Cente brake light LED repair

Possibly one for Heckler, but has anyone had any luck breaking the unit apart? It seems to be bonded but I'm not having any luck!

Any ideas how to do it?

when I put the light back in my tailgate it split right where the join is but it didn't split very straight (if that makes sense), it was more like a break! So although I don't know how to get it apart I wouldn't advise forcing it. Maybe cut around the join with a small dremmle?

A mate was driving mine today and I noticed a few LEDs had gone, a few didn't seem as bright as the others also

I tinted mine and pulled the plug.

As far as i know they wont split.

they do split i use a small heat gun on low setting

they do split i use a small heat gun on low setting

yip

they do split i use a small heat gun on low setting

When you say heat gun do you mean a paint stripper type of thing?

When you say heat gun do you mean a paint stripper type of thing?

shoud do the trick...

Cheers

I used a stanley to scrape my way through, a mini hacksaw woul dbe more ideal and then use araldite to close it up, be careful the grey colour on it scrapes easily, i just bought a new one as it was winding me up being scraped, and stull have the board for spare leds somewhere, there are 4 or 5 leds then a resistor

I borrowed a Dremell and used one of the little cutting disks it came with and made a incision just above the join. Then once I repaired it, stuck it back together with a little superglue and then sealed the gap made with some silcon mastic. Did the one on the GFs delson the same way too.

How difficult is it to get the actual LED unit off the car.

This is a job i need to do.

Also, anyone know what type of led bulbs I need and where's best to buy them from?

I borrowed a Dremell and used one of the little cutting disks it came with and made a incision just above the join. Then once I repaired it, stuck it back together with a little superglue and then sealed the gap made with some silcon mastic. Did the one on the GFs delson the same way too.

Looking at it again I think this is going to be the way forward if the heating method does work (and it didn't go too well trying it a little earlier!!)

How difficult is it to get the actual LED unit off the car.

This is a job i need to do.

 

Also, anyone know what type of led bulbs I need and where's best to buy them from?

It's pretty simple Ed, carfull pull off the black plastic on the rear hatch (needs a fair bit of force, just get your fingers in there behind the clips and give it a careful yank )

There's two nuts on accessible through the boot lid. They're 10mm, but will need a deep socket to get to them due to the very long thread. Once undone, the brake light pulls out, the clips which the nuts are mounted to can then be pulled out through the same hole (they can be squeezed out which makes refitting much easier. You'll see what I mean when you try it!

According to Heckler (and Super ST Myster, who fixed the ones on my old car) the leds are unlikely to fail, it's normally just dry solder joints that need a bit of heat with a soldering iron to seal them again.

How difficult is it to get the actual LED unit off the car.

This is a job i need to do.

 

Also, anyone know what type of led bulbs I need and where's best to buy them from?

2 x 10mm (I think) nuts but you need a deep socket, its a bit fiddly getting the clips back in the right position when you put it back, but its not hard. I used some leds from an old Honda one, they turned out to be exactly the same current and brightness. I may have a few left if you get stuck. Cant remember if it was the supra or delsol one, but one had double sided print with plated through holes so you need a good soldering iron and a solder sucker.

Looking at it again I think this is going to be the way forward if the heating method does work (and it didn't go too well trying it a little earlier!!)

 

 

 

 

According to Heckler (and Super ST Myster, who fixed the ones on my old car) the leds are unlikely to fail, it's normally just dry solder joints that need a bit of heat with a soldering iron to seal them again.

Think there may be a couple of different types as mine was cemented together with what looked to be abs cement, so no amount of heat would soften that up.

I had 2 leds open circuit in mine, one in one group of leds and one in another.

Think there may be a couple of different types as mine was cemented together with what looked to be abs cement, so no amount of heat would soften that up

My one also seems to be the same, the sealant is tough, and brittle, cement like as you say...

excellent stuff guys. Much appreciated.

will take a look and yank it off next weekend

Always had a few LEDs on the old NA missing and assumed it was to much trouble to fix. Now a few of you have done it, i'm inspired

will take a look and yank it off next weekend

 

Heckler refurbed mine. Good job too. He didn't charge me much.

An alternative would be to just buy a direct replacement of Keroan and save yourself the hassle?

An alternative would be to just buy a direct replacement of Keroan and save yourself the hassle?

I like to do things myself if possible. Si will be the next port of call if it goes pear shaped

I like to do things myself if possible. Si will be the next port of call if it goes pear shaped

Sure you will be able to do it, just take your time when pulling it apart. Do you have a dremell?

edd if you pop over to mine i'll sort it for you dude

Cheers mate. I might just do that.

I'll take a look at the weekend and if i get stuck, I'll pop you a PM.

I don't know about anyone else but I found undoing the bolts an absolute pain, especially putting it back... took me so long...

Would have been much easier had I had the correct tools (and a mechanic doing it).