jcnash

3 & 4 is not enough to access the license plate light wires

Theres a solid metal strip that blocks off access to the wires just below the felt liner, so I would also need to remove the plastic trim. I unscrewed 6 Torx screws and the plastic trim would not even move

For steps 1 and 2, did you remove screws? Where do you start?

slammer111

Sorry, it's been a while since I last performed this procedure. I can tell you what I know..

Step 1 - the piece is only held in place by clips. You can pop it out. I just grabbed it and PULLED.

Yes, I do remember there being some screws involved. There should be no "hidden" screws though. The licence plate light wires "click" into a harness with a couple of tabs.

Let me know if you have any additional Qs.

govertime

The rubber boot wire cover dealie is cracked on my car too. Has anybody just taped it? Seems logical to me rather than going through this whole rigmarol...

jroach

Was anybody actually able get the wires out of the connectors? I have the boot, everything is apart but I can't figure out how to remove the connector so the wires will slide through the new bellows.

MW_ATL

I haven't tried this...but I hope as you put yours back together you take some pictures and post. I've always been tempted to try it.

jroach

I took some pics but when I try to add a photo all I get is the URL in the post. If somebody can guide me through the picture thing I'll post them this week.

MW_ATL

You can do them as a picture if you have them on something like PhotoBucket that hosts them and gives you the html link. However, you can probably just attach them as a file instead of using the "insert image."

Personally, I prefer them as an attachment, that way they are bound with the forum and not dependent on the hosted photo link to stay working.

C230 Sport Coup

So, I'm replacing the whole hatch.
Should I disconnected under the headliner, or
pull them the other way, like you guys did?

Either way, sadly, they cut the wires on the new hatch, so I'll need to pull the panels and remove the cut harness.

Or I could go Frankenstein on it's assse and cut the wires, and solder/shrink wrap them....I'm thinking NO on that.

slammer111

The SA I talked to a few years back actually recommended cutting close to the clips, then resoldering. I decided against that, which is why I did the 7h procedure.

If I were to do this again, just buy a roll of some kind of smooth tape (possibly electrical?) and cocoon the entire freaking cable. Covers all the sharp points and will probably make it MUCH easier to slide everything through the little black tube (bellows?) thingy.

To remove the wire from the harness connector (licence plate lights), you need a very thin and strong something, similar to a paper clip. The wire bit is a hollow square, which you can see as soon as you unplug the harness from the light. Holding the harness connector so it looks 2 squares side by side (aka horizontal), you have to jam the paper clip into the "top" and "bottom" of each square, and basically depress a small metal "tab" that's been punched into the square metal connector. I really wish I could describe this better. The tabs are equivalent to what you'd find inside the pins of an old serial or VGA cable. Since there are 2 plate bulbs with 2 "square metal connectors" each, you have to do this PITA task 8 times iirc.

Just thinking about this procedure makes me cringe. Probably the single most difficult repair I have ever had to do on this car.

edgarinho10

Deleted for the inability to read.