How to replace tailgate brake light

[roadrunner 45]

Welcome!

The handle like fitting at the top of the trim piece? Yes, you do - just two screws.

Hello , how do you remove the plastic hiding the screws?

Thanks.

 

[Emil Silenhag]

Hello , how do you remove the plastic hiding the screws?

Thanks.

With a mini screwdriver, or a razor blade, or something else small and flat. Just pry the cap of...

 

[Custardtart]

After struggling with trim tools and screwdrivers wrapped in tape and getting nowhere: light bulb!

I used a tent-peg puller (the type you can buy from camping shops, Halfords even - like a flat hook with a handle): with tailgate fully open above you, insert in end of trim channel and pull down slowly; first thing that will happen is tailgate will come down on your head (hence, pull slowly!) but this acts as a useful brace; keep pulling and - BANG! - all three clips will spring free with no damage to trim; repeat for other side; top trim clips don’t need any lever, just pull trim towards bottom of tailgate (not towards ground).

Hope that helps!

You deserve a medal for posting this

I bent a 5mm round wire tent peg into an L-shape one end and a loop on the other to put another peg through for a t-handle (taped to stop it falling off). Slid the L into the ends of the down legs on the trim as you said and a steady firm pull and the three clips popped. Same other side then top pulls out (after unscrewing blind hook). All pushed/thumped back into place easily.

I was dreading this job - I always end up breaking trim/clips but whole job done in 20 mins.

Only downside was when the light was out I could see that it had been fretting the paintwork and had gone through to metal which was showing some surface rust. Bugger. It's raining here so I just put it all together and will keep an eye on it. If it spreads I'll have to deal with it, if not, job done.

Also noticed - when I offered the light up (to see if it was going to cover the damaged paint) it stuck which I wasn't expecting. Maybe this is the upgrade? I was going to spread silicon grease over it - glad I didn't.

Anyway - BIG thank you for your advice - it saved me a lot of stress and hassle.

 

[Geesvw]

When doing this job, you dont need to remove the trim completely. Just pull the upper horizontal part off and you have then access to the three screws holding the light.

I agree with Emil Silenhag, no need remove the side trim. If you prise of the outer edge of upper trim working from the middle near the bodywork working downwards towards the tailgate window, this will expose the three retaining screws enough to remove. The middle one has a bracket attached for the rear blind to hook

 

[willwander]

Great thread. I have this job to do at the weekend. Fingers crossed.

 

[willwander]

Spent my Saturday morning doing this.
Pig of a job, to get the trim off. I couldn’t get to the screws by just pulling top bit down, so had to take trim off. Started at bottom of one leg. Getting the first clip off is hardest. Started being ever so careful with trim tools and ended up swearing with crow bar.
Some pics may help the next person who does this.

My bust light


These are the clips down the side. They are very strong. I nearly bust one, but managed to rescue it by bending back to shape in a vice.


These are the clips that run across top of window. Black bit goes in the hole.



Once you get here you think you are laughing, but you’ve still got to get trim back on !

Getting trim back on is tricky, it took a few goes, then you have to hope the bolts line up to get the blind holder back on! Mine didn’t, so on and off a few more times till I got it right.

Not a nice job fighting with the trim. Although quite impressed at how tough it is.


Finally job done !

 

[Hodge]

Thanks to everyone in this brilliant thread… just had to do this job this morning and all your advice was superb. Special thanks to Spartan… the tent peg puller worked brilliantly and the photos from Willwander inspired the confidence to get on with it before the rain started. Finished in just over and hour.. upright side trim‘s not quite back exactly as it came off but it’s good enough for me. Problem I did have was screwing the blind hook back on after placing the trim, holes didn’t line up… so loosened trim again and having offered up the trim located left hole with a screwdriver through the hook and trim so I could loosely put the right screw in. This held everything in place for the left hook screw… then clipped the trim in place and tightened up hook screws at end. Many thanks all….

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Just completed. Thanks for the instructions. Hardest bit is getting the 1st clip off, then it’s easy!

 

[Happy Explorers]

Replaced my broken tailgate brake light yesterday and as people have said its possible to get to the screws by just unclipping the top part of the inner rear trim and gentle pulling it down to expose the three screws (see attached pic). 20 mins job all in, I found the most difficult part was lining up the metal bracket that the rear blind clip fits toowhen refitting, just be patient and don't be to heavy handed with the trim.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Bumping this thread for a quick question - have somehow lost my high level brake light lens but LEDs etc are all still in place. Does a replacement lens (will get one from Fleabay) just clip on from outside or do I need to find an hour or so to deal with all the trim items as above?

Thanks.

 

[andyinluton]

Bumping this thread for a quick question - have somehow lost my high level brake light lens but LEDs etc are all still in place. Does a replacement lens (will get one from Fleabay) just clip on from outside or do I need to find an hour or so to deal with all the trim items as above?

Thanks.

No, you can't just replace the lens, you have to do the whole unit & it only goes from behind.

Before you go and buy one, it may be worth ringing the dealer, my 2015se was subject to a service action ( or whatever it's called) in about 2019. The dealer replaced the light for no charge whilst it was in for a service.

 

[Velma's Dad]

No, you can't just replace the lens, you have to do the whole unit & it only goes from behind.

Before you go and buy one, it may be worth ringing the dealer, my 2015se was subject to a service action ( or whatever it's called) in about 2019. The dealer replaced the light for no charge whilst it was in for a service.

Thanks, very useful to know I will check!

 

[sdes]

I beg to differ! I purchased just the lens (genuine VW) and replaced just that. The clips are a bit of rubbish VW design I’m afraid, so I used some thin double sided adhesive foam (pressure sensitive) tape in addition. It isn’t falling out again any time soon!
Hope that helps, and saves money too. Stephen

 

[owen_h]

Bumping this thread for a quick question - have somehow lost my high level brake light lens but LEDs etc are all still in place. Does a replacement lens (will get one from Fleabay) just clip on from outside or do I need to find an hour or so to deal with all the trim items as above?

Thanks.

I bought an eBay replacement (whole unit) in the past and the quality was appalling. In my case I hadn’t actually lost the red lens so glued it back onto the original Vw one. My recollection is that I couldn’t replace or repair properly without removing the whole unit. It was 8 years ago though and has been fine since.


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[andyinluton]

I beg to differ! I purchased just the lens (genuine VW) and replaced just that. The clips are a bit of rubbish VW design I’m afraid, so I used some thin double sided adhesive foam (pressure sensitive) tape in addition. It isn’t falling out again any time soon!
Hope that helps, and saves money too. Stephen

On the 3 I replaced before VW replaced the whole unit, it was the clips breaking on the lamp end that caused the lens to fall off, with those broken you couldn't get anything to clip back on.
There was also the problem of the light unit itself being screwed to the tailgate with springs as spacers, if you pushed from the outside to try and fix a lens on, the force needed was more than the strength of the springs so all that happened was that light unit was pushed into the tailgate.