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View Full Version : How to remove third brake light?


mace
07-04-2004, 09:59 PM
Anyone know? Thanks in advance...
funkmasta
07-04-2004, 10:18 PM
remove the rear deck. This is pretty easy.
Remove rear seat back, remove 6 or so black pins on front lip of rear deck, remove C pillars, slide out rear deck. Then you have pretty easy access to the 3rd brake light.

May I ask what your project is?
funkmasta
07-04-2004, 10:19 PM
edit: I see you have a coupe. fold down rear seats, remove side bolsters. :D
mace
07-05-2004, 12:00 AM
Wow, that seems easy to do. Thanks. :)

No project here, just wanted to change out my third brake light for a German one. My current one is made in USA, so I see a clear quality difference in the lens.
Serious
07-05-2004, 03:46 AM
are you just trying to change the bulb or entire light assembly???
mace
07-05-2004, 08:11 PM
I guess I should've made it clear. I am trying to R&R the entire assembly. Thanks.
Ty Vil
07-06-2004, 05:58 AM
What's the difference in the German one?
mace
07-06-2004, 10:17 AM
The difference is in the lens. The lens in the German one is more "sharp and clear" compared to the one made in USA. They both have the BMW logo, so I'm pretty sure they're OEM, just different factories.
ZimDoc
07-06-2004, 01:24 PM
well how to you just remove the damn thing. I mean all of it!
Daved
07-07-2004, 02:17 PM
The difference is in the lens. The lens in the German one is more "sharp and clear" compared to the one made in USA. They both have the BMW logo, so I'm pretty sure they're OEM, just different factories.
They didn't make different third brake lights for the euro and the US market, they're the same. But they did make a different one after March, 1996, so I guess you're just getting a newer or an older one.
databoy
02-12-2025, 04:37 PM
well how to you just remove the damn thing. I mean all of it!

There is a black plastic clip covering the bolt from the top. You need to remove this little black clip/cover on top of the bolt so that you can pull the bolt up and out of the way. then once the bolt is removed you can pull the light towards the front of the car and it easily fits out.

Its not possible to remove the light with the bolt still in place.

This took me 2 days to figure out, hope this can help someone