Author Topic: How To: Replace GTI High Level Brake Light WITHOUT REMOVING SPOILER  (Read 139193 times)

Offline clum1

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Great thread; just managed to do mine with no problems. FYI, I managed to get the light from one seller on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180761625628#ht_1346wt_1037) for £15 and the trim tools (just search for trim tools - these ones are a fetching shade of green) from another for £2; much cheaper than VW!!!

Offline andrewparker

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What an awesome guide. On Thursday VW attempted to charge me £430 to replace the high level brake light on my GTI. A quick read of this gave me the confidence to try it myself so I ordered the part and picked it up this morning.

It literally took my 10 minutes to fix. I'll be printing this off and taking it down to them!
Current – Mk7 Golf R, Night Blue, 5dr, Manual / Mk7.5 Golf R, Indium Grey, Estate, DSG

Offline rainswept

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Hi all, last week I was quoted £550 by Blade Gloucester (a VW dealer) just to have the spoiler and the embedded brake light replaced to get my 2007 Edition 30 through the MOT after the LED's had failed. Blade also informed me that the used car warranty that I had from them did not cover this :angry:. After I protested, they then suggested that it might be possible for them to hack the light out and replace it but they would not be able to give me any assurances that the spoiler would not be damaged and they wanted me to sign a document accepting any damage that they may cause to the spoiler whilst they tried to replace the light.

I bought the replacement light from them for £40 and then followed the instructions on this forum. Twenty minutes later I had a brand new high level brake light fitted and working with no damage to the spoiler whatsoever. :smiley:

Thank you all.

Offline RonanGTI.MKV.DSG

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Does anybody know if a warning light should come on for the third brake light. Bought the part but im afraid to go at it til Im certain its not something else. The light isnt working but ive no warning light on.

Offline ib77

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Thanks for this guide. I followed it today now have a working high mount brake light :)

I do have a question if anybody is able to answer that has done this procedure themselves..... When replacing the grommet i managed to accidentally push it all the way through! I could not get it back out again and it started to tear, so i had to just leave it like that. Will this cause any problems like water getting somewhere it shouldn't? Or does it not really matter?

Offline mac456

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Thanks for the guide just did this, although I almost did the same as the poster above. Just the top part of the gromit though.
Again does anyone know if water will get down there?

Offline danj3000

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Did this a last week and it was a nice and straight forward job. The lens of the light cracks off with surprisingly little force.

Also the new light seems to be held in sufficiently despite not being screwed in, I guess it makes it easier to replace down the line too when it inevitably fails again!!

Thanks to the OP for this guide  :smiley:

Offline biscuit_boom

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Indeed the silver city  :grin:
If you ever need a hand for changing your high level brake light give me a shout  :grin:

I live in Aberdeen and work in Westhill as well! Just started driving Mk5 GTi in the summer. It's been great and gave me no hassle at all since I got it. That said, the high level brake light has stopped working... Struggling to find a decent solution other than your one. Might have to give it a try! What tools did you buy for it?

Offline Rowley102

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Are Mk6 Golf GTIs the same to do? Mines just broke and dont want to take spoiler off

Thanks,

Sam

Offline Len

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Just got myself an R32 and didn't notice this fault!

So is this still the only way to do it??
Mystic Blue Mk3 16v + Black Mk5 Gti 05 plate + Peugeot 405 Mi16

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