How to replace or change the side marker covers

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KuroNekko
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PittsburghJoe wrote:Hi All,

Interesting reads. I just had a bulb go out on my side marker. I have read through the whole thread but I didn't see where it said how to replace it. I've changed headlight bulbs and am familiar with removing the bumper and think maybe that is the method to get to these side marker bulbs but I've also seen other vehicles that similar fixtures just pop out of the bumper and are held in with pressure. So do I need to drop the bumper or pop it out?

Thanks. I love what you guys do on this board.
You don't need to drop bumper completely. Just remove the screws and bolts that hold the bumper to the side that you need to replace the bulb for. This will allow you to pull the bumper cover out enough to get your hands in between the bumper cover and vehicle. The side marker bulb is in place with a twist-on holder if I remember it correctly. Service from the inside, much like a tail light bulb. It was very fast and easy for me to replace mine with LEDs when my originals went out.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
PittsburghJoe
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Thanks KuroNekko. I found it to be exactly as you said. I also removed the three bolts on top as if I was going to drop the bumper must to give me a bit more wiggle room.
KlutzNinja
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My left light apparently just died. Would it be recommended to change out the bulbs on both sides since, like headlights, they’re always both on (or off) simultaneously?

I heard there was a thread with more details about the procedure but as of now I’m still looking for it.
Current: Blue 2018 Mazda 3 GT 5-Door
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KuroNekko
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KlutzNinja wrote: Mon Mar 01, 2021 5:08 am My left light apparently just died. Would it be recommended to change out the bulbs on both sides since, like headlights, they’re always both on (or off) simultaneously?

I heard there was a thread with more details about the procedure but as of now I’m still looking for it.
Yup. Replace both at the same time, especially since the bulbs are commonly sold in pairs. Not sure if there is more elsewhere on this process, but it's really easy. Remove the bumper screw in the wheel well. There is a cut-out for it. Pull off the bumper at the side under the headlight. This should give you enough room to reach the side marker housing from the inside. Twist and pull out the bulb socket.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
KlutzNinja
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I received the new bulbs today, so I’m hoping to install them tomorrow night after work. Thanks for the rundown on the process.
Ever since my bulb died and I read up on here about this particular set of lights, I’ve been noticing how other cars handle theirs. Some tack them on separately like the Kizashi, others integrate them into the headlight cluster. The Jetta from around this time (before it became the blocky cheap American version), which honestly looks like something the Kizashi took a lot of design elements from, has them as well and doesn’t look any better in my opinion lol.

The tenth gen Honda Civic has separated side marker lights, too, but in its case they’re flush with the fender, not warts like on the Kizashi. If only the Kizashi went that route :facepalm:
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KuroNekko
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KlutzNinja wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:19 am I received the new bulbs today, so I’m hoping to install them tomorrow night after work. Thanks for the rundown on the process.
Ever since my bulb died and I read up on here about this particular set of lights, I’ve been noticing how other cars handle theirs. Some tack them on separately like the Kizashi, others integrate them into the headlight cluster. The Jetta from around this time (before it became the blocky cheap American version), which honestly looks like something the Kizashi took a lot of design elements from, has them as well and doesn’t look any better in my opinion lol.

The tenth gen Honda Civic has separated side marker lights, too, but in its case they’re flush with the fender, not warts like on the Kizashi. If only the Kizashi went that route :facepalm:
It's basically a design overlook from the fact that the Kizashi was a global car, not a USDM-dedicated model. It was really designed with dimensions and features that made more sense for Asia and Europe. In other countries, amber side markers are not required by law. In the US, they are. Hence, Suzuki had to add them to the USDM models while Kizashis in other markets didn't need them. Most newer cars have small amber LEDs in the headlight to serve this function. LEDs make little design changes so easy for manufacturers due to their miniscule size and low cost.
Older cars like my 2005 Mazda3 had the turn signal double as the side marker by locating them on the corners of the headlight and using dual filament bulbs: the brighter for the turn signal and the dimmer for the side marker with the lights on. It was smart and easy to implement. The Kizashi could have done this but I think the designers didn't think about USDM requirements at first and wanted the lights on without the amber side markers in the headlight cluster for a cleaner look. The consequence was that USDM models had the "blister carrots" on the bumper. I personally don't mind them but I know others hate them with a passion here. That being said, if it wasn't an afterthought, Suzuki could have made them look so much nicer like they did with the side turn signal that all Kizashis have under the side mirrors.

