Tailgate tribulations - Can anyone help please?

[Borris]

Thanks Borris.
I think I have everything I need knowledge wise now.
The only thing that I'm not 100% sure about is removing the trim around the window on a T5.

I'm afraid that you may struggle with that. All the posts that I've read on removing that trim piece on a T5 have reported that it is dificult to remove. My van is a T6 which employs a different, easier to remove, fixing system.

Good luck.

 

[Perfectos]

From our friends on the t5 / 6 forum

Removing Tailgate interior window surround in T5 Shuttle?

Hi, I've a 2011 T5 Shuttle with tailgate. The rear brake light at the top of the tailgate is broken, so I need to replace it, but to do this the interior window surround trim needs to be removed first to get access to the light securing screws. There are no visible fastenings. If you can tell...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Perfectos]

How to replace tailgate brake light

Some lovely person decided to steal my tailgate brake light. I have purchased a replacement, and know that it needs the internal tailgate trim to be removed in order to fit. I also found some YouYube videos on how to replace a T5 brake light. Unfortunately, they show the very easily removable...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Oz Fisher]

From our friends on the t5 / 6 forum

Removing Tailgate interior window surround in T5 Shuttle?

Hi, I've a 2011 T5 Shuttle with tailgate. The rear brake light at the top of the tailgate is broken, so I need to replace it, but to do this the interior window surround trim needs to be removed first to get access to the light securing screws. There are no visible fastenings. If you can tell...

www.t6forum.com

Thanks again Perfectos. I've ordered some panel levers now.
I'll post my results on here when I've got everything together.

 

[Alan Andrews]

Quite easy to remove but the panel is quite heavy and unwieldly.

Try to get an extra pair of hands.

When refitting ( without an extra pair of hands) I used a fairly short bungie cord to hold the tailgate almost closed then sat on the boot floor to manoeuvre it in to position. You then need to partially open the tailgate in order to reinstall the 2 fixing screws behind the plastic hole caps.

I also found it easier to have the zipped cover removed before removing (and replacing) the panel.

Quite a lot of torx screws of various lengths and plastic rivet screws holding the panel and zipped cover in place. Lay them out so that you know where they all return.

 

[Oz Fisher]

Quite easy to remove but the panel is quite heavy and unwieldly.

Try to get an extra pair of hands.

When refitting ( without an extra pair of hands) I used a fairly short bungie cord to hold the tailgate almost closed then sat on the boot floor to manoeuvre it in to position. You then need to partially open the tailgate in order to reinstall the 2 fixing screws behind the plastic hole caps.

I also found it easier to have the zipped cover removed before removing (and replacing) the panel.

Quite a lot of torx screws of various lengths and plastic rivet screws holding the panel and zipped cover in place. Lay them out so that you know where they all return.

If I only need access to the brake light, do I still need to remove the zipped cover Alan? I thought I would only need to remove the screws for the blind latch and then the frame around the window.

 

[Borris]

One retrospective final note on the rear camera fix on a T6:

When removing the rear window trim surround on a T6 (see post #35), I found that the moulding arrangements which form the fixings between base of each leg of this trim to the lower door card are a little tricky to prise appart as the upper trim is designed to be fitted first with the lower door card trapping it in place. Therefore you have to prise the top of the lower door card away from the tail gate slightly to free the legs of the upper trim. This requires quite a lot of wiggling the upper trim about to free it. Its quite fiddly. The reason for this is the moulding on the lower door card (see photo 7 in post #35), forms a barbed plastic spring clip arrangement which has to be overcome to release the upper trim.
If I were doing this job again I would first try freeing all of the spring clips holding the upper trim in place then I'd pull it down slightly and wedge it away from the upper part of the door frame just enough to expose the area to be drilled but without making any attempt to detach this trim from the lower door card. There should be enough play to do this. It just might be possible to drill the necessary hole without completely removing this. I suggest trying this because remaking this joint is also tricky and the fit between the two panels isn't as good as it was beforehand.