Toyota Camry Headlight & Light Bulb Replacement (1997 - 2001)

This is a DIY article providing pictorial details involved in replacing various burned out light bulbs for the generation 4 Toyota Camry. A bulb chart is listed so that a replacement can be obtained prior to bulb replacement. Bulbs can be purchased locally without much difficulty; however, specialty LED (Light Emitting Diode) long life bulbs are easiest to obtain through the internet if future bulb replacement is to be avoided. LED bulbs are costly but should last indefinitely and provides greater illumination. The expensive high intensity headlamp bulbs should be avoided unless you don't mind changing these bulbs regularly - usually in under a year. They do provide bright white high illumination but once again, do not last very long. In addition, the manufactures of these bulbs have printed a small disclaimer stating that their bulbs provide hundreds of hours usage vs thousands of hours of usage when compared to a standard bulb. Moreover, the warranty time frame is less than a year. If higher illumination is desired, there are vendors that provide HID conversion kits for under $100. These kits at one time were in the hundreds of dollars. Since then their prices have come down substantially. HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulbs generally put out three times more light intensity than Halogen bulbs and coupled with the ballast will last longer. Installation is relatively easy and straightforward.

Having once been been pulled over and ticketed for a burned out parking lamp had inspired me to write this DIY article.

Lift open the engine hood. Front behind the headlight assembly the wire connector to the headlight bulb should be clearly visible. Following the steps in the thumbnail pictures. Do not touch the new bulb glass surface with your hands. The oil on your hands combined with the heat from the bulb can crack the glass.

Lift open the engine hood. The Parking Light / Front Turn Signal bulb in recessed within the corner light assembly. This assembly must be removed to gain access to the rear of the assembly that contains the bulb. Aside from one plastic pin, the assembly is braced within the fender and the front grill.

Open the truck and choose whether bulbs are to be replaced on the driver or passenger side. Remove the three (3) plastic screws that hold the interior plastic panel over the corner light assembly. Lift away the corner truck floor covering and pull the plastic panel out to expose the corner light bulb connectors. Detach the electrical connector and twist off the desired bulb fitting.

Open the trunk and from underneath the rear window deck, locate the two plastic pins that secures the High Mount assembly. Push these pins away from the metal deck frame and push up. From inside the rear passenger compartment pull out the High Mount assembly. Pinch and pull on the male light plug, then twist off (counter clockwise) the light bulb socket.

A extra pair of Tail Light bulbs are recessed within the tail light assembly that is part of the truck lid. Each assembly (driver & passenger side) also contain a Back Up light.

Open the trunk and remove the plastic pins that holds the felt covering underneath the trunk. Only remove the pins that have a screw fitting for a philips head screw. Pull out the base of the pins after the screw has been unseated.

Pull down on the felt covering to expose the bulb connectors. Twist the connectors counter clockwise to expose the bulb.

Open the trunk lid. Work to remove the license plate bulb with the lid open.

To be later updated.