I also agree about the Mk V Jetta; looks a lot like the Kizashi from the front, even with the tiny position bulbs. I sometimes think another Kizashi is behind me at night by the look of the headlights, only to realize it was a Mk V Jetta.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
KlutzNinja
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I was noticing on my walk today to take the mail out for the office that Mercedes Benz sedans from about a decade ago have afterthought side marker lights, too. For what’s supposed to be an expensive and eloquent car, the carrot reflectors look rather tacky. I saw an older Audi with similar implementation. A BMW I saw had integrated side marker lights, as did a late-model Smart car. As you said, Kuro, Europe doesn’t have to use side markers, hence why the inconsistency is so high. Late-model Mercedes cars do implement the side markers into the headlights, however.

I noticed Nissan, Acura, and Toyota are pretty good about integrating the side marker light, as are Korean cars. I’m not sure all Toyotas I saw had them integrated, however; it almost seems like some automakers’ design teams take the side marker light into account early on, while others forget and tack them on as an afterthought. It’s a little weird to see such disparity in a brand’s cars.

Does anyone know if side marker lights and reflectors are required anywhere outside of the US?

Most of the time I think I see a Kizashi, it’s actually a Mk. V Jetta lol. They have similar side profiles, too, in that they’re both without any crazy lines like today’s Hyundais (oof).
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KuroNekko
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KlutzNinja wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 4:54 am I noticed Nissan, Acura, and Toyota are pretty good about integrating the side marker light, as are Korean cars. I’m not sure all Toyotas I saw had them integrated, however; it almost seems like some automakers’ design teams take the side marker light into account early on, while others forget and tack them on as an afterthought. It’s a little weird to see such disparity in a brand’s cars.
I think it's largely due to the fact that some large foreign brands design and build in the US for the US. The smaller brands can't do that or are making global models. I can say for certain that Nissan, Honda, and Toyota all make vehicles specifically designed for the USDM that don't exist in Japan or anywhere else outside North America. Smaller Japanese brands like Mazda, Mitsubishi, and formerly Suzuki tried/couldn't and scaled back for global models. Subaru is interesting because they were a small brand (globally, and even in Japan) that got hugely popular in the US and really tried to ride that wave. The new Ascent is their first USDM-intended model and it's been a quality control nightmare for Subaru who already had issues as they ballooned in popularity. Having previously owned a Made in Japan Impreza (MY 1995) and a Made in USA Legacy (MY 2002), I'm keen on the Japanese-built models actually sold in the JDM. IMO, the build quality was so much better when the standards had to meet the JDM, even for a vehicle built several years before.
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KlutzNinja
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Well I replaced the bulbs last night and it was a bit of a pain, because when I got to the housing, I realized I didn’t know how best to remove the old bulbs. I tried a tape trick I saw on YouTube, but using plastic pliers might be easier, given the narrow confines of the bumper (also saw on YT). I wasted quite a bit of tape. Scrapes on my hands and wrists, too. Maybe I didn’t remove enough screws? I got the one in the wheel well, and then the two closest to the wheel well. That let me pull out the bumper enough to access the bulb, but it wasn’t comfortable by any means.

