For anybody who has not done it, to replace the rear brake and side lamp is not so easy as it should be! So I thought I'd take a few photos and share. Okay, so you have to remove the back lamp cluster. 1) Remove the cover over the bolt with a flat head screwdriver 2) Remove the bolt (10mm) 3) Insert a screwdriver to lift the light cluster over the bumper 4) Insert the screwdriver behind the cluster and prise it out (takes a fair amount of force!) Below shows where the two retention clips are located. It is not possible to get at the clips from inside the boot as it is double skinned. The rest is easy! Hope it help
thanks in advance (of having to do it!) currently need to change the small light in the front headlight - hopefully that's an easy one.
When I replaced one of my globes, the retention clips were so tight I had a heck of a job to get the light out and indeed one of the retention clips was so firm that it broke rather than separate as it should. Bought the last 3 retention clips available in Australia (as spares for next time I break more !).
One of my brake lights has gone and took it to a Halfords for what I hoped would be a quick change. Took the guy ages to even work out how to get access to the light and then, despite using quite a bit of force, he couldn't lever the cluster off. Would you suggest I go back to him and give him permission to use as much brute force as possible (he was concerned there was a risk that he might shatter the light in the process) or am I better off to find a specialist Daihatsu garage who might have a knack of doing it? Essentially, is this just a brute force issue and anyone is going to be risking damage to the light in order to change it!? Thanks in advance for your views.
Look on page 13-28 and 13-30 of the owners manual (should be one in your car), if not there's one here under "Resources".
I did the same thing. One broken clip. Interestingly, my 2003 Sirion has exactly the same arrangement of plug/socket clips in the tail light assembly, but I've never had any of this sort of trouble with it. I think it's related to how long it's been since it was last taken apart. Maybe the relentless Townsville sunshine hardened the clips on my Copen and made them brittle. The owners manual says to use a spatula wrapped in cloth to force the thing to come apart. I used my favourite egg-turning spatula for this, and broke it into 3 pieces. Should have used a wooden one, but I don't have one.
