1989 300se check engine light replacement

[tonyl]

The check engine light will not come on so I took the cluster panel out.
Now I have the light bulb and wire in my hand. I'd like to know how to remove it from the wire. I don't want to rip it.
Should I pull out the bulb grabbing it from the glass or the plastic?
I am in California. Even though the light was out, two years ago it passed the simple smog test.
This time it is the Star smog test and I'm afraid it will fail so I have to replace it. Can anyone tell me how to do it?
Thank you.