Remove / replace the number plate lights

[roc-a-rhol]

now that ive received the boot lid panel i figured id use this time to document how i go about removing the tailgate piece which just so happens to be the same process as those looking to replace the number plate light housings.
disclaimer - this is my way of doing it. i started by watching the german guy on youtube and just did it a few more times. you need to be firm, but gentle. just be careful.

if your number plate is screwed on, remove this before commencement.

start by removing the inner boot trim. get your fingers in any gappy bits - usually the top most part, and pull downwards moving around the outside of the trim.
there are loads of metal spring clips holding this on and it will require a bit of force and you will hear creaking / cracking noises. trust the process!



you'll see that the manual boot pull tab is connected. unclip this as not to break it



with the trim out of the way, disconnect the connectors for the boot catch and the 2 number plate lights



there are 2 x t15 torx screws either side of the boot catch. undo these and keep them safe. these are the only bolts / screws holding on the panel. the rest are clips.



the panel housing the number plate consists of 4 clips at the top, and 3 guide clips at the bottom.



starting at either corner, pull in a downwards motion. you want to pull the clips down, following the direction below. force is needed, but not brute strength - if that makes sense.



once one side is free, work along the panel, freeing each of the 4 clips. again; the clips will make a cracking noise. hopefully you'll escape with all 4 clips in place, and if you've pulled down and not away, you'll also have the 3 guiding clips at the bottom



with the panel off, remove the lens from the lights.

the housing is held on by 2 little tabs. poke these down and the unit slides out nicely



everything from this point is just done in reverse;

slide the new light housings on to the panel
offer the panel to the boot, ensuring the 3 guide clips are in the square holes and whilst applying pressure, push upwards until all 4 clips are in place.
refix the 2 torx screws
attach the connectors for the lights and the boot handle
reattaching the inner boot trim is a fiddly task! ensure you connect the plastic 'manual boot pull' clip to the lever and then offer the boot trim ensuring it sits behind the boot catch. press up firmly and hopefuly one of the clips sits in place. from there give the panel a firm thump in multiple places and it will sit in place.

stand back and admire your work, or the mass of broken clips and panels - depends how it goes

cheers
drew

 

[Joga]

Perhaps it can be good to also mention that before attempting to remove the outer panel the license plate must be removed as they are normally screwed through the panel into the aluminium tailgate (at least mounted that way on my cars).

 

[roc-a-rhol]

Perhaps it can be good to also mention that before attempting to remove the outer panel the license plate must be removed as they are normally screwed through the panel into the aluminium tailgate (at least mounted that way on my cars).

absolutely. the plates ive encountered have all been stuck on with tape but ive updated to include this. thank you

 

[Howey]

Your also lucky if the torx screws come out conventionally, with mine I have had to get my trusty irwin vise grips to assist!

 

[Dogbrain]

You're lucky.
I had my rear window busted so I swapped all the trunk lid.
I actually broke all the clips to remove that panel because the bolts didn't move, nothing at all could grip them and there was no room for the angle grinder.
I bolted everything with stainless steel bolts and now it looks like that.
I guess the bolts aren't that stainless after all.
Good thing I have access from both sides now.


By the way, Drew, when you put the trunk trim back on, did you do it alone or did you have another set of hands?
I can't attach all the clips at once. If I place one side, while I work with the other side, the one already on falls off.

 

[roc-a-rhol]

I bolted everything with stainless steel bolts and now it looks like that.

it looks very... industrial?! when that happened to mine i used double sided foam tape to hold the panel on - the stuff you stick number plates on with. it was ok but the lid bounced and flapped a lot when closing the boot, hence my mission to get another installed

By the way, Drew, when you put the trunk trim back on, did you do it alone or did you have another set of hands?
I can't attach all the clips at once. If I place one side, while I work with the other side, the one already on falls off.

i did the job alone. esure one side is in place with a gentle tap and then manoeuvre the other side in. judging by other's reactions ive been fortunate not to have clips snap or screws/bolts break

 

[roc-a-rhol]

i also tried to preempt a manual boot catch failure by drilling a small hole in the plastic pull tab and secured it to the boot catch with wire. crude, yes, but it stops the tab from coming loose when i'd need it the most!

 

[Dogbrain]

I lost my motorcycle's license plate that way. Luckally I found it when I repeated the same route. So I don't trust adhessives any more.

i also tried to preempt a manual boot catch failure by drilling a small hole in the plastic pull tab and secured it to the boot catch with wire. crude, yes, but it stops the tab from coming loose when i'd need it the most!

That's a good life hack. Thanks, I'll do it too.

it looks very... industrial?!

The really ugly part is hidden. Those 12 bolts on the outside look more like... You know the rims with bolt immitations around the perimeter?
I thought about sticking a red reflecting stripe on them. But when I looked at them, I kinda liked them that way.
The only ugly thing there is the dent on the bottom left. I tried to hammer it through rubber when the panel was off, but I guess my hands grew up from a wrong place on my body.

 

[Andrew]

.....
By the way, Drew, when you put the trunk trim back on, did you do it alone or did you have another set of hands?
I can't attach all the clips at once. If I place one side, while I work with the other side, the one already on falls off.

Good Afternoon,

The easiest way by far is to replace the boot trim from inside the car. Pop out the back seats and shut the boot, I even had a a little seat to sit on. The boot upstand takes the weight and it lines itself up and leaves a free hand to do things.

Andy

 

[Erlingtheyounger]

Good Afternoon,

The easiest way by far is to replace the boot trim from inside the car. Pop out the back seats and shut the boot, I even had a a little seat to sit on. The boot upstand takes the weight and it lines itself up and leaves a free hand to do things.

Andy

What a genius idea.

It’s one of my least favourite jobs and now you’ve said it, it makes complete sense and I’m bloomin irritated (but thoroughly grateful!) that I didn’t think of it myself!

 

[JulesW]

Thanks to you all for sharing your hard won tips. Did you all replace the licence plate lights with LED ones?

 

[Howey]

I did on both mine but you need serviceable base plates as the ones I got are just the lenses/bulbs

 

[simufly]

Good write up, thanks. I spent a long time doing the first of mine by trial and error before arriving at the process you describe so well. The second was much easier! I found getting the big inner trim panel to line up at the end of the process the most frustrating. Still not sure that all the clips are fully home.

 

[roc-a-rhol]

Good write up, thanks. I spent a long time doing the first of mine by trial and error before arriving at the process you describe so well. The second was much easier! I found getting the big inner trim panel to line up at the end of the process the most frustrating. Still not sure that all the clips are fully home.

thank you

pretty sure mine still aren't aligned either - there's a few mm gap where it should sit flush. always give it an upwards thump whenever i close the boot just to reseat it!

drew