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So, you have suddenly realized that your brake lights are not working. This is no good—not only it is dangerous to be driving around the area with no lights to signal when you are pushing your brakes, but one day you can get caught and you will find yourself with a ticket. Sometimes your brake lights don’t operate while the tail light work or vice versa. The first thing that you need to do when troubleshooting your rear lights is to get to know their working. Taillights are a type of light fitted in a vehicle which are fixed at the back part of a vehicle. They are bilateral structures – meaning they are in pairs and are of different types and they also perform different functions. The main reason that highlights the importance of the taillights is to do with the safety of the drivers on the road. The red light which are at the back are indicating driver’s actions during driving to other drivers on the road. They help in avoiding confusion to drivers on the roads and help in informing other motorists of your intentions. These include braking, turning intentions, and the shape and position of the vehicle when viewed by other drivers from a distance. You can also turn on the hazard lights in the event of an emergency as well as the headlights. Still, both the front lights and the taillights of a vehicle are often only inspected after they are broken or an accident has happened. Ideally you must check the functionality of the lights every three months. Here are three real-world guidelines on how to inspect and repair your car’s taillights. Read on further to know how to resolve this crucial issue before you become a part of an accident. Detailed Procedure to Test and Replace Tail Lightss 1. Testing your taillights It is very important for you to test your tail lights on your car before you get to move on the road. To do this you need an assistant to tell you whether the lights are on or off. This is best done at night since it is easier to observe this in the dark especially when using artificial light. Make sure the tail lights brighten and remain on for two occasions: (1) when applying brakes and (2) when the headlights are on. Moreover, you have a visual test on the tail lights themselves for signs of cracks, dry-rotted seals, and leaks. One should be careful with oxidation since it is difficult to reverse and involves replacements. All these are essential in as much as they help in retaining the value of the car for a longer period and your safety on the roads. 2. Replacing taillight bulbs Needless to say, you should turn a blind eye to the issue of replacing your tail light bulbs if they are dead. Remember that the next part is a bit simpler and easier which is the removing of the bulbs. All that is required of you is to disconnect the electrical pigtail wiring and make sure that you take out the bulb very carefully. The bulb rotates and it has a tendency to come off from the metal contact housing this time. There is, however, one thing to be noted, that you should not touch the new bulbs with your hand. This is because, there is a buildup of natural skin oils which, when exposed to the light bulb when on, can greatly shorten the life of the tail light bulbs of your auto. 3. Replacing taillight assemblies Tail light assembly is, therefore, the set of lights found at the back part of your car. The fittings for the tail light assemblies are normally hidden behind the trunk interior material such as the carpet. In order to get access to the assembly, you will need to lift the trunk interior material liner, you will see couple of nuts that must be unscrewed and removed. When all the retaining nuts are removed, the old assembly should come out easily, as shown below. Then, you can have the new assembly positioned in the place. Finally, it is unadvisable to ignore the functioning of your car’s taillights as it might lead to their dysfunction. As highlighted in the practical tips above, follow the procedures on testing of tail lights, the light bulbs and the assemblies. Conclusion Tail lights are important for your safety on the road because they are used to communicate your presence and your intentions especially when you are driving in the night or in unfavorable weather conditions. This is one of the simplest, but very important tasks that a car owner should perform periodically. The function of dimming, flickering or complete failure of the lights can thus be detected before it affects your safety or cause an accident that may attract a ticket from a police officer. In case of any problems with the bulbs, fuses or problems with wiring, it is important to correct these as soon as possible so as to make the vehicle visible and safe to be on the road.