somapusher

I have a 2002 230k.....how do i f'en remove the the rear left light bulb housing so i can swap out the burnt out brake light!!!!

help....

Moviela

Open the trunk, look at the rear of the light assembly. There might be some carpet lining that needs to be pulled away. The lamps are on a gray carrier. There is a connector with a half dozen or more pins. You can leave it connected. Just pinch the latches with your fingers and pull the assembly out of the lens assembly. Replace the offending lamp, and snap back in place. Make sure you have the correct lamp.. you don't want to melt a $ 300 tail light because you put in a higher current lamp than was designed for the space.

somapusher

i pinch but the top is kinda stuck....how hard do i pull?



-Eddie

Moviela

You should not need to pull very hard at all. Once the latch barb is free, it should come out easily. I have seen a few cars that have a wiring or bulb defect that causes the plastic of the lamp carrier to melt fast to the lens assembly. Look with a bright light and see if it is just stuck somewhere. If you can't see the holdup, best to remove the whole assembly to get a good workbench look at it. Remove the connector, then unscrew four nuts holding the tail light assembly. Avoid this if you can, because you need to be very mindful of the seal when replacing, or you'll get water in the trunk every rain. There are three screws facing the rear of the car, and one on the side. While it is out, look carefully for signs of rust or corrosion, and remove it, and see if you can see the source of the moisture. Clean the bulbs with windex.