The Nissan Path

Either trying to remove the hatch handle to get to the screws..

or

Removing the back panel to get to the cover screws or removing the bulb plug....

Are total BLOWJOBS for a 5 dollar light.

My hands must be a little to big to get them in there. I got it but both my arms are all scratched up.

I replaced the front brakes faster and with less mess than I did with replacing the bulb.

The kicker is the phillips screws are less than an inch away from outside and couldn't get a driver onto it. IT was laughing at me ISTG.

I know a few women that would apparently enjoy changing this out Either way...hoping I don't have to deal with this by the sounds of it.

Yes, it's a dumb design. I replaced mine a couple of weeks ago. The service manual procedure is to remove the rear hatch interior panel to access the bulb sockets. It didn't take me long, but it still could have been designed better.

smj999smj wrote:Yes, it's a dumb design. I replaced mine a couple of weeks ago. The service manual procedure is to remove the rear hatch interior panel to access the bulb sockets. It didn't take me long, but it still could have been designed better.

I learned that yesterday. I purchased new replacement bulbs on ebay. The video instructions on how to install the bulbs were on either a Toyota Rav 4 or a Honda CR-V and they looked simple. Nissan's design is entirely different. I'm afraid that if I pop out the chrome hatch piece that I'm going to break it and not fit it back in. Then a what should have been easy process would turn into a disaster.

Don't remove the chrome...it's bolted from the inside of the hatch door. You have top remove the plastic interior hatch panel.

smj999smj wrote:Don't remove the chrome...it's bolted from the inside of the hatch door. You have top remove the plastic interior hatch panel.

Thanks for your help, I haven't attempted to change the bulbs yet. I'm going to attempt by taking this interior piece off that you are talking about.

I replaced my license plate light bulbs with dim LEDs when one of the original bulbs burned out, and other than the PITA that is involved with getting the inside plastic panel back on properly, there wasn't much to it.

The inside panel does now pop loose right where the grab handle is - one of the plastic tabs you have to slide into the panel that is supposed to pop into the gate assembly did not survive intact, so I'd have to buy a replacement if i really cared.

I read this thread and was curious because on my 2011, there is a Philips screw, holding each of the lens in place, for the license lamps. I removed a screw to see if I could get to the bulb. The angle is not too bad, to get the screw driver into the screw but it does slip, if you don't keep positive pressure on the screw. I was able to remove the lens and turn the lamp socket a quarter turn and expose the bulb. No problem. There is a tab, on the black plastic frame, that hooks into the hole. I took some pictures but excuse the crappy quality. My little cheapo camera doesn't take good pictures let alone good close ups. I wonder what year, they changed this design?



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Maybe they changed the finisher a little? All I know is I couldn't get the screwdriver in to loosen the screw on my 06 model.

Mine is like this but I cannot get my screw driver up there to turn the screw. Any tips?
It is kind of angled.

I used an allen key, use the small right angle, and had a philips head that attached to the allen key.

Was then able to get the screw out, which did open up the bulb area. I found the allen key, philips head at Home Depot.

porksoda wrote:Mine is like this but I cannot get my screw driver up there to turn the screw. Any tips?
It is kind of angled.

Can you reach it with an offset screwdriver? http://www.lowes.com/pd_239435-16878-60 ... Id=1067965

I've got one of these and have used it thousands of times. This would probably do the trick.

http://www.amazon.com/Skewdriver-Weeken ... driver+pro

@skinny2....you lucky bastard? If doing this was a blowjob, I would be smiling. Instead, i was cussing like a drill instructor. What a freakin pain in the ass that stupid bulb replacement was!!!!

05-07 you need to pull the interior panel. They redesigned it on the 08 model so you can use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the lamb lens from the outside of the vehicle.