'06 955 - taillight won't come out

[deilenberger]

Grrrr..

 

I decided to do some spring cleaning, which involves things like removing the taillights to clean behind them (don't laugh - crap accumulates there..) and see if I could see where moisture got into the light.

 

Right side came out easily. Removed the two allens, pulled on the outer edge toward the rear of the truck while pulling the inner edge and it popped right out of the ball/socket thingie.  Disassembly - to let any moisture out was more of a challenge, one of the thumbnuts (a nut embedded in a plastic handle sort of thing) that hold the bulb assembly had rusted to the threaded stud that it goes onto, and the only way to remove it was to remove the threaded stud from the housing. No optimal - but doable.

 

Left side - over an hour later - is not coming out. If a bulb burns out on that side I have a choice of two things:

 

1. Trade the **** thing in

2. Take a sawzall and/or a chisel to the light and figure on replacing it after I break it up into itty-bitty pieces.

 

I tried the super-duper body trim removal tools. I could get behind the forward outside edge, should have applied pressure on the ball to pop it out of the socket. No dice. Tried bigger tools. No dice.  Tried a piece of banding, sliding it behind the light with the ends sticking out at the top and bottom so I could pull straight back on the light. No dice.

 

It's in there.

 

Anyone had this and have an answer?  It might just mean I have to buy LED replacements.. (trying to think of a silver lining..)

 

BTW - the moisture - trapped between two layers of plastic. There is an outer shell with a molded in inner ribbed shell (that gives the ribbed effect to the light), and they don't come apart, and I see no way to blow out the moisture in between them. I just hope the summer gets hot enough to evaporate out the moisture.

Edited April 14, 2015 by deilenberger

[martadon]

Hello.  Had moisture issues (cracked lens) and intermittent failures from it.  Got the smoked LED assemblies for the rear.  Perfect.  Direct replacement and a joy.  Under $500 from a Left Coast seller.  Do it.  2004 Cayenne Turbo.

[deilenberger]

Just an update - I managed to get the recalcitrant light out.. used the biggest pry bar in my kit of trim removal tools and just kept prying it. It helped that I found a good video on the web that shows the ball mounting point isn't centered vertically - it's about 2" from the bottom of the light.

 

Found the plastic "Clips Nut" (from PET) was cracked and that caused it to not release. Also found that out of 4 of the retaining nuts for the actual bulb assembly - 3 of them are rusted solid. A tiny bit of grease on assembly would have avoided that.  The clip nut failure must not be uncommon - there is an updated part, plus a repair kit available for it.

 

Will be watching for a good deal on replacement lights. And ordering a new "clip nut" - prices range from $0.86 - $2.00 and change depending on where you look for it. Will likely just order from my friendly local dealer since shipping is way more then the cost of the part when I use any on-line source. I think I'll get several.  Dunno that smoked would look that good on my **** edition (the light silver-blue color one..) but LED's would be a nice upgrade and I'd never have to remove them again.

Edited April 17, 2015 by deilenberger

[hahnmgh63]

If you don't mine posting the part number for the Clip nuts I may just order a set to be ready when I pull mine next time. Thanks,

[deilenberger]

If you don't mine posting the part number for the Clip nuts I may just order a set to be ready when I pull mine next time. Thanks,

 

Part # "Clip Nut" 955 631 471 02