housing
   Grasp the bulb socket firmly and rotate it counterclockwise approximately 1/4 turn (usually 45-90 degrees) until it releases from the housing. Pull the socket straight out from the tail light assembly. Do not pull on the wiring harness.
4. 4

   Remove failed bulb from socket
   For most tail light bulbs on this vehicle, push the bulb gently into the socket while rotating counterclockwise to release it from the bayonet-style base. If the bulb is a wedge-style bulb, simply pull it straight out of the socket. Inspect the socket for any corrosion or damage.
5. 5

   Install new bulb
   Insert the new bulb into the socket. For bayonet-style bulbs, align the pins with the socket slots, push in gently, and rotate clockwise until it locks into place. For wedge-style bulbs, push straight into the socket until fully seated. Ensure the bulb is secure and properly oriented.
6. 6

   Reinstall socket into tail light housing
   Insert the bulb socket back into the tail light housing, aligning the tabs or guides. Rotate the socket clockwise approximately 1/4 turn until it locks securely into place. Gently tug on the socket to confirm it is properly seated.
7. 7

   Test bulb operation
   Turn on the ignition and test the new bulb by activating the appropriate function (brake pedal for brake lights, turn signal lever for turn signals, reverse gear for reverse lights, or headlight switch for tail lights). Verify the new bulb illuminates properly before reassembling.

Reassembly

1. Replace the trunk liner panel and secure any clips or fasteners that were removed
2. Close the trunk and perform a final exterior inspection of all tail light functions

Verification

• With vehicle running, verify all tail light functions work correctly: parking lights, brake lights, turn signals, and reverse lights
• Walk around vehicle to visually confirm both tail light assemblies are functioning properly and bulb brightness appears normal
• Check for any error messages on the instrument cluster related to exterior lighting

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