Quick Q on removing center "tail light"

[mkIIIman089]

Hi everyone, finally I've decided to tear down the entire back of the car to track down the leaks that are causing water to pool up in the back of my car. I've tracked them down to a couple missing nuts, super dried out stud gaskets, and the obvious tail light seals.

However, to fully get to the bottom of it I want to get the center piece out where the rear lisence plate goes. I have it completely unbolted but it feels like there is one more on the bottom of it, in the dead center but I can't find it. I just want to know if anyone knows how to completely remove it without damaging the ageing and already brittle plastic the piece is made out of. Thanks!

 

[whiplash]

Couple different places could be holding it on. If you've still got your side mouldings on,under the taillights, the two side sections of moulding actually overlap the center sections molding, so you have to undo the side sections (under the taillights) to get the centre out. Also, inside the car at the bottom by the center where the stalk of wires run, on my car they were wrapped in a cable tie that was held on to a centre screw with a nut, that actually needed to be undone before i could get he centre out.

Hope that helps.

 

[chriso]

Also, make sure you take off your license plate.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Okay, thanks. I had the lisence plate off, and the side mouldings, and that center nut. I think what may have happened though in my haste I didn't have both the center nut and the side mouldings off at the same time. This being because I only brought a small portion of my tools with me and I was borrowing someone else's who obviously wanted to take them back with him.

I'll give that center nut another shot now that I have everything apart.

 

[Jetfixr757]

Take a look at the parts sheet in the Cygnus1 web page, and find the tail light, that will give you a clue as to where the nuts are.
Jet

 

[mkIIIman089]

I looked at it a while back, and it does show something there (which obviously I knew) its too vague to actually show anything. And it doesn't at all show the bracket that *appears* to be holding it on.

Can anyone confirm that the rear bumper cover does not have to come off to be able to remove the center piece?

 

[whiplash]

You do not have to remove the bumper cover. Should only be the 3 nuts along the very bottom, 3 along the top, and if I remember two in the middle. Try taking the license plate lights out and see if you can see anything there.

 

[mkIIIman089]

Well, I'm not sure what your car has but that is nothing like mine really. I found out how to get it off, turns out it was a simple clip and I just was not pulling hard enough to get it to pop out. Mine was the 2 lisence plate bolts, 2 bottom studs, the moulding studs, and 3 studs on top, and the center clip.