Struggling to change rear indicator bulb

[mjt]

I've been trying to change the driver's side rear indicator bulb on my Mk3 estate. As far as I can see I'm going to need to remove the load cover support panel under the rear quarter light to get to the upper of the two thumb nuts holding the light unit (there's no way I can get my large hands through the opening in the boot trim). To do that I need to remove the load cover and I can't see how its held in place. My Haynes doesn't mention this simple and obvious step, it's worse than useless (in my experience it never tells you the things you really need to know and the modern ones are getting worse in that respect).

Edit: Ok, I've found it in the Owner's Manual. I had tried pushing the ends inwards but they didn't seem to want to budge. I'll have a go at prising with a screwdriver.

Why do manufacturers make these simple tasks so bl**dy difficult these days?

[williamweb]

On 7/9/2020 at 12:24 PM, mjt said:

I've been trying to change the driver's side rear indicator bulb on my Mk3 estate. As far as I can see I'm going to need to remove the load cover support panel under the rear quarter light to get to the upper of the two thumb nuts holding the light unit (there's no way I can get my large hands through the opening in the boot trim). To do that I need to remove the load cover and I can't see how its held in place. My Haynes doesn't mention this simple and obvious step, it's worse than useless (in my experience it never tells you the things you really need to know and the modern ones are getting worse in that respect).

Edit: Ok, I've found it in the Owner's Manual. I had tried pushing the ends inwards but they didn't seem to want to budge. I'll have a go at prising with a screwdriver.

Why do manufacturers make these simple tasks so bl**dy difficult these days?

You say your hands are too big to enter the boot trim opening.Maybe a decent pair of pliers will be able to undo the thumb nuts?In the past i have used pliers on my Mk 1 on the rear lights.If anything like my Mk 1  i used a long nosed pair👍

[TomsFocus]

Sounds like it's your massive hands that are the real problem here!  Get a small person to do it as payback for having to reach all those top supermarket shelves over the years!  

[mjt]

It's not just my massive hands, it's old age with the attendant lack of flexibility and a height of 6' 2". I'm just not built for working in confined spaces.

Seriously, though, one of the nuts looks really high up, I had to use a mirror to see it. Even the one that is visible is not in a position where I could get a screwdriver or pliers on it. It's an incredibly poorly thought out design and I refuse to believe it couldn't have been manufactured with easier access without affecting build efficiency.

[Guy Heaton]

It's all to make you go the dealers to pay 50 quid to change a 50p light bulb.

[RAIDER32]

1 hour ago, mjt said:

I've been trying to change the driver's side rear indicator bulb on my Mk3 estate. As far as I can see I'm going to need to remove the load cover support panel under the rear quarter light to get to the upper of the two thumb nuts holding the light unit (there's no way I can get my large hands through the opening in the boot trim). To do that I need to remove the load cover and I can't see how its held in place.

This may be of some help

 

[mjt]

10 minutes ago, Guy Heaton said:

It's all to make you go the dealers to pay 50 quid to change a 50p light bulb.

I daresay that's true but it's equally awkward for them. And yes, they can charge for the unreasonably long time it takes them to do it but that doesn't help them avoid lacerated fingers or dropping the thumbnuts into inaccessible spaces. The access panel could easily have been made larger, it's just sh*t lazy design.

[Guy Heaton]

Oh aye, I completely agree. 

I am old enough, 50, to remember the days when you really could keep a car on the road with a few quid and a few spanners.

[StephenFord]

1 hour ago, Guy Heaton said:

 

I am old enough, 50, to remember the days when you really could keep a car on the road with a few quid and a few spanners.

Indeed, and you could buy a quarter of sour apples, a fizzy sherbet, and a bag of black jacks, and still have change from a tanner LOL 🤣

[mjt]

Well it finally stopped raining and I got the job done. I found moving the trim panels made life much easier. After figuring out how to remove the load cover it was easy to unclip the rear of the support panel. Then, after disconnecting the boot light and accessory socket, I was able to move it away far enough to see what I was doing and get a pair of pliers in. I also unclipped the top of the tailgate surround trim and pulled the side trim away to get better access to the lower of the two nuts. Here's a few photos. I did all this because the yellow on the bulb had degraded as shown and the car's due for an MOT in 10 days.

 

[StephenFord]

1 minute ago, mjt said:

... and it's due for an MOT in 10 days.

 

I thought mainland MOTs had been suspended for 6 months?

[mjt]

 

[StephenFord]

You poor sods, if you lived in Northern Ireland, you got an automatic 12 month extension on your MOT 😀