Highlevel tailgate brake light leak

barry · Dec 19, 2012

57 Plate
The rubber gasket between the outer red glass/plastic and the light housing appears to have perished and is hanging out. I noticed today in torrential rain that some water has leaked down the inside of the tailgate window. I guess I need to buy a new gasket and fit it.

Anyone had this problem?
I've not looked (and it's currently peeing down) but I guess the outer red plastic lens can be removed from the outside and I don't need to take off the trim on the inside of the tailgate to remove it ... anyone?

Hopefully there'll be a couple of plastic screws or it's a push on or something very simple like that (as if anything was simple on a Cali, eh?).

If someone could point me towards a website where I might get the part number I'd be very grateful.

Thanks and have a good festive time

SimplyDubs · Dec 20, 2012

Not had this problem but my high level brake light did go faulty... A number of the LEDs stopped working.

Unfortunately needed to remove the top tailgate trim to replace. (Not a difficult job... Just nerve wracking as the clips can be very stubborn)

Can't remember part number, I'll see if I can dig it out.

Rgds

Mark

smgcowfoldparts · Dec 20, 2012

Don't believe it can be seperated and from memory not sure you can get the gasket without the high level brake light unit either.

cheers

barry · Dec 20, 2012

smgcowfold said:
Don't believe it can be seperated and from memory not sure you can get the gasket without the high level brake light unit either.

cheers

Thanks Alex, Why am I not surprised, eh? Barry

Andresz · Dec 20, 2012

The topic made me look at my own tailgate brake light, and it is not looking good neither !!!, there is a play on one side and water is getting into door chassis.

I removed the red plastic cover, breaking it slightly when doing it...
The design of the assembly is very much French, little German, in my opinion.

Now, to put back the new red light cover, it is necessary to have access from inside, otherwise it does not latch.
To remove the inside plastic cover the service manual recommends to use Hazel 1965-21 tool to unlatch the clips on sides of the tail window.
Ordered the tool, and glued the light red cover with self-adhesive tape for the timebeing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hazet-196...881&pid=100033&prg=1011&rk=1&sd=370652962441&

Andresz · Jan 10, 2013

Hello
I got the Hazel 1965-21 tool (which is a long, soft plastic gib) now, but I failed to remove the inside plastic cover. Shall use use significant force ?, or push the gip into some very specific point?

Please advice.
Thanks
Andrzej

danny13 · Feb 15, 2013

Hi Barry - were you able to get the gasket on it's own, mine looks a little shabby.

Andresz · Feb 15, 2013

I had to buy the whole light, parts of it are not sold separately. Good thing is that it was not expensive, about 40 Euros.
I failed to remove the plastic inside cover, even with the the dedicated hazel tool, the clips keep it really very tight. I left it to the VW people, they removed it using my tools and significant force.

barry · Feb 15, 2013

danny13 said:
Hi Barry - were you able to get the gasket on it's own, mine looks a little shabby.

Yup - that's exactly what mine looked like and unfortunately the gasket can't be bought on its own. I watched the VW guys replace it with their special tool and as someone has posted here, the struggled and used quite a bit of force in the end.

danny13 · Feb 15, 2013

did they replace the gasket or just force the original back in?

Andresz · Feb 15, 2013

No point to use the old gasket. Most likely the latches of the lamp do not keep firm anymore, and the shape of the gasket is already affected. The same amount of work to put the gasket back in or replace the lamp. The access is from inside in both cases.
Lamp is not too expensive as I said. Just keep the old one as a spare, in case of LEDs failure or something.

barry · Feb 15, 2013

danny13 said:
did they replace the gasket or just force the original back in?

danny, the bit of the gasket that had come loose had perished (spongy & grainy) so there was no question of loosening off the unit, pushing the gasket into place and retightening, I'm afraid.

They suggested that it had become extruded in the first place through the use of high pressure hoses in 'hand wash' places ... plausible because I have used them in the past a lot.