JDM Rear Light Look (04+ Model) part 6

dudewiththeRS

10-20-2015 03:16 PM

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Hi everyone, I apologize for bumping an old (but informative) thread, but it pertains to my question..

I recently purchased a 2004 2.5rs, and the brake light in the circle portion went out on the passenger side.

According to the manual that came with the car, the bulb is supposed to be a 7443, however when I took out the burnt out bulb, it was a 7440, and I checked the driver's side inner circle bulb and it too is a 7440. I since have replaced both with 7440's since that's what was there.

Both side's middle bulbs are 7443 as listed in the manual.

I didn't check the bulb on the outer of each tail light, since it was harder to get to and was working fine.

I am curious if I bought a car that happened to have this tail light modification already done.

lights on = middle and outer light up

lights on + brake = inner circle, middle, outer and 3rd brake light all light up

lights off + brake = just inner circle and 3rd brake light

Did I buy a car that's been modified or is it supposed to be this way?

I have no wing, just the brake light in the rear window that lights up when the brakes are hit if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

IceWilly

10-20-2015 04:39 PM

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Can't remember which, but one of the bulbs has a tab that must be ground off so you can insert it into the other's socket. I believe the 2way/2 level bulb must be filed down to fit into the 3way/3level socket.

So besides moving the sockets around (which would be evident by stretched wires that don't appear like they are as "comfortable" with how far they are reaching), a bulb swap would probably require one of them to be ground down.