GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: mattlittle on 27 February 2015, 15:32
-
Took my GTD in to the dealership for a service last week and they noted that one of the LED lights that illuminates the rear plate has gone. <Cue dramatic music>
They suspect that it has disappeared inside the bumper.
I tried to claim off the warranty as these things shouldn't just disappear but (although they can't see any damage to the car) they suspect a knock from someone on the rear might have caused it.
Does anybody have any idea how I can get inside the rear bumper to where it may have fallen into?
I'd like to save myself the £104 it will take to get a new one fitted.
-
£104!!!
Buy some from ebay for about £25!!
-
£104!!!
Buy some from ebay for about £25!!
I think that the majority of the £104 was labour to remove the bumper. If I can do it myself, I definitely will.
-
Is the wiring still there but not attached to anything?
If so I doubt very much if the unit is inside the bumper. If the wiring can't be seen can you not just fish it out with something hooked?
-
Is the wiring still there but not attached to anything?
If so I doubt very much if the unit is inside the bumper. If the wiring can't be seen can you not just fish it out with something hooked?
There is just a hole. Nothing else to see.
I'll try a coat hanger this weekend but just wondered if there was a clever hatch or something that might give access to the right area?
-
When my GTD got rear ended, both numberplate lights were pushed up and into the bumper a little, but not so much that you couldn't see it and that was a 20mph clout that dented and split the bumper. If someone has tickled your car with a 3mph kiss then I doubt yours have popped into the bumper.
Chances are someone has popped it out, uncoupled it from the wiring, pushed the wiring into the hole and made off with it. Shocking that VW didn't design these better in terms of security seeing as they go to the effort of protecting your wipers under the back of the bonnet.
Get a wire coathanger in there and find the loose end (carefully), then buy a new one and fit it yourself in seconds.
-
Can you get up in under by the exhaust back box? Otherwise the plastic trim around the exhaust is fairly easy to remove then you'll have good access in there.
-
Can you get up in under by the exhaust back box? Otherwise the plastic trim around the exhaust is fairly easy to remove then you'll have good access in there.
Cheers - I'll try both this weekend and report back.
-
I've not taken the trim off my mk7 but on the mk6 it was just a few torx screws underneath then a load of plastic lugs held it in place at the top that you've got to ease off gradually. It only takes ten mins.
-
Surely if the light has pushed up inside if you turn the lights on you will see something glowing
-
Was it there in the first place?
-
Excellent question. I think so as the rear number plate looks less well lit overall then previously.
-
Fixed.
I've detailed the process below but can anybody tell me where I can buy a single VW rear number-plate LED light from? All the ones in ebay are copies or come in a pair (at £50). Any help appreciated.
For anyone who has the same issue, this is what I did: (I'm posting this as if I knew what to do, I could have it done in 20 minutes, as it was with all the trial and error it took me over an hour!!)
Lying under the car at the rear with the lights on, I could see the lit LED light inside the bumper. It was slightly cracked so I guess that someone knocked the car when parked and it popped it through the bumper.
Reaching from below the car, I was able to get fingers on the light but couldn't angle it to push back through the hole for the light. After about 20 minutes, I gave up doing that.
I undid the 3 small torx bolts which each held a single plastic clip in place on underside of bumper. Popped the 3 clips out and with that and also undoing one medium torx bolt I was able to flex the bottom of the rear bumper back enough to get both arms in.
After a lot of messing about, I worked out that the bets thing was to disconnect the power cable. To do this, I had to remove a red tab which kept the two small retaining arms in place. With the red tab gone, I could lift two small retaining arms and slide the power cable off.
The light fell down through the bottom of the car and I was then able to push the power cable through the hole for the light and connect to the bulb which was now on the outside of the bumper again.
Once connected, it was just a case of popping the light back into the hole.
Job done.
-
Try Ebay, plenty of cars being broken on there. Good luck.
-
Fixed.
Can anybody tell me where I can buy a single VW rear number-plate LED light from?
The dealer should be able to sell you a single one. The cost should be significantly less than the £104 they quoted you previously, as you'd said the majority of that cost was the labour charge for removing the bumper, which you're not needing them to do. To just supply a single bulb for you to fit should be relatively cheap, I'd have thought.
-
Fixed.
Can anybody tell me where I can buy a single VW rear number-plate LED light from?
The dealer should be able to sell you a single one. The cost should be significantly less than the £104 they quoted you previously, as you'd said the majority of that cost was the labour charge for removing the bumper, which you're not needing them to do. To just supply a single bulb for you to fit should be relatively cheap, I'd have thought.
£24 + VAT for a single one.
At that price and given that I can't see it unless I am lying on the ground behind the car (doesn't happen that often!) I'll either live with the working but cracked light or else keep an eye on ebay for a single one from a breaker.