Replace a Tacoma Plastic Headlight Lens
Toyota Tacoma headlight lenses become hazy and muddled from years of wear and tear. You can either use a headlight buffing kit to attempt to make the headlights beam clearly again or simply replace the headlight lens all together. The following steps will show how to replace the Toyota Tacoma's headlight lens.
Steps
- Remove the grill from the front of your Toyota Tacoma. There are 7 black plastic tabs holding the grill on to the front of the truck; 4 along the top part of the grill and 3 along the bottom.
- To remove the grill from these small black plastic tabs, simply lift up on the tab lip in the middle of the plastic tab and pull the grill from its grip as you lift. Repeat this for all 7 black plastic tabs.
- Remove the screw from the far left edge of the left headlight. This will enable you to release the left side parking and turn signal lights.
- Pull the top and bottom portions of the left parking/turn signal to completely remove them from the front of the truck.
- Remove the bottom plastic grill panel from the front of the car. This is the piece that rests in between the grill and the bumper. To remove this, locate and remove the screw holding the grill panel in place. For the left, this will be located towards the right hand bottom edge of the left headlight, towards the left hand side of where the middle of the grill would be. After removing this screw, simply pull the grill panel off of its position on the snap (located under the left hand side of the left headlight). The snap is simply a tab that holds the grill panel in place.
- Remove the Toyota Tacoma's grill panel snap by twisting it to the left and pulling out of its crevice.
- Locate the headlight bolt that is buried in a deep opening directly under the bottom in the middle of the headlight and remove it.
- Remove the 2 outer headlight bolts from their screws. These are located on the left hand side headlight's outer edge. There is 1 bolt located towards the topside of the headlight and another located at the bottom side of the left headlight.
- Remove the final bolt located at the top right hand side of the left headlight towards the middle of the Toyota Tacoma. This will now allow you to remove the headlight lens.
- Pull and remove the headlight lens from its crevice.
- Pull the headlight wires gently to detach them from the back of the headlight lens. They are all combined together and attach/detach easily to the headlight by a 3 prong plug.
- Grab your new headlight lens and remove the 3-prong plug safety covers from the prongs.
- Reattach the 3-prong plug for the headlight wires to the back of the new headlight lens.
- Press the new headlight lens back into place and replace all of the screws and bolts you removed in order to remove the Toyota Tacoma's headlight lens.
- Repeat all of the headlight specific steps to the corresponding right headlight.
- Replace the grill panels and main grill to your Toyota Tacoma.
Tips
- The grill and grill panel holding clips can be difficult to pry the grill and grill panels from and often break in the process. These are easily replaceable by turning the clips to the left and pulling them from their crevice and replacing them with new ones purchasable at any car parts vendor.
