Rear license plate light changin

[lgmagone]

I have a 1999 Ford Explorer, Eddie Bauer edition and both of my license plate lights (on the rear) have burned out. I removed the two screws holding the plastic covers in place but the covers will not budge. I've gently worked at them with a screwdriver and other prying tools but cannot get the plastic covers to come off without chancing cracking the covers.

Has anyone else tried this on a similiar vehicle, and if so, how did you get them off?

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Mic_]

\bulbs should be removed from the rear '' as seen from the bumper''

 

[lgmagone]

\bulbs should be removed from the rear '' as seen from the bumper''

Yeah, thats the problem. The clear plastic covers don't come off so I can remove the bulbs. The plastic cover has a solid gasket to seal the bulbs from water and there isn't a good surface to grip on the plastic cover (they have smooth non-rectangular geometry). I'll keep working at it.

plastic covers are SAE-L-95-WP.

 

[lgmagone]

Solved! Real simple. The plastic lens cover sits on a plastic support piece. The whole shebang - cover plus support - are one unit and this comes off of the rear tailgate. On my car, the foam seal had sort of melted and glued the plastic support piece to the car very solid so it was hard to take off. I grasped the support with channel locks and it came right off.