chrishumes

Active Member
Feb 13, 2010
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hi

could anyone give me detailed instructions on replacing a rear bulb? I have done a search but found nothing!

cheers
 
Hi mate on my old 05 altea remove the panel on inside of boot and there is two i think plastic nut kind of things undo them to release whole rear light unit and then it was like a circle spring thing release that and then bulb socket things come out,sorry not mechanically correct but i managed to do it both sides in about 5 mins and i defo no mechanic lol.hope this helps
 
Hi mate on my old 05 altea remove the panel on inside of boot and there is two i think plastic nut kind of things undo them to release whole rear light unit and then it was like a circle spring thing release that and then bulb socket things come out,sorry not mechanically correct but i managed to do it both sides in about 5 mins and i defo no mechanic lol.hope this helps

On mine, as well as the plastic nut inside the removable panel in the boot, you have to undo the screws (torx) holding the light cluster to the car, from the outside ('05 Altea). The nuts in the inside can be stubborn - be careful and maybe a little first turn with pliers can help.
 
Yes. 2 TX25 screws that you can see on the light. And a plastic cage nut on the inside behind the small flap. They are attached to the body with a plastic cord, so you can't lose it. You will also need a phillips head screwdriver, as the bulb holder is screwed in.
 
I am also having some serous probs with changing the drivers side tail light on my Seat Altea 1.6 Sports reference 5 dr - petrol. I've searched all over the .net looking for diagrams/ info. on how to do this but no luck.
1. Opened the boot, located the panel removed it, inside there is 2 plastic (cream colour)
2. 2 screws holding the main light, very difficult to remove unless u have a small lenth philips screw driver.
3. Removed the 2 screws, also unscrewed the other pastic bit which seems tpo have nothing to do with the light as there is nothing attached to it.
4. cannot remove attachement to bulb. Tried everything, no go.
Cannot see how one can get this out & besides I bought Exterior/interior Bulb 501 from Halfords which say this is the tail light bulb for my model. The bulb (only one) I see is not like these I bought.

Any diagrams on this, I would upload a photo of the problem but cannot on this forum.
 
I am also having some serous probs with changing the drivers side tail light on my Seat Altea 1.6 Sports reference 5 dr - petrol. I've searched all over the .net looking for diagrams/ info. on how to do this but no luck.
1. Opened the boot, located the panel removed it, inside there is 2 plastic (cream colour)
2. 2 screws holding the main light, very difficult to remove unless u have a small lenth philips screw driver.
3. Removed the 2 screws, also unscrewed the other pastic bit which seems tpo have nothing to do with the light as there is nothing attached to it.
4. cannot remove attachement to bulb. Tried everything, no go.
Cannot see how one can get this out & besides I bought Exterior/interior Bulb 501 from Halfords which say this is the tail light bulb for my model. The bulb (only one) I see is not like these I bought.

Any diagrams on this, I would upload a photo of the problem but cannot on this forum.

You need to unscrew the tail light from the outside as well, two bolts retaining it..I think its two.
 
Seat Altea 1.6 5dr tail lights problem !!

..From the outside ??? after removing the panel I have unscrewed the 2 screws on the back of the light housing, but its not moving, only slightly........... this is doing my head in, as I know if I take it to the garage they will do it in seconds, & believe me when I say I am not stupid...... I find it very hard to understand that on the internet there is no diagrams of this..............

In fact give me 10 minutes & I will get a link photo link to my web page so you can have a look..

Just uploading another couple of minutes....

OK all done..
bazk.co.uk/a_passenger.jpg
2screw_screw_driver.jpg
a_problem.jpg
b_problem.jpg
501.jpg

these are the photos of the problem, it also shows 501 which Halfords told me its the correct lights. You will see in a_pessenger thats an example, the reset is the problem.

Thank you for looking at my problem..
 
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..From the outside ??? after removing the panel I have unscrewed the 2 screws on the back of the light housing, but its not moving, only slightly........... this is doing my head in, as I know if I take it to the garage they will do it in seconds, & believe me when I say I am not stupid...... I find it very hard to understand that on the internet there is no diagrams of this..............

In fact give me 10 minutes & I will get a link photo link to my web page so you can have a look..

