Removing rear brake light cluster

[TrevS]

Hi all

This is my first post on here so apologies if this question has been asked many times before. Basically one of the rear brake light bulbs has died and needs to be replaced. I have tried following the user manual to remove the cluster by undoing the two screws that hold the plastic cluster in place but cant get the cluster free.

The manual says to pull the 'pilot' towards the exterior, what is this? I have tried to pull the cluster off quite hard but it just won't budge and i dont want to damage the light by forcing it. So can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong.

Thanks

Trev

 

[veezee]

I had this problem, as I bought my car on low mileage and the bulbs had rarely, if ever, been changed.

If you sit on the boot lip, you can get a better angle to pull it out, but if like mine it hasn't been out often, you'll have to jiggle it around to release some of the gunk for a while. Persevere, and if all else fails a local mechanic should be able do it for a few £'s - at least if they break it, they should have to replace it.

 

[mrcoyote]

Do you mean the central brake light or the outer brake/indicator clusters? If you mean the outer, then undo the two screws as you've already done and give it a firm shove from the front of the car towards the back if that makes sense?

If you mean the high level brake light, then pass.

 

[mixupz]

by the first post im assuming the outer boot ones as the top central one is a row of LED's

but i could be wrong...

 

[Mr Cellotape]

I found with the outer boot ones you need to stand outside the rear wing looking towards the back of the car and hold the inner part of the assembly with one hand whilst giving the cluster a "high five" sort of slap in the direction of the rear of the car.

This seemed to do the trick for mine, (may also of looked a bit camp)

 

[TrevS]

Do you mean the central brake light or the outer brake/indicator clusters? If you mean the outer, then undo the two screws as you've already done and give it a firm shove from the front of the car towards the back if that makes sense?

If you mean the high level brake light, then pass.

Hi, yeah its the outer cluster i am struggling with. I did trying wiggling it for a while but it just doesn't want to dislodge. Ill have another go tomorrow night and see if i can get it out.

Thanks for the help so far

 

[st10587]

Hi, yeah its the outer cluster i am struggling with. I did trying wiggling it for a while but it just doesn't want to dislodge. Ill have another go tomorrow night and see if i can get it out.

Thanks for the help so far

my FR lights were seriously tight to get out, but remove the screws and the is to big spring clips on the out edge of the lamp unit. you can try a rag covered screw driver to gently leaver it out

 

[TrevS]

thanks for the help everyone, just managed to get the light out. Just required a good tug. Cheers

 

[mixupz]

Just required a good tug. Cheers

dont to it too frequently....i heard you go blind and get hairy palms

 

[Ibiza 130 tdi]

dont to it too frequently....i heard you go blind and get hairy palms

Haha! Owned.

 

[IainW]

Has anybody had any trouble removing the screws? The right one on my car was done last year and it came off ok, but now the left side brake light is out and I can only get the bottom screw undone. The top one is seriously tight and I'm worried about stripping the thread on it. It's already bent a screwdriver tip slightly trying to get it undone.

 

[Chriswaite130]

Try tightening the screw a little bit first (obviously not too much), then try to slacken it. old joiners trick

 

[tkjeeves]

the bolt must have rusted in a bit and expanded, as said from Chris and also try taping the screwdriver when in the slot to give it some shock, that might loosen it out.