Tools you will need:
8mm socket
Med or Long Extension
Procedure:
1. Remove the trunk carpet, and the side carpet.
2. Unplug the tail light, and the side marker light. Both just pull apart. (blue arrows)
Then unbolt the tail light. There are 6 nuts holding the tail light onto the car. (red arrows)
Once all 6 nuts are off, gently, but firmly push the tail light out, making sure you don’t drop the tail light.
3. Clean all the black tar seal off the car, and the tail light. As much as humanly possible. Customer Tip: Try using Mineral Spirits to clean the old tar off the body of the car and the tail light housing. (Thanks Brian V.)
4. After everything is clean, start installing the seal onto the tail light. Start at the bottom of the light, around the middle.
If the seal is having trouble sticking to the tail light housing, a light sanding of the housing groove where the seal attaches can be helpful. (Thanks Aaron for that tip)
5. Continue installing the seal onto the tail light. It will easily bend around the corners, including the sharp corner.
6. The seal will be too long when you come to the end. Cut the seal with scissors just a little bit longer than it should be. Cut it about 4mm (1/8in.) longer than it should be. Then stick the 2 ends together (red arrow). This will leave a little hump in the seal which can then easily be pushed down (blue arrow).
7. Now the tail light can be reinstalled into the car.
*Caution* be careful when tightening the nuts that hold the tail light into the car. They do not need to be very tight. Over tightening them can strip them out of the plastic.
8. Plug in the tail light and the side marker light, and reinstall the carpet and you are finished.