How to Remove the Side Marker Lamp on a 97 Grand Cherokee

Jeep shattered its own mold of producing rugged, no-frills all-terrain vehicles with the release of its first luxury SUV, the Grand Cherokee, in 1993. Despite having more beauty than brawn, the Grand Cherokee could still hold its own when going off-road, as Jeep did offer the model with a four-wheel drive system. The 1997 Grand Cherokee has a total of four side marker lights: two on the front and two on the rear. Replacing the rear marker lights is straightforward, but the front lens has a hidden screw that can be tough to find.

Instructions

Front Side Marker

1

Open the Grand Cherokees hood.

2

Remove the screw on the top, inside part of the side marker lens with a Torx-head screwdriver. Look in the gap between the side marker lens and the turn signal lens, then find the Torx screw. Remove this screw with a Torx-head screwdriver.

3

Pull the side marker light from the vehicle, while holding the screw in place with the screwdriver.

4

Twist the side marker socket counterclockwise to unlock it, and pull the socket from the side marker lens. Pull the old bulb from the socket with a slight wiggling motion.

5

Grab a new style 194 bulb with a clean, lint-free cloth and press it into the socket. Do not touch the new bulb with your bare hands. Insert the socket and new bulb back into the side marker lens and twist it clockwise to lock it into place.

6

Insert the lower screw into the lower hole on the side marker lens, and hold the screw in place with the Torx-head screwdriver. Set the side marker lens back in its bed in the front of the SUV and tighten the lower screw. Tighten the upper side marker lens screw.

7

Repeat Steps 2 through 6 to replace the other side marker bulb, if needed.

Rear Side Marker

8

Open the Grand Cherokees rear hatch and find the three bolts securing the taillight assembly to the SUV. Remove these bolts with a ratchet and 10 mm socket.

9

Pull the taillight assembly from the rear of the Grand Cherokee firmly to disengage the locator pin.

10

Grab the top, outermost socket -- the side marker socket -- and twist it about a half-turn counterclockwise to unlock it. Pull the socket from the taillight assembly.

11

Pull the old bulb from the side marker socket with a slight wiggling motion. Grab a new style 194 bulb with a clean, lint-free cloth and press it into the socket. Do not touch it with your bare hands.

12

Insert the socket and new bulb into the rear of the taillight assembly and twist it clockwise to lock it into place.

13

Position the taillight assembly in its bed on the rear of the Grand Cherokee, lining up the locator pin on the rear of the taillight assembly with the hole in the taillight assembly bed. Press the taillight assembly into the bed until it seats into place and tighten the three retaining bolts with a ratchet and socket.

14

Repeat Steps 2 through 6 to replace the side marker on the other side of the SUV.

15

Close the rear hatch.