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Hyundai Santa Fe Tail Light Bulbs Replacement Guide
How to replace the brake, turn signal, reverse & side marker bulbs in the tail light of a 2007-2012 Hyundai Santa Fe.

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Santa Fe Tail Lights
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Tail Light Access Panel
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Pry Out With Screwdriver
This automotive "how-to" guide was specifically written to assist owners of the 2nd generation 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV in replacing a burnt out light bulb in the tail light assembly.

Owners of other Hyundai or Kia vehicles such as the Tucson, Veracruz, Accent, Elantra, Veloster, Sonata, Azera, Genesis, Equus, Forte, Optima, Sorento, Rio, Soul, Sportage and Sedona may also find this guide to be helpful.

The tail light assembly of a Hyundai Santa Fe contains the following bulbs with their respective part numbers: Brake # 1157, Parking # 1157, Rear Turn Signal # 1156A, Reverse Light # 921 and Rear Side Marker # 168.

To replace any of the tail light bulbs in a Hyundai Santa Fe requires a small flathead screwdriver and a 10mm socket with a 1/4" drive ratchet.



 
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Plastic Panel Removed
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Three 10mm Nuts
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10mm Socket & Wrench
To access the brake light, rear turn signal or rear side marker bulbs, open the cargo area tailgate door and locate the rectangular plastic access panel in the corner.

Pry out the access panel using a small flathead screwdriver. 

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Spin Off 10mm Nuts
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Three 10mm Nuts Removed
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Pull Off Tail Light Assembly
Loosen the three 10mm nuts that hold the tail light assembly to the rear of the vehicle with a 10mm socket and ratcheting wrench.

Spin off the nuts the rest of the way by hand to prevent dropping them down into the body work.

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Turn Over Assembly
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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Pull Out Brake Lamp Bulb
Once the three nuts are removed, you can gently pull the tail light assembly away from the rear of the vehicle.

Turn the assembly upside down and rest it on the bumper.

Place a towel or shop rag between the tail light assembly and the bumper to help protect the paint from scratches.

The brake light bulb is located closest to the center line of the vehicle.

Rotate the grey brake light bulb socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it out of the tail light.

To remove the bulb from the socket, push down on it and rotate it 1/4 turn counter clockwise before pulling it straight out of the socket.

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

Then insert the bulb and socket into the tail light assembly and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to lock in in place.

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Push Down & 1/4 Turn CC
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Rear Turn Signal Bulb
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Push Down & 1/4 Turn CC
The rear turn signal light bulb is located at the center of the tail light assembly.

Rotate the white light bulb socket 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the assembly.

Push down on the turn signal bulb, rotate it 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the socket.

Push in a new # 1156A amber colored turn signal light bulb into the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

Then insert the socket into the tail light assembly and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place.



 

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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Pull Out Sidemarker Bulb
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Line Up Spike & Hole
The rear side marker light bulb is located at the outer edge of the tail light assembly.

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

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

Insert the socket back into the tail light assembly and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place.

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Spin On 3 10mm Nuts
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Tighten Nuts With Socket
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Replace Plastic Access Panel
To re-install the tail light assembly, line up the metal spike along with the screw ends with the holes on the rear of the vehicle and push the tail light in place.

Spin the three nuts on to the screw ends by hand and then tighten them with the 10mm socket and ratcheting wrench.

Snap the plastic access panel back in place.

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Cargo Area Panel In Place
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Liftgate Tail Lights
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Liftgate Lights Access Panel
To replace the parking light or reverse light bulbs, lift the tailgate and located the square plastic access panel on the back side of it.

Pry out the access panel with a small flathead screwdriver.

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Pry Out Access Panel
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Access Panel Removed
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Brake/Parking & Reverse
The parking light bulb is contained within the larger light grey socket and the reverse bulb is within the smaller white socket.
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Parking/Brake Light Bulb
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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Push Down & Rotate 1/4 CC
Rotate the light grey base of the parking bulb 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the lift gate.

Push the parking light bulb down and rotate it 1/4 turn counter clockwise to remove it from the socket.

Push in a new # 1157 parking light bulb into the socket and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to secure it in place.

Insert the socket into the tailgate and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place.

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1/4 Turn Counter Clockwise
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Reverse Light Bulb
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Pull Out Back Up Light
Rotate the white base of the reverse light bulb 1/4 turn counter clockwise and pull it straight out of the tailgate door.

Pull the old back up bulb straight out of the socket and push in a new # 921 bulb. Insert the socket back into the tailgate and rotate it 1/4 turn clockwise to lock it in place.

If the white plastic power connector relay came off its tab, push it back into place.

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Install 1/4 Turn Clockwise
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Snap Access Panel In Place
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Test New Light Bulb(s)
Push the square plastic access panel back on to the rear of the lift gate and close the lift gate.

Test the new tail light bulb or bulbs by turning on the parking lights, activating the hazard signals, and have someone step on the brakes while placing the transmission in reverse.

For more, visit my Hyundai Santa Fe SUV Repair & Maintenance Guides page.
 

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