Will 2011 OEM tail lights match 2012?

[SeeTed571]

Hi all, first time poster here.

I recently had my drivers side tail light cracked in my 6mo. old 2012 coupe I'm looking to do a replacement on just the one that cracked and found 2011 tail lights on ebay and amazon for around $100 (if anyone knows another reliable source to get them from I'm all ears). I was wondering if they'll match. Also, I found a guide on how to replace 2007 altima coupe tail lights and was wondering if it would be the same. Any tips for doing the swap would also be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

[AlexN09]

It's all the same man! I saw you mentioned in another thread that the dealership told you that they might not be the same tint of red? That's not true!!

[funkee]

Pop out the two clips on the tail light side of the trunk - one on each side. Use a wide flat head screwdriver, or a plastic pry tool. They're different from the clips that hold the trunk door cover in place. You have to get under them and really try to get them out. Once they're out, pull down the covering. You'll see some off-white plastic clips with wires. Pull them off the screws, then unscrew the fasteners.

Then the hard part is taking the lights out without scratching the paint. I've scratched my paint several times, and broke off a piece of my new light taking them out multiple times while trying to align them. There should be 4 pegs that pop out in each light. The top one is always the hardest. I've had to twist and turn the light to get it out. If you find yourself having to do that, get a cloth and put it under the light, so when you turn it, it doesn't scratch the paint.

Once you have the lights out, twist the bulbs out. Then twist them back into the new lights, pop them in place and give it a nice thwack to get the pegs in place. Line up the screws with the holes, put the nuts back on, put the plastic pieces back, pull up the cover and pop in the clips.

Good luck.

[DJ_B_Easy]

It helps to push on the screws from the inside when removing them. You will hear a little pop when the assembly has released from its clips, of which there is on at top and one at bottom IIRC.