removing tail lights

[nathvr4]

hi from australia guys as you probs know ozvr4 is down so i thought id try my luck here. My issue is that ive noticed quite a lot of water built up in the centre part of my rear tail light.i thought it wouldnt be to hard to take the lights off and find the source of the leak but i realised i might have to take out the rear window. Is this the case or am i not trying hard enough. Any help would be great thanks

[elnevio]

I don't think the rear window has to come out. I suspect that taking off the interior bootlid panel should give you access to all the bolts/nuts holding on the one-piece tailgate rear lights assembly. How far have you got at the moment? Perhaps someone with a facelift can elaborate further if they've removed that part. :)

[nathvr4]

thanks for the reply first off. I got the bootlid off and all the bolts out which losen up the centre light assembly however it did seem like the rear window was preventing me to lift out the light assembly. It might just need abit of elbow grease to pull it out. Il try again tomorrow and let you know how it all goes.

[Nick Mann]

I've taken one off a tailgate before - it did just need some persuasion - the seal around the glass holds it in place, from what I remember.

You next problem, and one I didn't have the nads to tackle, was seperating the lens part from the black plastic part. I think they are bonded together like the headlights, and I wasn't willing to try heating/slicing/prising on a customers car.

[waxer]

Maybe just drill some carefully-placed drainage holes?

[jiggy007]

I did that to my Toyota Soarer headlights years back, i drilled 2 very small holes on the bottom right because they used get water build up and fog up, it seemed to work ok, it didn't completed get rid of the build up 100% , but it help it drain out and dry up quicker...it certainly beats trying to pull them apart and it could avoid a disaster..

[nathvr4]

thanks all for the help il give it another bash when im off work next. I just need to find where the waters getting in and try seal it all bak up. I think i can drain the remaining water out from the globe holes. But thanks again for your responses il let ya know how i go :)

[Scanny]

are the leggies a pain compared to the saloons? before i even get the new car home i want my silvatech bulbs in the leggie. i really really hate clear lenses with orange indicator bulbs

[Atik]

How about drilling a couple of small holes as suggested and then leaving in an airing cupboard or a warm room or on the radiator in the house, this will suitably dry out the interior, then using some clear sealant, go around the whole light fitting sealing the joints and then close up the drilled holes?

[SGHOM]

How about drilling a couple of small holes as suggested and then leaving in an airing cupboard or a warm room or on the radiator in the house, this will suitably dry out the interior, then using some clear sealant, go around the whole light fitting sealing the joints and then close up the drilled holes?


Not neccessary. Just bung the light in the oven.... Gas mark 4 for 10 mins (ish ) then peel apart! Easy peasy. :D

[elnevio]

Not neccessary. Just bung the light in the oven.... Gas mark 4 for 10 mins (ish ) then peel apart! Easy peasy. :D
Trouble is, D - the rear light on a facelift Leggie tailgate is about 3 feet long!

[elnevio]

are the leggies a pain compared to the saloons? before i even get the new car home i want my silvatech bulbs in the leggie. i really really hate clear lenses with orange indicator bulbs
The bulbs are super easy to change - conveniently located behind access panels at the rear.

[Atik]

I'd say more like 3 and a half feet long Nev :p

[Scanny]

not like the saloon where you need to take the lens off to change the bulbs then? a right pain when you are at the car shop

[Atik]

Scanny, even the saloon has opening hatches to remove the bulbs without having to take off the cluster itself. I think..?

[Scanny]

the manual says you have to take them off mate. the lens board is fixed. the lens itself is only nuts though. a socket set makes the job easy. the hardest part is fitting the lens back on being careful to line all the bulbs up so you dont crush any of them

[elnevio]

I found it was a case of removing the interior carpeted panels on the saloon, but I might not be remembering that particularly clearly anymore.

[Atik]

Hmm, that seems overly complicated for such a simple job especially on a 90's Jap car. Modern Euro cars are very difficult to work on, but didnt expect the Galant to be so difficult.

[elnevio]

Now you mention it Scanny, I seem to recall having to do that on the V6...

[nathvr4]

cheers for all your inputs guys. yea im gonna try to get the thing off on sunday i just wanna know how the waters getting in the lights and try seal it up it must be a pretty big hole/crack because the water builds up fast. oh also the plastic cover that sits inside the bootlid panel. maybe the seal around that. didnt think though the water would get in that far anyone know??

[Atik]

Just check the unit for any cracks or open edges. If the water gets in quick, the hole should be easy to spot. Get it dried out, and use lots of clear sealant around it. I did that with my headlight when I opened them up last year. dried them out and just sealed with lots of clear sealant and not had any misting in them since then.

[nathvr4]

yea thats the plan now thanks mate :)

[Nick Mann]

The water was getting in to my tailgate through the fittings on the rear spoiler. You'll have to disturb the plastic sheet anyway, I think, to get to the bolts holding the light bar?