Funny you say that about US vs Japan build quality, as the upcoming Mitsu Outlander is, as some may already know, pretty much a Nissan Rogue in Mitsu clothing (with Mitsu tuning), but it will be built in Japan while the Rogue will be built here in the States. For all the flack Mitsu gets, I saw at least one commenter on C&D remarking how that difference in where it’s built actually matters to them. And here I thought people in the US liked having cars built here; better build quality than in places like Mexico or Thailand I guess, lol. Excluding Tesla, of course :lol:
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KuroNekko
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KlutzNinja wrote: Tue Mar 09, 2021 9:45 pm Well I replaced the bulbs last night and it was a bit of a pain, because when I got to the housing, I realized I didn’t know how best to remove the old bulbs. I tried a tape trick I saw on YouTube, but using plastic pliers might be easier, given the narrow confines of the bumper (also saw on YT). I wasted quite a bit of tape. Scrapes on my hands and wrists, too. Maybe I didn’t remove enough screws? I got the one in the wheel well, and then the two closest to the wheel well. That let me pull out the bumper enough to access the bulb, but it wasn’t comfortable by any means.

Funny you say that about US vs Japan build quality, as the upcoming Mitsu Outlander is, as some may already know, pretty much a Nissan Rogue in Mitsu clothing (with Mitsu tuning), but it will be built in Japan while the Rogue will be built here in the States. For all the flack Mitsu gets, I saw at least one commenter on C&D remarking how that difference in where it’s built actually matters to them. And here I thought people in the US liked having cars built here; better build quality than in places like Mexico or Thailand I guess, lol. Excluding Tesla, of course :lol:
Hmm, I don't recall the bulbs being hard to pull out at all. I just used my fingers and they came right out as these bulbs are push-in/pull-out type bulbs.

As for the new Mitsubishi Outlander, yes, it's largely based on the new Nissan Rogue as they share the same engine and platform. There will be more of a difference than styling however as the Outlander will offer a 3rd row and I don't think the Rogue will as Nissan has the Pathfinder for that. While it seems Mitsubishi is just riding on Nissan, Nissan will get the PHEV tech Mitsubishi had long before everyone else. Believe it or not, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is the best selling PHEV in many European countries and is a popular vehicle. I'm excited to see what comes out because I like to root for underdog brands like Mitsubishi. Like you said, Mitsubishi gets a lot of flack but I don't think their engineering sucks at all. They made some great cars in the past and many of them are running on the road despite their age like the Montero Sport. I personally owned an Eclipse GS-T for a little while after a trade with my brother for the family Suzuki Sidekick. That was a fun little turbo coupe but between the Impreza I already had and the Eclipse, the Impreza was the better-built and more reliable car thus the one I kept. The Impreza was not nearly as fast but the Made in Japan quality of the Impreza was literally tangible compared to the Made in USA Eclipse that used inferior quality plastic (sticky and crumbling with age) and noticeably worse fit and finish. They were both model year 1995 coupes but they felt so different in quality. I'm not saying US-made cars are bad, but I personally strongly favor Japan-made vehicles actually sold in Japan (JDM counterparts from the same factory). It's certainly a reason why the Kizashi appealed to me and ten years since its build date, I feel vindicated. Nothing is broken or falling apart. My brother's 2012 KIA Sorrento with much lower miles is a piece of shit in comparison with constant issues despite regular dealership maintenance.

As for Mitsubishi now, they suffer from an identity crisis with the suits trying to get more bread-and-butter sales rather than offer the interesting and unique enthusiast cars they did in the past. It seriously boggles my mind how they blew their chance at the current SUV boom, just offering bland CUVs like the Outlander Sport and Eclipse Cross when they could have given North America a new Montero and Montero Sport. Toyota is raking it in with the 4Runner (despite it's laughably ancient) and Jeep is just killing it. Ford definitely didn't snooze and built the Bronco and Bronco Sport people are wild about. Even Honda, a company that never made traditional trucks, is getting some serious press accolades for their new Ridgeline.
One hope is that there are rumors Nissan will bring back the Xterra as they have a new Frontier now. Maybe Mitsubishi can get something here out of that. I'd love to see an SUV that's a bit more basic, rugged, and offer a manual transmission for the old-school crowd. Ford and Jeep do, so there is a market for it but they make larger and more expensive SUVs. I'd like to see the Japanese brands offer something like what the Suzuki SUVs used to offer: cheap, small, reliable, yet tough and capable. Just seems like there is such a void right now and the best there is are the CUVs pretending to be offroaders like the RAV4 TRD and the Crosstrek.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
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