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Kia Optima Tail Light Bulbs Replacement Guide
How to change a burnt out brake, turn signal or reverse bulb in the tail lights of a 3rd generation 2011 to 2015 Kia Optima.

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2013 Optima Tail Light
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Open Trunk Lid
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Access Cover In Liner
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the third generation (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015) Kia Optima in changing a burnt out brake, rear turn signal, side marker, parking or reverse bulb in the tail light assemblies.

Owners of other Kia and Hyundai vehicles with similar tail light assemblies such as the Forte, Cadenza, Rio, Soul, Sedona, Sorento, Sportage, Sonata, Accent, Elantra, Veloster, Azera, Tucson, Santa Fe and Genesis may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

Replacement bulbs with their part numbers are as follows: Brake # 1157, Turn Signal # 1156 or 2357A, Side Marker # 168, Parking Light # 1156 or 2357A and Reverse # 921.

The bulbs vary depending on the model year.

Please check your OEM (original) bulbs or the Amazon Part Finder website.

No tools are needed to change a standard incandescent brake, rear turn signal or side marker bulb.

To replace the parking light and reverse bulbs inside the inner tail light housing, you'll need a Phillips head screwdriver, a 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.



 
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Pull Off Access Door
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White Plastic Connector
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Pull Off Connector
The first two steps are to open the trunk lid and move to the side of the vehicle with the burnt out tail light bulb.

This 2013 Optima LX has all standard incandescent tail light bulbs except for the LED third brake light.

The outer tail light housings on each rear corner of the vehicle contain the brake, rear turn signal and rear side marker bulbs.

Move to the inside corner of the trunk and pull off the rectangular access cover on the carpeted liner.

Pull the white plastic power connector off its mounting peg and move it out of the way.

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Move Plug Away
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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Pull Out Brake Light Socket
Grasp the brake light bulb socket with your thumb and forefinger before rotating it 1/4 turn counter clockwise.

Pull the brake light socket straight out of the housing.

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Push Down & 1/4 Turn CC
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Replace 1/4 Turn Clockwise
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Turn Signal Bulb Socket
Push the old bulb down in to the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn counter clockwise before pulling it straight out.

Push a new # 1157 dual filament brake light bulb down in to the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Push Down & 1/4 Turn CC
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Re-Install 1/4 Turn Clockwise
Just below the brake light is the rear turn signal bulb socket.

Rotate the socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the housing.

Push the old bulb down in to the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn counter clockwise before pulling it straight out.

Push a new clear # 1156 bulb or amber colored # 2357A bulb (depending on your car's model year and trim level) down in to the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

Re-insert the bulb socket in to the housing and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

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Side Marker Bulb Socket
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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Old # 168 Side Marker Bulb
To replace the side marker bulb, rotate the small socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the housing.

Pull the old bulb straight out of the socket and push in a new # 168 bulb.

If necessary, you may also use any other miniature wedge base bulbs including part numbers W5W, 194, 158, 2825 or a brighter LED unit.

Re-insert the socket in to the housing and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.



 

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Replace White Connector
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Replace Access Cover
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Parking & Reverse Lights
Push the white plastic electrical wiring harness back in to place and replace the access cover.

The inner light housing on the trunk lid contains the reverse and parking light bulbs.

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Open Trunk Lid
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Loosen Plastic Phillips Screw
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Pull Out Plastic Fasteners
Open the trunk lid and locate the black plastic fasteners that hold the carpeted liner in place.

Loosen the black plastic screws by turning them counter clockwise with a Phillips head screwdriver. Then pull out the entire black plastic fastener.

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Pull Off Rubber Bumper
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Pull Back Trunk Lid Liner
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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
Remove a few of the fasteners closest to the light housing and also the rubber bumper pieces.

I removed four black plastic fasteners and two rubber bumpers.

Pull back the carpeted trunk lid liner and locate the parking light bulb socket.

Rotate the socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the housing.

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Pull Out Bulb Socket
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Push Down & 1/4 Turn CC
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Trunk Lid Liner Fasteners
Push down on the old bulb and rotate it 1/4 turn counter clockwise before pulling it straight out of the socket.

Push a new # 1156 bulb down in to the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

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Re-Insert Parking Light Socket
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1/4 Turn Clockwise - Lock
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Loosen 10mm Nuts
Re-insert the parking light socket back in to the housing and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place.

To access the reverse light bulb socket, you'll have to remove 3 nuts on the underside of the housing.

There are two nuts on the outer edge of the housing and one more near the inner edge.

Loosen the two outer nuts in the counter clockwise direction with a 10mm socket and ratcheting wrench.

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3rd 10mm Nut
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Loosen Counter Clockwise
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3 10mm Nuts Removed
Then remove the 3rd 10mm nut on the underside of the trunk lid near the inner edge of the housing and next to a white plastic electrical connector.

Set the three nuts aside in a safe place.

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Pull Off Light Housing
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Parking & Reverse Sockets
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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
Carefully pull the light housing straight off the rear of the trunk lid.

If you have trouble removing the housing, lightly tap on the screw ends with the handle of a screwdriver.

Rotate the small light gray reverse bulb socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise before pulling it straight out of the housing.

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Pull Out Reverse Socket
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Pull Out Old # 921 Bulb
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1/4 Turn Clockwise - Lock
Pull the old reverse bulb straight out of the socket and push in a new # 921 bulb.

Re-insert the socket in to the housing and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

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Push On Light Housing
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Tighten Outer 10mm Nuts
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Tighten Clockwise - 3rd Nut
Line up the three screw ends on the rear of the housing with their corresponding holes in the trunk lid.

Carefully push the housing back in to place.

Spin on the 3 nuts in the clockwise direction a few turns by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the three nuts by turning them clockwise with the 10mm socket and ratcheting wrench until they are snug.

Do not over tighten the nuts to avoid cracking the plastic housing.

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Replace Trunk Lid Carpet
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Push In Fasteners
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Replace the trunk lid liner and push in the black plastic fasteners.

Then push in the black plastic screws at the center of each fastener to secure them in place.

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Push In Rubber Bumper
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Test New Tail Light Bulbs
Push the rubber bumper pieces back in to place.

Test the new tail light bulbs by turning on the headlights, having someone step on the brake pedal, activate the hazard signals and place the transmission in reverse.

For more, check out my other Kia Optima Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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