rear lights not coming out

[seb959]

i took all the screws out of both rear lights but neither will come out, I've tried kicking them, pushing from all directions on the outside but it feels like they are welded on somehow, not sure what to do

 

[astranaut]

4 screws, age, dirt and moisture makes then quite sticky, unless someone has been there before you and sealed then with silicon or some thing as they do like to let water in.

 

[seb959]

thanks, I doubt someone sealed it as my nans had it since 2005 and she wouldn't have done it, probably just a load of dirt holding so tight I've just left it with no screws in haha and it's holding still

 

[Andy_Mk3]

The rubber seal around them sticks to the car really well as it gets old! A bit of force it will peel off though.

 

[seb959]

haha I snapped a bit of the lens off but managed to glue it back on so I've decided to give up, will probably keep the new lights for if I get another mk3

 

[Phoenix11]

Where the rear lights are screwed into the car panel, once the screws are removed, use a blunt rod to push the cluster out possibly having to gently tap with a hammer. Once the cluster breaks that seal it will pull off quite easily.

 

[seb959]

thanks I'll give it a go

 

[Phoenix11]

I removed mine today to put GSI ones in, and they were both quite solid. I used the square end of a 1/4" drive screwdriver as it fit nicely through the screwhole. 2-3 taps and the cluster became free. Trying to prise it from the back breaks the plastic. Good luck.

 

[DavebGsi]

put the screw back in by two turns, the tap with a hammer lightly

 

[seb959]

alright thanks I'll try that when I can

 

[seb959]

tried both and neither worked, it's properly stuck

 

[Phoenix11]

You're going to have to stop tickling it. Pick the easiest corner to get at, and give it a couple of really good hits. In fact, try the top corner then the bottom corner alternately. I don't know if a liberal spraying/soaking with WD40 beforehand would help. It is supposed to help with getting rid of adhesive stickiness. As a side note, and completely off-topic, it always makes me cringe when work is being done on my car and whoever is doing the work is really hitting something (suspension/steering parts) with a hammer. All the time, you're thinking, "My car, my car, don't be hitting it like that." And you're teeth are gritted.

 

[seb959]

gently hit it with a hammer, smacked it with a hammer, wd40 sprayed all around, pushed with a plastic brush handle, nothing worked

 

[Phoenix11]

I have taken 3 sets of clusters from 3 different cars: R reg., P reg., and the latest an N reg. They were all stuck, although I could not say whether one was any more stuck than another. So long as you are hitting the cluster it should eventually go. Once a bit of the seal breaks the cluster just peels from car very easily. The seal is only a rubber substance and weathering over the years does make it grip tight. I hit mine 3-4 times, hard, in the top corner closest the middle of the car. Ultimately, it should go. Good luck.

 

[seb959]

I'll try next week lol

 

[Phoenix11]

It's one of those jobs you would expect to go more easily, and not need a video tutorial for, so nobody has videoed the removal.