DIY, change the tail light assembly on your Ford Explorer Sport Trac, made between the years 2001 and 2005. You will need an 8 mm socket wrench and about 10 minutes, because the repair is fairly simple.
In the beginning, open the tailgate and locate the three rubber plugs, covers, near the tail light you need to replace, as you can see in the image below.
You will have to remove these covers and you can do it very easily by hand. No tools required. They will reveal three 8 mm bolts, that actually hold the tail light. Remove them with an appropriate socket wrench and you can pull out the assembly.
Behind it, you will discover two electrical harnesses, that power up the bulbs. You will have to twist the sockets of the bulbs counterclockwise and release the assembly from the car. At this point you can install the replacement and service the bulbs if needed. Connect back the harnesses into the new assembly, push it back into its place and secure it with the three bolts. In the end, don’t forget to reinstall those small covers and you’re ready to go. This is all you have to do, if you need to replace the tail light assembly on your Ford Explorer Sport Trac, produced between the years 2001 and 2005.