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small light bulb by door handle--how to remove, replace???
I have an 01 T/A...the very small bulb that sort of illuminates the window/lock controls needs to be replaced. I tried to remove the bulb but either it's stuck, I'm doing something wrong, or the whole twist socket and bulb are a single piece and can't be separated. Can anyone help me out? What kind of bulb is that? I went on Sylvania and didn't know which bulb it might be. Thanks in advance...
Even stock the passenger side due to the angle, and crappy GM wiring may be getting 1-2 volts by the time it gets to the socket. I literally have had to place my finger an inch from the bulb to even see it in the middle of the night.
I've never been able to take them out without breaking them... Just like the HVAC lights.
Even using napkins over the bulbs with pliers etc... I even once Krazyglued a stick to the bulb, let it dry for hours, pulled, and my damn bulbs STILL broke.
Even using napkins over the bulbs with pliers etc... I even once Krazyglued a stick to the bulb, let it dry for hours, pulled, and my damn bulbs STILL broke.
i have try to break it out sideways both ways then pull...they like rust in or something and need to be broken loose...they will come out without breaking just takes patience
Even stock the passenger side due to the angle, and crappy GM wiring may be getting 1-2 volts by the time it gets to the socket. I literally have had to place my finger an inch from the bulb to even see it in the middle of the night.
That wasn't the case for me, my passenger shows up very bright and looks great, my driver is the one that doesn't show up very bright. Kinda ticks me off, think of a reason why?
I gave up on these. I tried changing my HVAC lights. I broke them, then I couldnt even pull them out. So I said f*ck it, cut the wires off, and wired in LEDs. My door handle ones are still crappy.
Guys just wrap some masking tape around the exposed glass of the stock bulb and just pull it out. No need to break the glass or anything goofy. Just a piece of tape roll it in your fingers to make it stick and tug and they come right out. I am 6 for 6 with this method. Not a single broken connector or bulb.
good luck with your bulb replacements
Jay. Micro mini #74 bulb......in f body doors and center console climate controls etc. Grab a small 1 inch piece of regular masking tape and stick it to the exposed glass of the bulb and wrap it 360° all the way around it until you have no tape left Now you have a self made pull tab. Just a tug will pull the bulb out. No broken glass flying around no bleeding just a bulb with tape on it now replace it with your new bulbs or LEDs Pulls out with ease and you are safe and no broken glass to clean up in the car or on the floor or out of your eyes!!! Best of luck with your bulb replacements
Last edited by 41ApacheWarParty; 04-21-2023 at 09:01 PM.
Reason: Added photos for directions to help others
Brilliant. I never would have thought to use tape.
I would hate for someone to get glass in their eyes or in their skin from it shattering and going everywhere and put your hand down or something and it cuts its way into your skin or knees or wherever when the tape method is soooo much safer and easier and no potential damage to the socket and wiring harness that now you have to fix if you were using pins or small screw drivers etc and gets it all torn up. This tape method I'm sure has been realized by many others before me but I was changing my bulbs and was looking for the location of them (mine were laying in the door handles under the mirror and window controls) and I looked up where they were and saw all these folks using plyers to shatter the bulbs on purpose and then hope the filaments prongs were able to be grabbed and that just sounded too nuts to even consider doing so I grabbed my 1 or 1 1/2 inch wide roll of cheap amazon masking tape and tugged it after rolling the tape onto the bulb between my thumb and forefinger and made sure the tape was on it as tight as it could be and a tug pulled it out with no damage and did not slip off the glass. They are really tight bulbs I'll admit that but how much force do you really need to pull them out is why I tried tape. The base is sooo small I figured it had to come apart with a tug and sure enough it did no problem and now I swapped over to LEDs in the insane brightness category and saved all the standard #74 bulbs 💡 for a potential later project or future use in another car. I'm just glad I could contribute some help to others so no glass flying all around for others and keep them and others safe.
best of luck to anyone changing bulbs in their cars or converting to LEDs.
02-25-2009, 05:52 AM
small light bulb by door handle--how to remove, replace??? 
poor fellow 
