how hard is it to change a tail light ( bulb)

[mrsbeazley]

is it something i could do ?

[Basher]

Yes, you can. Open the trunk, then look for the round lid on the side you want to access. Remove the lid and unscrew the big knob. Don't drop it. Once removed, you can pry out the complete tail light, disconnect the cable and swap the lamp on teh kitchen table. Reconnect the cable, put back in place, screw the knob back on and put the lid back in place.

[mrsbeazley]

thanks, sounds easy enuf !!!!

[Evanrude]

Originally Posted by mrsbeazley

thanks, sounds easy enuf !!!!

P.S. The easiest way to pry the light out, is to put some masking tape, or electrical tape, on a thin, flat screw driver. And very carefully slot the screwdriver into the groove between the bumper and the upper part right below the hatch where it meets the light. There is a small metal "clip" on the inside of the light right near the groove. So after you carefully unscrew that knob (behind the round plastic panel inside the trunk), you just pop the light out carefully.

I had to do my drivers side one last week, and wasn't sure at first. But it's super duper easy now that I've had it out!

[marvins_dad]

Check the How-To's there is definately one there that walks you through the process.

http://www.newbeetle.org/forums/showthread.php?t=1088

[mrsbeazley]

thanks you guys ROCK

[littlebugger]

Yes, you can do it by yourself. And it's fairly easy to replace tail light bulb. Putting tape on your screwdriver's tip would help avoid the accidental scratching and further damage that could occur while trying to pry the light out.

[marvins_dad]

...or you could use a plunger and not worry about scratching your car with a taped up screwdriver.

I pulled mine this weekend to replace a bulb, probably took 5 minutes, but I've pulled mine a few time.

[orienteer]

[QUOTE=marvins_dad;576231]...or you could use a plunger and not worry about scratching your car with a taped up screwdriver... QUOTE]

My cheapo plunger didnt work but I had a brainwave and used a satnav windscreen sucker which worked

Regards, Ian

[carcrusher]

My daughter's TDI (which shakes pretty good at idle) brake light quit last week. I went to this website to find out how to take the thing apart. This thread confirmed what I thought was the way to do it. What I found was not a bad bulb, but a vibration failure. I bulb was fine so I scraped the solder contacts, took some needle nose pliers and pulled the bulb holder tongs a little forward and it started working again.

I've had the same thing happen on her backup lamps.

On another vibration note: the fuel door soleniod quit working. After disassemblng almost the entire trunk of the vechicle I got eyes on it. I unplugged it and re-plugged it and it started working again. That fuel door not working could be really bad for a 16 year old with no wrench skills.

Are these cars just prone to vibratory failures of this kind? Or are the TDI''s just prone to these?

The car is very cool and well built, just a little over-engineered in places.

Can't argue with 50 mpg though!

later,
carcrusher

[2004NBTURBOS]

Nope you can't scoff at 50mpg. The tail light bulb prongs are prone to this little glitch. But as you found out it's a easy fix.

[ShaneM]

I know this thread is old but I'd like to thank everyone's input helped me out a whole lot.