Taillight / Rear light

In terms of safety, the car’s taillights are an incredibly important part to replace in a hurry if they stop working.

Typically, a bulb change will be enough to get the light back in the taillight, but sometimes the socket that sends power to the bulb goes off, and then you better contact the mechanic – or get a new spare part and replace it yourself – in a hurry.

The taillight/rear light is made up of three types of components:

– Socket

– Pear

– Exterior screen made of plastic, often containing glossy steel plates (dish) that amplify and direct the light from the bulb

The taillight, the turn signal, and stop light are typically in the same taillight.

Brake lights

The brake light is the part of your taillight (or the extra lamp that is placed on the back of the car) that warns drivers behind you that you are slowing down.

If you have an extra brake light in addition to the one in the taillight, removing and mounting is as simple as removing and installing the taillight itself.

A screwdriver, a multimeter, and well-functioning compatible parts are all you need.

Guides are available in both writing and as videos on the Internet.

Traffic regulations

According to the current Danish rules, both your taillights must be switched on and your brake and indicator lights must be fully functional, so as not to trigger a fine of 135 EUR.

In addition, your taillights must have a certain brightness to meet the rules of the legislation. You can find a guide at https://fdm.dk/alt-om-biler/bilen-hverdagen/vedligeholdelse/check-bilens-lygter on how to check up on your lights. This guide is in Danish, but it is probably available in other languages ​​as well.

With autopart24’s prices for taillights, you can – even with express delivery – get off cheaper with a replacement than if you get a fine for not complying with the rules.

In Denmark, the taillights must be switched on if the sun has set, if visibility is low due to the weather or if you are driving in a tunnel.

If you have a vehicle where the taillights do not turn on automatically, you can have your mechanic re-code the car so that the taillight always turns on when you start the car.

Renovations

If the brightness is too low, it is not always required to replace the taillights. You can clean the dishes but be sure to use a damp cloth, so you don’t scratch the surface.

You can even grind the plastic screen itself down if it has become “foggy”. It just requires sandpaper and a repainting of the screen surface.

New / used

Some spare parts wear out faster than others.

As mentioned, the car headlights are tough by nature and may be refurbished, so you can safely buy used, cheap rear lights without worrying about lifetime of the spare part.

At autoparts24 we sell original car parts. That is, spare parts produced by the car manufacturer itself, ensuring a high quality.

In addition, our auto recyclers in Germany test all the taillights/rear lights (and fog taillights) we have for sale before we ship them to you.

If you did not get answers to your questions, we refer to the QA section of the article below.

When to replace a taillight?

The lifetime of the bulbs themselves in your taillights varies by bulb type. Halogen bulbs burn between 450-1000 hours, while HID bulbs burn for approximately 2-3000 hours.

The socket itself must be changed if you install a new bulb and the light does not return to the lamp and your multimeter does not show a power connection when you connect it to the socket.

Sometimes the brightness can be improved with a renovation of the dish. Always use wet textiles for trimming the dish so that you do not scratch the dish.

The light shield, which further protects and directs the light, obviously needs replacement if the screen is damaged – for example in the event of a collision or other accident.

What is a taillight and how does it work?

Taillights and headlights are composed of the same elements:

– A socket that carries the power to the bulb

– A light bulb that leads the light towards the light screen

– A light shield, which is made of plastic externally and which has a mirror system of polished steel inside.

Your car taillights also have a brake light that is either positioned in directly contact with the taillight and / or for itself on the rear of the car and act as a brake.

What does a new taillight / rear light cost?

On autoparts24 you can find both socket, taillight and brake lamp at a price of about 40-80 EUR each.

A cheap solution considering the quality of the lamp or socket is of the same standard as if you bought new at the double price.

How do I find the right taillight for my car?

At autoparts24, we have connected our inventory to the national register, so you can find a compatible spare part via your license plate. All you do is enter the number on the home page. Then you will see an indicative overview of possible spare parts.

In addition, you can use the part’s production number found on the part itself or in your vehicle’s manual, in order to find the exact right part.

You may find good advice on how to find the right spare part at https://www.autoparts24.dk/oem/

How much does the taillight / rear light replacement cost?

If you need to replace both screen and socket, you can find the parts for between 85 to 175 EUR on autoparts24. We only sell quality-tested, original car parts, so that both compatibility and standard are entirely according to the book.

In addition to the spare parts comes a mechanic’s bill of typically 70 to 200 EUR if you do not want to or can handle the replacement yourself.

Unlike the headlights of the car, it doesn’t require an equally fine resetting of the lighting direction and width to change your car taillights.

How long does a taillight last?

The plastic screen can last longer than the lifetime of the car, while the dish inside the lamp itself, will need replacement sooner or later – depending on the wear and tear caused by wind and weather.

You can in some cases renovate the taillight, so in principle a taillight can last for very long, and consequently you need not worry.

The socket is a frequently used electrical part and will probably need replacement sooner or later, but if the light screens are tight, they are not associated with problems on a frequent basis.

What tool should you use to replace the taillight / rearlight?

– Screwdriver (or optionally a wrench) to remove the screws holding the taillight in place

– Multimeter to test if the socket is connected to the car’s electrical circuit