How do you change the License LED? Getting Access seems very difficult!

you get access to the LP lights from the inside of the hatch. consult page 516 of the manual PDF linked to in the FAQ (or page 519 of the paper manual).

 

With my luck, when I was taking out the base bulb, it fell and it went inside of a small hole. Now I hear it there behind the black plastic rear door cover. Does anyone know how to take out that plastic cover so that I can I retrieve the base bulb?

Thanks

 

The plastic hatch cover just pulls off. The only trick is that u have to start from the top where the hinges are & work ur way down where the latch is

 

Where did you get the bulbs? How much were they?

 

Thanks for posting the info on how to get at the OEM bulbs- I have some leftover 194 LED wedge bulbs- I wanted to use them for the license plate- but thought it was going to be a major ordeal to get access. Looks pretty easy though...

 

There's tons of them on amazon and ebay...

Amazon.com: 194 wedge led

 

There are two interior access panels designed to be pried out from only one end, on the inside of the hatch, take your time do not be impatient and you can remove them without damaging anything. Then the bulb holders can be removed from the inside, see the owners manual for how to replace the license plate bulbs. It took me about a half hour to do it all and I damaged nothing. I also replaced the Back Up lights with LED Bulbs so they all look the same at night.

 

Thanks. What color did you go with? Warm white? Did you use these on the interior as well?

 

Do cool white. If u do warm white it will look just like the incandescent bulbs that are in there now

 

+1
I don't think any of the cheap 194 wedge LEDS on Amazon/Ebay are actually warm white anyway (no matter what they advertise). From what I've seen/purchased- they all have some blue tinge.... even the $20 per set Wedge bulbs.

I used these for the lic plate illumination: Amazon- 4x 194 168 5-SMD White High Power LED Car Lights Bulb They're no better than any of the Ebay $1 LEDS, but I had enough stuff in my shopping cart to get free shipping- so I ordered them. They have a blue tinge, but they're OK for the lic plate illumination as there's no other white light's back there to compare them with...

Here's the one I bought for the two front map lights:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-Ship-Car-LED-Interior-Bulbs-Panel
They also have a slight blue tinge, but for $4 (x2) I can live with it and it's very bright and plug-n-play.

 

Make sure you pry from the slot close to the trunk window with flat screwdriver

 

Thanks. Would the panel lights also work in the rear dome light or do I need something else?

 

Yeah, it fits perfectly....

 

And here's the map light with the same panel...

 

Awesome -thanks!

 

I wasn't really happy with the fit on the LED's I mentioned in post #12, I ordered two of these LED replacements for Malibu Landscape light 6 LED SMD SMT 194 and am extremely happy with them for the lic plate illumination- they're actually a real white- no blue- and brighter than the OEM incandescent bulbs.

 

ok honest question…LP lights?? those would be the last lights i would think of changing…i mean…do cops pull you over because they have trouble seeing your plates? you never even see these lights yourself…

 

I have been pulled over because my license plate light was out.
I replaced my lights because
1) the leds use about 1w each rather than 5w each
2) they cost $2 for both
3) I will never have to deal with it again or worry about bulbs burning out.
4) They are brighter

I used the one that have 4 5050 leds on one side, and can be mounted in either orientation.
Some of the flat circuit board types are too long to fit, but they can be used on the interior..