Properly functioning brake lights are an essential safety feature on automobiles. Improperly functioning brake lights will not alert the driver behind you that you are stopping, raising the possibility of an accident -- or a traffic ticket. If one of the brake lights on your Ford Explorer SUV burns out, you need to replace it as soon as you can. The good news is that the entire process should only take about 15 minutes.
Open the Explorer's rear hatch.
Remove the two bolts in the taillight assembly using a socket wrench. Pull the assembly away from the vehicle at an angle to disengage the two plastic retaining clips.
Rotate the entire bulb socket counterclockwise about one quarter-turn and pull it out of the taillight assembly.
Pull the burned-out bulb straight out of the socket. Insert the new bulb. Insert the bulb and socket into the taillight assembly by lining up the tabs on the socket with the notches on the assembly. Insert the socket and rotate it one quarter-turn clockwise to lock it in.
Replace the taillight assembly at the same angle from which you removed it, ensuring that the plastic tabs engage. Replace the two bolts. Do not over-tighten the bolts or the assembly will crack. Repeat the entire process on the other side, if necessary.
Remove the two screws from the brake light assembly and remove it from the vehicle.
Depress the two plastic tabs at the bottom of the assembly to remove the bulb housing from the brake light assembly.
Remove any of the five bulbs that have burned out by pulling them straight out of the socket. Replace them with new bulbs.
Snap the bulb housing back into the brake light assembly and replace it on the Explorer. Insert the two screws and tighten them until they are snug. If you over-tighten them, you risk cracking the assembly.
