I have a 2001 1.4 16v elegance, and the rear passenger lights are not like those shown in the manual (supposedly fitted underneath the grab handle) or like those shown in Haynes (the same design as the luggage compartment/door warning lights)

The lights look like this:

I'm assuming they are out of the VAG parts bin, so does anybody know how I get at the bulb?

I also don't know what bulb is in there until I can get at it

I can slide them towards the front of the car and then part prise them out at the rear, but they do not want to come more than 3-4 mm out and then no further. I don't fancy busting them and/or the headlining so I haven't used mega force, but they are pretty much stuck in.

In lieu of any other advice, Its either carefully remove the lens (There'll be a little internal recessed tab on one of the edges) Or remove the whole unit, Be brave and pull the thing out slowly, There will be a fair bit of resistance!

In lieu of any other advice, Its either carefully remove the lens (There'll be a little internal recessed tab on one of the edges) Or remove the whole unit, Be brave and pull the thing out slowly, There will be a fair bit of resistance!

Well, I managed to answer my own question

Emboldened with mikeSM56's advice and some of Heineken's finest I found a watchmaker's flat screwdriver and went at the light.

The lens is also the switch to put it on all the time, off, or controlled by the door switches. With the lens in the central position it is possible to lever just above the middle pivot point (just under the door open sign on the light unit, as shown in the picture above) and pop the top pivot lug out. Once out the lens comes up and out. There is no recessed tab.

Refitting is a awkward as you need to make sure that the lug that is on the inside of the lens sits on the electrical contacts towards the front and bottom of the light unit so that the switch still works as it should.

It is a standard festoon interior bulb.

Next question - does anyboby know if i can get xenon type daylight colour temperature (5000k) festoon bulbs anywhere (not LEDS as I want them to dim down when they go off). I can find any colour but daylight white

Edited 28 September, 200916 yr by Woolfy

Festoon Blue Bulbs 10W 11x43 Interior Light FREE POST on eBay (end time 16-Oct-09 20:50:12 BST)

These of any use to you?