How to Change Your Automotive Interior Lighting Color

Automotive interior lighting lets you see what you are doing in your vehicle when it's dark outside. Unfortunately, the factory lighting is not always aesthetically pleasing. Factory bulbs are typically white or light yellow in color. If you want a different color, you will have to change your automotive interior lighting yourself.

Things You'll Need

  • Rubber light covers (your choice of color) Screwdrivers (flathead and Philips-head)
  • Locate the lights you want to change. These can be the overhead lights, the courtesy lights in the door, or the trunk lights.

  • Loosen and remove the screws holding the light cover in place. For example, most overhead lights in vehicles use two to four retaining screws to hold the light cover in place. Once the screws are removed, you can take the cover off. The same holds true for courtesy lights and trunk lights. Some light covers do not have retaining screws and instead must be opened with a flathead screwdriver. You do this by prying the cover off: Wedge the tip of the flathead screwdriver under the edge of the light cover and pry it off.

  • Pull the bulb out. Interior lighting uses a simple bulb design that pulls straight out of the bulb housing. These bulbs are low-wattage bulbs.

  • Place the rubber bulb cover over the bulb. The bulb cover looks like a miniature, un-inflated rubber balloon. The rubber is thin enough that the light is able to shine through them, producing the color of the bulb cover. For example, if you use orange covers, you'll have orange light. If you use blue covers, you'll have blue light.

  • Reinsert the bulbs and replace the cover. Test the bulbs to make sure they are working properly and that you are achieving the desired color and intensity from the bulb.