I turned off my license plate lights..,
the logic is this: I don’t look at my license plates - I already know what is written there, people around me are not interested in my license plates, if the traffic police do not see my license plates - this is their problem.
In addition, I rarely clean my license plates from natural dust, which makes me unknown and not identified on police surveillance cameras.
No, I'm not a criminal. And not even a malicious violator of traffic rules, but I have some speeding or illegal turns, like any of us.

 

Unfortunately, in the USA the police care about the light and most states inspect the exterior lights. Theoretically, an unreadable tag is illegal. Lately most police cars have automatic tag readers installed so they don't have to work to find out who you are.
Years ago I knew a guy that got a ticket for repainting the numbers on his tags. The cop said "even if it is the original color it is altering the tag".
There have been instances of prosecution for "obscuring" tags with a material that makes computer cameras go blank.

 

I just looked at mine, there is a lens over each bulb, 2 screws on each. You can't just take the lens off and replace the bulb?

 

Very tight to get those 4 screws out, then the lenses are stuck in place by the gasket. Much easier to remove the interior panel

 

Directions for changing all exterior bulbs along with the part numbers are in the Owner Manual.

 

I'm usually pretty decent at following instructions but this one is worded a little funny. Step #5 seems like some sort of typo.

(from the 2010 Owners Manual)
License Plate Lamp
1. Remove the two screws holding each of the license plate lamps to the fascia.
2. Turn and pull the license plate lamp forward through the fascia opening.
3. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise and pull the bulb straight out of the socket.
4. Push the new bulb into the bulb socket and turn it clockwise to lock it into place.
5. Push and turn the license plate back through the fascia opening.
6. Reinstall the two screws holding the license plate lamps to the fascia.

 

The beauty bar is the fascia

 

I saw that too, in the 2009. They didn't do a good job of proofreading. You're not messing with the plate.

 

Typo. Left out “lamp.”

Push and turn the license plate lamp back through the fascia opening.

Not the first typo we found. Didn’t we recently established that at least one version of the 2009 manual reversed the fuel recommendations for the 2.2 and 2.4 liter motors? That one is actually significant.

 

Some typos are actually intentional for copyright reasons.