Having trouble removing left rear brake/stop light socket to replace bulb

[RMcG]

Hello everybody,

I am having trouble removing the left (driver's side) rear brake/stop light socket to replace the bulb. I became aware that the left (driver's side) rear brake/stop light was out a couple of days ago. I bought a replacement bulb, but I cannot remove the socket with the old bulb. I believe that the socket is supposed to turn counterclockwise to be removed. I have attached a couple of pictures of the rear of the socket.

The first picture below (entitled StopBrakeLightLeftMy2008ToyotaYarisHtchbck) is an actual picture of the back of the socket (tan color) that I am having trouble removing. I have tried my fingers and some pliers turning counterclockwise without success so far. I don't want to break the socket. I also don't want to remove the entire left rear lens and assembly that contains 4 bulbs, because I had a major leak problem that I solved using silicone rubber cement put on the black rubber gasket between the lens and car body. In fact, I think you can see some of that dried silicone rubber cement above the rear of the socket (gray color). But I do not think that I used so much cement that it is interfering with the socket removal.

I have attached another picture, the second picture below (entitledToyotaBrakeLight1) I got off the internet here that shows the general location of the rear of the socket at the top of the group of 4 rear Yaris bulbs. (The guy's finger is pointing at it.)

QUESTION: Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can remove the socket? Am I missing something?

Thank you,

R.