Author Topic: How To: Replace GTI High Level Brake Light WITHOUT REMOVING SPOILER  (Read 139196 times)

Offline palyniam

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 :angry: sorry but I am new to this forum and have spent 20 mins or so looking at how to start my own thread to ask a question but I am struggling so I have put it here, if anyone could help me that would be great.
Hi. This is an odd one. when the setting is set to the windscreen it blows cold, when set to window and feet it blows hot.
I have had fitted two sensors on the left and right side and a black box thing behind the control but still it blows the same cold air upto the window when on that setting only.
Any help would be great.
Paul.
sorry

Offline 9iron

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Using this guide I replaced it in less than 10 mins!.
It feels like a leap of faith smashing the lens but it really was simple.

I decided to use a gentle tap with a hammer and chisel to crack the red lens and it worked perfectly.

The only other thing was to make sure you take note of the old connection before disconnecting the light so as connecting the new one is straightforward.

Thanks again for the guide.

Offline bassett

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Brilliant detail.
I have a 56 plate Golf R32 Mk 5 and the Central LED light has totally given up...
I am very tempted to follow your instructions as all the VW places say you need to rip the spoiler off..... just ridiculous design !!!!

Is the light the same as on a GTI ? I have the exact part... my query is over the bolts which you cannot obviously screw in.
You said the unit snapped in .

Is this the case

Many thanks

Jonathan

Offline 9iron

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I can't confirmof the part is the same (it surely is).
The light does just snaps into place and stays there, no drama.

Offline bassett

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Just did mine this weekend and took me 20 mins ....
Thanks for the advice... just saved me £300
Jonathan

Offline Egbutt Wash

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I suspect the VW main dealers just smash out the light and replace it, all in 20 mins.
Then they look up the 'standard' VW price of £300 and charge you that.

Well done OP
Currently digging a bunker.

Offline MaXXeH

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u this today :D  took me 10 min many thanks :D

Offline Stitch

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Mine was in for it's service today. Along with quotes for pads my rear brake light is also out. VW guy said its not an MOT fail but quoted me £300 to repair. So costs so far this month:

-2 new conti SP3s £244
-12 months tax is due this month £235
-service £349

and they also "recommend"
-new discs and pads F&R £458
-fix rear brake light £298 + vat

So that's approx £1600 just to keep the car on the road FFS!!!!

Look like I need to appempt this fix myself. Fingers crossed.

Offline crimsonfin

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Brilliant guide - many thanks.

Fixed it myself at weekend, only took about 15 mins.  Replacement LED was £41 inc VAT from local dealer.  Also used a 5 piece set of BOJO trim tools bought from everyones favourite auction site for about £10.

Here are some more photos which might give others the courage to go for it ...


To get started drilled a few holes in one side of the led light casing (just be brave and go for it)


Next, get your trim tool of choice and start cracking off the red platic casing.  Might be worth wearing some eye protection here as the shards of plastic ping everywhere.  No real technique just get your wedge under the plastic and brake it off.


With the plastic removed now get your trim tool in between the white plastic casing which contains the LED's and the hole in the spoiler which seats the light.  I just prised at both the far left and right ends of the light and after a fair bit of wiggling about you will hear the plastic which is holding the retaining screws (see below) crack then you should be able to just lift the light out.


After removing the main LED housing as per step above you now need to get to the cable which connects it to your cars electronics.  What I did here was get a pair of needle nose pliers and feed them into the hole where the cable is housed (you should just be able to see the plastic rectangular part of the cable buried inside the hole - in this picture the hole i refer to is the one in the centre of the picture with the wires dangling out).  Just use the pliers to grab it and yank it out through the hole.

Also in this picture you see one of the retaining screws which I mentioned above (rusty screw in far left of picture).  In your new light you will notice that there are 2 holes in the back of your brand new LED.  If you were doing it the correct way (i.e. paying VW £300+ to rip off your spoiler :-P) then you would be using these.  However for our purposes we don't need them so just use your pliers to twist and lift them upwards and they should come out.  Disgard them once removed as they are now useless.


Bit blurry but this is where you connect your new LED up to the wire which you prised out of the spoiler above.  Must admit it confused me for a bit as to how to detach the old cable but if you look at the picture you can see a very small platic notch (just above and to the right of my thumb) - this twists slightly allowing you to pull out the old connector.  BEWARE : this notch doesn't feel very substancial so be very careful.

Dont have a photo of the next step but what you need to do is connect your new led to the cable from the car, feed the spare length back inside the spoiler and then refit the complete LED housing back into the spoiler.  Its not immediately obvious how to best do this but if you push the LED back inside the spoiler it will eventually click into place and should hold.  I think I might add a drop or two of silicone sealant just to be sure that its properly held in place - remember the LED is no longer held in place via the screws which were inside the spoiler. (will also help to prevent future leaking)


At this point you should now have a broken old LED light and a few thousand shards of red plastic.....


But finally here is what you should end up with - a nice new shiny LED and with the £300+ that VW would charge you still in your back hipper !

Once again thanks to original poster (ub7rm) for all assistance provided

Offline deano lfc

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  • me and me gtiiiiiiiiiiiii !!!!!
done mine last week ( not working when i bought the car ) after reading this post, i give it a go, when i had to snap the light out at first i was bricking it ! but all came out nice, fitted new one , and all my brake lights are working now !! happy days !!!! this post was very helpfull ! :grin: