How to change tail lights on The Honda Silver Wing.

After about 50,000 miles your tail lights will start to burn out. When they do mosey on over to the nearest Wal-Mart and buy the GE 7443 Standard bulb. They come 2 in a pack and cost $5.48. They are less than half the price of tail light bulbs at the Honda Dealer and half of Honda Dealers don't keep Silver Wing tail light bulbs in stock anyway. There are 2 clear bulbs in the rear of your Silver Wing behind an immoveable red lens. When one of them burns out remove the side panel on that side of your Silver Wing. To do this put trunk in open position remove the spoiler and then gently unscrew and remove the side panel on the side of the Silver Wing that has the burnt out bulb.

After you have done all that reach into the bulb assembly and turn it one quarter and it should pop right out. Firmly hold the black plastic bulb assembly and with your other hand grab the light bulb and gently rock it back and forth while pulling on it with considerable force. This may take a while as the bulb has probably been in there for more than 5 years. Do not try to speed up the bulb removal but sticking a screwdriver between the bulb and the plastic light assembly as this will only break the plastic and will not remove the light bulb any faster. Once the tail light bulb is removed install the GE 7443 bulb in the exact same way and put the bulb assembly into the socket and screw it in one quarter turn. It should be firmly locked in place. Reinstall the spoiler and side panel.

Note: The GE 7443 tail light bulb fits every Silver Wing 600 made from 2002 to 2009 that I am aware of. If you have any doubt gently unplug the bulb assembly from the wire harness and with the bulb still in it take into your local Wal-Mart and hold it next to the GE 7443 and the 2 bulbs should be the same in every possible way. If they are not then mosey on over to your local Honda dealer and buy the tail light bulb that fits your Silver Wing.

Hi Pete,

Thank's for all the great information and tech tips. All this information will really come in handy someday. Keep up the good work.

We all enjoy hearing from you.

DennisB

Pete,

The side panel will come off with just 3 screws. I always used to take the rear wing off too but now with the top box and all I gave it a try and wala it pops right off after working it carefully. I always take the passenger foot pegs off too. If it is your first time taking this panel off remove the rear wing first! After taking this panel off many times I know where the tabs are and only suggest it to the (semi) experienced. Thanks for the Wally world bulb cross that will come in handy.

Don't be fooled by the appearance of the GE 7443 Standard bulb. The OEM tail light bulb that you buy at the Honda dealer has 5 contact wires going to 2 filaments. The GE 7443 Standard bulb has 4 contact wires going to 2 filaments. When put side by side the insides of the GE 7443 and the OEM bulbs do not look the same but it does not matter. The GE 7443 funtions just as well as OEM and it lasts longer than OEM.

Would this work to replace the brake light also?

Peach,

The tail light bulb and the brake light bulb are the same bulb. That is the filament for the tail light and the filament for the stop light are encased in the same bulb. So the remove / replace instructions are exactly the same.

Now if your question relates to the post of Pete H - I cannot answer, as I still don't fully understand it.

Ok. Blonde moment. Thanks. Is it possible that my bulb is ok, then? Tail lights work. Brake lights don't.

Hi, If you take a quik look at your owners manual, you will find that to replace the rear combination and turn signal bulbs, all is done thru the two removable panels in the rear of the trunk area under the seat. Easy to do.

DennisB wrote:

Easy to do.

Those words will taunt me. But I'll try it!

It is possible for the tail light to work and the brake light to not work as they are separate filaments.

It is odd that both bulbs have the same problem at the same time. I'd start with the bulbs as they are easy to replace. If replacing the bulbs does not resolve the issue, then there is a problem with wiring or switches.

jdeereanton wrote:

then there is a problem with wiring or switches.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!

Don't panic yet, you don't know - it might very well be both light bulbs.

jdeereanton wrote:

Don't panic yet, you don't know - it might very well be both light bulbs.

Ok, I'll save my panic-ing for later

And Thanks!

If they Both don't work 2 bulbs and both stop and run light in each. I would look for a loose connector behind those two panels you can take out. You can just run your hand down the wires from the bulbs to see if they are connected at the next plug.

If just run light or stop light in each don't work. Change bulbs first. If still no go Look for loose connection. in there.

maybe someone disconnected this at some point before you bought it.. Who knows?

MaxB

MaxB wrote:

maybe someone disconnected this at some point before you bought it..

Check the under left corner panel there is a 6 prong plug where the brake wires would travel through. You maybe be able to access from inside the seat rear left access panel if you know what you are looking for.

For those of you that do not have the Honda Service Manual.