2001 Mercury Sable Owner's Manuals

Replacing headlamp bulbs
To remove the headlamp bulb:
1. Make sure headlamp switch is in
OFF position.
2. Remove the bolt from the
headlamp housing.
3. At the back of the headlamp, pry
up and remove the two retainer pins
to release the headlamp assembly
from the vehicle and pull headlamp
forward.
4. Remove the protective dust shield
from the housing by turning the
dust shield counterclockwise (when
viewed from the rear).
Maintenance and care
193

5. Disconnect the electrical
connector from the bulb by pulling
rearward.
6. Remove the bulb retaining ring by
rotating it counterclockwise.
7. Remove the old bulb from the
lamp assembly by pulling it straight
out of the lamp assembly.
To install the new bulb:
Handle a halogen headlamp bulb carefully and keep out of
children's reach. Grasp the bulb only by its plastic base and do
not touch the glass. The oil from your hand could cause the bulb to
break the next time the headlamps are operated.
1. Install the new bulb in lamp assembly by pushing straight in with the
flat surface of the bulb's plastic base facing upward. You may need to
turn the bulb slightly to align the grooves in the plastic base with the
tabs in the lamp assembly.
Maintenance and care
194

2. Install the bulb retaining ring over the plastic base and lock the ring
by rotating clockwise until it snaps into place.
3. Connect the electrical connector to the bulb.
4. Install the protective dust shield and lock the shield by rotating it
clockwise until it locks into position.
5. Carefully position the headlamp assembly onto the vehicle.
6. Hold the headlamp assembly snugly against the vehicle and install the
retainer pins straight down to lock the lamp into place.
7. Before reinstalling the bolt, make sure the retainer pins are fully
seated, and install bolt on headlamp housing.
8. Turn the headlamps on and make sure they work properly. If the
headlamp was correctly aligned before you changed the bulb, you should
not need to align it again.
Replacing front parking lamp/turn signal/cornering lamp bulbs
1. Make sure the headlamp control
is in the OFF position.
2. Remove the bolt from the
headlamp housing.
3. At the back of the headlamp, pry
up and remove the two retainer pins
to release the headlamp assembly
from the vehicle and pull headlamp
forward.
4. Rotate the bulb socket
counterclockwise and remove it
from the lamp assembly.
Maintenance and care
195

5. Carefully pull bulb straight out of
the socket and push in the new
bulb.
6. Install the bulb socket into the
lamp assembly by rotating it
clockwise.
7. Carefully position the headlamp
assembly onto the vehicle.
8. Hold the headlamp assembly
snugly against the vehicle and install
the retainer pins straight down to lock the lamp into place.
9. Before reinstalling the bolt, make sure the retainer pins are fully
seated, and install bolt on headlamp housing.
10. Turn the headlamps on and make sure they work properly. If the
headlamp was correctly aligned before you changed the bulb, you should
not need to align it again.
Replacing high-mount brakelamp bulbs Ð Sedan only
²TYPE A
1. Open trunk and locate the
insulator under the rear window.
Maintenance and care
196

Note the number of the push pins
before removal.
2. Remove the insulator by carefully
prying out the push pins to gain
access to the bulb sockets.
3. Remove the bulb socket by
rotating it counterclockwise and
pulling it down from the lamp
assembly.
4. Carefully pull bulb straight out of
socket and push in new bulb.
5. To complete installation, follow
the removal procedure in reverse
order.
²TYPE B
For bulb replacement, see a dealer
or qualified technician.
Replacing high-mount brakelamp bulbs Ð Wagon only
1. Open liftgate.
2. Remove two screw covers, screws
and handle from liftgate.
3. Remove two screws and the lower
trim panel from the liftgate.
4. Remove the upper trim panel.
Maintenance and care
197

5. Remove the rubber plug from the
lower access hole in the upper
portion of the liftgate.
6. Remove four nuts from the lamp
assembly.
7. Carefully lift the lamp assembly
away from the liftgate.
8. Remove the bulb socket by
rotating it counterclockwise and
pulling it out from the lamp
assembly.
9. Carefully pull the bulb straight
out of the socket and push in the
new bulb.
10. To complete installation, follow
the removal procedure in reverse order.
Maintenance and care
198

Replacing license plate lamp bulbs
Wagon
1. Remove screw and the license
plate lamp assembly from liftgate.
2. Remove bulb socket by turning
counterclockwise.
3. Carefully pull the bulb out from
the socket and push in the new
bulb.
4. Install the lamp assembly on
liftgate with screw.
Sedan
1. Remove two screws, grommets
and the license plate lamp assembly
from the trunk lid.
2. Carefully pull the bulb from the
socket and push in the new bulb.
3. Install the lamp assembly on
trunk lid with two grommets,
ensuring the grommets are pushed
all the way in to the trunk lid and
secure with two screws.
Maintenance and care
199

Replacing tail/brake/turn signal/backup lamp bulbs
Sedan
The tail lamp, brake lamp, turn
signal lamp and backup lamp bulbs
are located in the same portion of
the tail lamp assembly. Follow the
same steps to replace either bulb.
1. Open trunk and remove two
plastic mushroom nuts, three push
pins and the plastic cover from
inside the trunk to access the lamp
assembly.
2. Carefully pull the carpet away to
expose the lamp assembly hardware.
3. Remove four nut and washer
assemblies and the lamp assembly
from the vehicle.
4. Remove the bulb socket by
rotating it counterclockwise, then
pulling it out of the lamp assembly.
5. Pull the bulb from the socket and
push in the new bulb.
6. Install the bulb socket into the
lamp assembly by rotating it
clockwise.
7. Install the lamp assembly on the
vehicle with four nut and washer
assemblies ensuring the washers on the nuts are flush with the body to
prevent water from entering the trunk.
8. Carefully push the carpet back in to place and install the plastic cover
inside the trunk with three push pins and two plastic mushroom nuts.
Maintenance and care
200