Has anyone removed the rear upper brake light on a T6?

[Borris]

Hello Playmates,
I'm now in the last knockings of fitting a rear camera link to our new dash cam. The last piece of information, that I currently lack, is how to remove the rear upper brake light.

Here are two snaps of the T6 version which I found on t'internet. It looks as thought it would just prize out with the use of a suitable trim tool. I have tried contacting my dealership but in typical VW Commercial fashion they never return my calls. So before I go ahead and risk breaking it has anyone removed one of these chaps and if so how did you do it?

Any advise would be much appreciated.
Many thanks
Paul

 

[Hotel California]

It would be exact thesame as on a T5 , sure must be a thread on this allready.

 

[Volkywagen]

T6 Tailgate Brake Light

I think this is worth a check for you all. Two weeks ago I shut the tailgate and part of the red rubber around the brake light fell out. When I checked the rubber it just fell apart. The van is only 8 months old so I am very surprised at the failure of the seal. Had a complete new light and...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Borris]

It would be exact thesame as on a T5 , sure must be a thread on this allready.

Hi Wim,
I'm afraid that's not correct. The T5 upper rear light is a different design and from what I've been able to establish, is held in place by three torqs screws that must be accessed from inside of the tailgate after the upper trim panel has been removed. The T6 has no such screws and the photo I posted suggests it's just a push fit.

I did a search and whilst the T5 rear light removal is mentioned there is nothing relating to the T6 version.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi Wim,
I'm afraid that's not correct. The T5 upper rear light is a different design and from what I've been able to establish, is held in place by three torqs screws that must be accessed from inside of the tailgate after the upper trim panel has been removed. The T6 has no such screws and the photo I posted suggests it's just a push fit.

I did a search and whilst the T5 rear light removal is mentioned there is nothing relating to the T6 version.

If that is the correct T6 light then it should just push out from the inside or levered out from the outside.

 

[Borris]

T6 Tailgate Brake Light

I think this is worth a check for you all. Two weeks ago I shut the tailgate and part of the red rubber around the brake light fell out. When I checked the rubber it just fell apart. The van is only 8 months old so I am very surprised at the failure of the seal. Had a complete new light and...

www.t6forum.com

Thanks Volkywagen for the link.
So it has to be broken to remove it! If that's correct then it's a stupid piece of design. Surely that can't be right?

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks Volkywagen for the link.
So it has to be broken to remove it! If that's correct then it's a stupid piece of design. Surely that can't be right?

Why exactly do you have to remove the Brake light?
Can you not just make a hole in the interior metal skin closer to the rubber boot and then tape the wire to the metal interior skin and then out through a hole in the trim?

 

[Borris]

Why exactly do you have to remove the Brake light?
Can you not just make a hole in the interior metal skin closer to the rubber boot and then tape the wire to the metal interior skin and then out through a hole in the trim?

Thanks WG,
Yet more lateral thinking unlike my tunnel variety. Yes, I could and may well do that. I'll take a look at that option when the current monsoon has passed. The only reasons for removing said light fitting, other than my blinkered approach, are that I would be able to rust proof the hole and clear the drilling debris more effectively from the inside. Also it was as a precaution to avoid drilling into it or the cables by accident. However, I'm now warming to your suggestion especially as it doesn't involve breaking the wretched thing to remove it. I'm sure the other issues could be done perfectly well if the hole is made where you've suggested.
Once again, thanks.

 

[Hotel California]

I know the T6 has a diffrent rear door , but the way to remove the inner trim to acces the light will be not much diffrent then on a T5 i think .
Once the trim is removed the light should be easy to take out no?
Or can you take out tbe light from outside without removing the inner trim?

 

[Volkywagen]

Persistence and careful fingers may be the answer here, if you can tease it out even 1mm then you should be able to get a thin tool behind it and get some purchase on it.
I'd rather break it though and replace it before drilling holes

 

[Nick.C]

I thought I had read on one of these threads that they just fall out! Perhaps it was VW fix to make them non-removable!!

 

[Bramco]

I thought I had read on one of these threads that they just fall out! Perhaps it was VW fix to make them non-removable!!

