2020-2025 Nissan Sentra LED Tail Lights Installation Guide

Fits: 2020-2025 Nissan Sentra, 8th generation (B18) — S, SV, SR, Midnight Edition and SR Premium.

For the previous generation see the 2013-2019 Sentra tail light guide.

This is a four-piece set: two outer lamps in the quarter panels and two inner lamps on the trunk lid. All four come out, and three connecting wires tie them together — two long and one short. Read Step 10 before you start, because the short wire is the one people leave out.

PrismBeam LED tail lights for the 2020-2025 Nissan Sentra

Before You Start

Switch the car off before unplugging anything, and disconnect the negative battery terminal while handling wiring.
Use masking tape around the painted trunk and quarter-panel edges.
Do not put dielectric or weather-sealing grease on connectors or sockets.
Leave the trunk trim open until every function has passed testing.
If a lamp or panel does not move, stop and look for another fastener rather than forcing it.

Required Tools

Ratchet with a 10 mm socket
Trim removal tool and a flat-head screwdriver
A woven strap, useful for drawing the outer lamps out evenly
Masking tape and clean microfiber towels
Replacement plastic clips
A helper for brake light and reverse light testing

Part 1: Remove the Outer Tail Lights

Step 1: Release the Trunk-Side Liner

Use a flat-head screwdriver to release and remove the three plastic clips holding the trunk-side liner, then fold the liner down to expose the tail light hardware.

Step 1: the three clips holding the trunk-side liner

Step 2: Remove the Two Mounting Nuts

Use a 10 mm socket to remove the two nuts holding the outer tail light assembly.

Step 2: the two 10 mm outer tail light nuts

Step 3: Unplug and Free the Grommet

Press the locking tab and disconnect the factory connector, then push the rubber wiring grommet outward through the body opening.

Step 3: disconnecting the connector and pushing the grommet out

Step 4: Draw the Lamp Out

Use a trim removal tool to create a small gap. Pass a woven strap behind the assembly, or grip it firmly with both hands, and pull it straight toward the rear of the car — not sideways.

Step 4: creating a gap with a trim tool Step 4: pulling the outer assembly straight rearward

Part 2: Remove the Inner Tail Lights

Step 5: Open the Trunk-Lid Liner

Open the trunk lid and use a flat-head screwdriver to lift the center pins of the liner clips. Remove the complete clips and pull the liner back.

Step 5: lifting the center pins of the trunk-lid liner clips

Step 6: Remove the Four Nuts

Use a 10 mm socket to remove the four nuts holding each inner assembly — three on the inner side and one on the outer side.

Step 6: the four inner tail light nuts

Step 7: Take the Inner Lamp Out

Gently push the mounting studs outward, disconnect the connector, and remove the complete inner assembly from the trunk lid.

Step 7: removing the inner assembly from the trunk lid

Part 3: Install the New Tail Lights

Step 8: Fit the New Outer Lamps

Feed the harness through the body opening and seat the rubber grommet evenly against the body. Align the locating pins with the mounting holes, push the assembly straight in, tighten the two 10 mm nuts without overtightening, and reconnect the connector.

Step 8: fitting the new outer tail light and seating the grommet

Step 9: Fit the New Inner Lamps

Connect the connector first, align the four mounting studs with the trunk-lid holes, push the assembly straight in, and tighten the four 10 mm nuts.

Step 9: fitting the new inner tail light to the trunk lid

Step 10: Wire A to B, and B to B

Three connecting wires come in the box. Use them like this:

Two long wires: one from each outer lamp, marked A, to the inner lamp on the same side, marked B.
One short wire: between the two inner lamps, B to B.

The short B-to-B wire is what gives you the fog lamp and reverse lamp functions. Leave it out and everything else will appear to work while those two do not — which is a hard fault to find once the trim is back on.

Step 10: the A-to-B long wires and the B-to-B short wire

Step 11: Test Before the Trim Goes Back

Running and parking lights on both sides.
Brake lights, with a helper on the pedal.
Left and right turn signals, hazards, and the flowing sweep — confirm it runs across the outer and inner lamp together.
Reverse lights, with the car safely in reverse and the parking brake on.
Fog lamp function.
Startup animation, once the road-light functions pass.
Check for dashboard warnings, hyperflash or flicker.

Step 11: testing every lighting function before reassembly

Step 12: Reassemble

Refit the trim panels, liners and clips, then close the trunk lid slowly and confirm no wire is stretched or pinched.

The Smoked White build is now fully installed. The next section applies only to the RGB build.

RGB: Happy Lighting App Setup

The Happy Lighting app controls the colors and animation modes of the light bar. The startup animation is preset and cannot be changed.
Download: search for "Happy Lighting" in the App Store or Google Play, or scan the QR code on the controller box.
Pairing: turn on Bluetooth on your phone. Open the app, tap the menu icon (arrow 1), and select your device from the list (arrow 2).
Color: tap the Adjust tab (arrow 3) and use the color wheel (arrows 4 and 5) to choose a solid color.
Dynamic modes: tap the Music or Mode tab (arrow 6) to choose an animation. Use slider 8 to adjust speed and slider 9 to adjust brightness.

Happy Lighting app screens

Road use. Color modes are for show and display use where permitted. Confirm that the standard road-light functions work normally before using any color mode.

Common Issues and Solutions

Fog lamp or reverse lamp does not work. Almost always the short B-to-B wire between the two inner lamps. Check both ends.

The sweep stops partway across. Check the long A-to-B wire on that side, at both ends.

One tail light does not turn on. Recheck the main connector, the side's connecting wire, and the related fuse. Inspect the pins inside the connector; if any are bent, straighten them carefully and reconnect.

Swap test. If a lamp still does not work, swap the left and right units to find out whether the issue is the light or the car's wiring.

Warning, flicker or hyperflash. Confirm any included decoder or resistor is connected and secured.

Trim will not sit flush. Check for a trapped harness, a broken or missing clip, a folded weather seal, or a grommet that is not seated squarely.

App cannot connect. Turn on Bluetooth and Location Services on your phone (Android needs Location for Bluetooth scanning). The car's parking lights must be on to power the Bluetooth module.

Condensation inside the tail light. Temperature differences can cause light condensation, which is normal. Once the light has been on for a while and the internal temperature stabilizes, the moisture clears on its own. It does not affect brightness, performance, or lifespan.