If you look at the back of the car at the tail light, you should have two screws accessible from the outside of the vehicle, you need to un-screw these as well. Internally you only need to unscrew one (If I remember correctly) and it has a massive plastic thumb screw type fitting to it (which most people use pliers to losen first. That said, there could be two of these.

Lets see your pics.
 
Thx Neilmac, just been mucking around trying to post my links, but Admin says one cannot post any links until 15 post as been posted.... but what u have just said makes excellent sense, I will jump outside now & try it,,, cheers let you know later..
 
... OK, just got back from collecting kids from school. neilmac was completely correct. 2 x screws next to the inside of the rear light, thats under the boot when you open it. Thats next to the rear light. You can use a large flat end screwdrive, if not a torx screw (don't know the size). Don't forget under the panel is a large plastic screw, this needs to be undone, (normal thread) & removed, don't worry there is a long piece of plastics attached so cannot fall off. Once this is done u can commence with the 2 outside screws next to the outside. Becareful when removing the light housing as this will be attached to the light, very easy to remove. U can remove this before you do this. Once removed you have the complete light unit iun your hands, undo the 2 screws then pop it out, then there is another light (indicater light) which can be removed with a philips screw, slight turn to the left then slip your hand in & remove with your fingers, thats it. Great stuff neilmac. The only thing is I have the incorrect light bulbs... lol Halford told me this is the set.... anyway I going down there to exchange for correct bulb... funny thing thought, I checked the bulb & it seems intacked, could be the fuse........ I know where that is, but how do you check the fuses !
 
Hi guys,

maybe have an additional look at => this
as well as at some pics we did some years ago within the german ALTEA-board (thx to niederrheiner):

1.) unscrew these 2 Torx T-25 from the outside:

p1010603hh0.jpg


p1010607lv9.jpg


2.) open/remove the cover inside the trunk:

p1010619ol2.jpg


3.) turn loose the large plastic fingerscrew (it's secured with a strap so it won't fall into the body):

p1010606rp8.jpg


4.) should look like this:

p1010608pu4.jpg


p1010610si0.jpg


5.) having the whole backlight unit in hands, unscrew those two torx:

p1010612vk1.jpg


p1010613kw1.jpg


6.) lift the inner (lightgrey) socket ... might be sitting a little tight at the outer contacts:

p1010615nw0.jpg


7.) inspect the bulb and the inner contact ... ther might be the issue with the "melting" contacts ... clean/remove with emery paper any remnants ... replace the bulb:

p1010617lc4.jpg


8.) reassemble the other way round ... check the bulb warning light:
ignition on - after a couple of seconds the warning light should go out.


Hope that helps ... greets ... Klaus
 
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Klawit, great show m8, this is what I was trying to upload to uderstand how to replace/ clean etc.... thank you, pictures are better than explanation, knopw we all now how to do it with our models, thank a million..
 
Just checked working rear light & no working, yeap its the bulb, I will leave it until tomorrow morning to replace it, I cannot believe how easy it was after checking out your photos & help also from neilmac, thx klawit...... I wonder how one goes about changing the clucth... joking m8. thx
 
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I'd just like to add to this (old) thread - firstly - nice one to Klawit for the decent explanation & piccies explaining how to get the cluster out - I sooooo needed a how to for dummies and that worked a treat.

secondly - I'd just like to add that i still had major problems getting it out after following the piccies. I was major [:@][:@][:@]

It turned out that Seat had put a Jordon'esque amount of silicon around my wife's cluster (fnar fnar) which acted as glue and it wouldn't budge at all, no matter how hard I tried. In the end I had to get a knife out and carefully slice it free.

I better be getting sex tonight, i dont think I've EVER spent longer than 5mins changing a brake light. This took me over an HOUR!!!
 
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They weren't siliconed from the factory, I don't think. Maybe someone has done it in an attempt to stop a leak, or maybe the rear end has had a shunt and been repaired (badly).
 
I'd just like to add to this (old) thread - firstly - nice one to Klawit for the decent explanation & piccies explaining how to get the cluster out - I sooooo needed a how to for dummies and that worked a treat.

secondly - I'd just like to add that i still had major problems getting it out after following the piccies. I was major [:@][:@][:@]
In the end I had to get a knife out and carefully slice it free.

let us know how it is when it rains !