Exactly - just wait a while and it will drop out....

 

[Borris]

I know the T6 has a diffrent rear door , but the way to remove the inner trim to acces the light will be not much diffrent then on a T5 i think .
Once the trim is removed the light should be easy to take out no?
Or can you take out tbe light from outside without removing the inner trim?

Other members have reported that the T5 trim is very difficult to remove and involves using brute force, lots of it.
VW have changed the type of the fixing clips used on the T6 making it a lot easier to remove. The rear brake light on the T5 can only be removed by taking the upper interior tailgate trim off. Then you undo 3 x torqs screws and it come out from the outside. The T6 light also comes out from the outside of the tailgate but there are no screws involved and no need to remove the trim.

 

[kurienp]

Other members have reported that the T5 trim is very difficult to remove and involves using brute force, lots of it.
VW have changed the type of the fixing clips used on the T6 making it a lot easier to remove. The rear brake light on the T5 can only be removed by taking the upper interior tailgate trim off. Then you undo 3 x torqs screws and it come out from the outside. The T6 light also comes out from the outside of the tailgate but there are no screws involved and no need to remove the trim.

@Borris , what I would try is - knowing the location of those clips, if you have some thin metal strips lying around (if you have a set of feeler gauges, that will work the best), insert them into the location you think the clips are - this will unclip them from catch location and you should be able to slide it out. Disclaimer: This is theoretical knowledge on the T6

Alternately, see what this guy does with his VW Polo (

). A similar approach may work. You have to be a bit brave and have a prying tool.

 

[MisterTea]

Warning! Please don’t use a metal device as a tool. It will cut into paintwork. Use plastic. Something like a plastic bicycle tyre lever could be good. Or a plastic ice scraper. Even an old credit card. Just don’t go levering with anything metal as you’ll live to regret it.


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[kurienp]

Warning! Please don’t use a metal device as a tool. It will cut into paintwork. Use plastic. Something like a plastic bicycle tyre lever could be good. Or a plastic ice scraper. Even an old credit card. Just don’t go levering with anything metal as you’ll live to regret it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree that was a very risky suggestion from me. Credit cards types are a better option.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[briwy]

You need some plastic trim removal tools Paul. Just a few quid on ebay and well worth it.

 

[Borris]

You need some plastic trim removal tools Paul. Just a few quid on ebay and well worth it.

What like these Brian?

I bought these last week to remove the interior trim. They have worked a treat. They did the job with no breakages or damage at all.
Thanks.

 

[briwy]

Yep that's the ones.

 

[Borris]

@Borris , what I would try is - knowing the location of those clips, if you have some thin metal strips lying around (if you have a set of feeler gauges, that will work the best), insert them into the location you think the clips are - this will unclip them from catch location and you should be able to slide it out. Disclaimer: This is theoretical knowledge on the T6

Alternately, see what this guy does with his VW Polo (

). A similar approach may work. You have to be a bit brave and have a prying tool.

Thanks kurienp,
Interesting video clip. He stuck the trim tool in on the other side to the spring clips. I suppose that makes perfect sense.

 

[GoWithTheFlo]

I thought I had read on one of these threads that they just fall out! Perhaps it was VW fix to make them non-removable!!

My original one fell out and was lost during a service 3 years ago. The replacement has also fallen out recently. I've pushed it back in (fingers crossed). Not 100% sure that the lamp fitting is sitting correctly now but it's undercover for a month or two so will check it on the grand cover removal ceremony early 2020

 

[Borris]

My original one fell out and was lost during a service 3 years ago. The replacement has also fallen out recently. I've pushed it back in (fingers crossed). Not 100% sure that the lamp fitting is sitting correctly now but it's undercover for a month or two so will check it on the grand cover removal ceremony early 2020

The T5 upper rear lights were/are noted for their tendancy to fall out. The T6 version is fixed in place using a different system. I've not heard of any T6 ones falling out.

 

[BikerGran]

Re the light falling out - yes they were a push fit on the earlier (mine's 2007) T5 and they did fall out - mine did! I guess the three screws were VW's way of solving the problem.

 

[Borris]

Well I tried using my trim tools and broke it.