Change third brake light - remove spoiler?

[Beppe]

Hi,

 

Third brake light is broken. Bad design, moisture gets in and corrodes the PCB with LEDs. The PCB should have a conformal coating to resist moisture, but i doesn't. Bad design on purpose?

 

Anyway, I had a hard time removing the brake light. The reason became obvious when I was about to install the new one. The rear spoiler needs to be removed before you can install the break light. I fear that the spoiler is glued to the back hatch. Cannot find any screws. Is it really that bad? How do I remove the spoiler?

 

Regards

/B

 

Edited 11 February, 2018 by Beppe
typo

[Gissin]

3'rd brake light, as in the one that's inside the car attached to the rear window ... if that's the case the spoiler has nothing to do with it

[Beppe]

Yes, that one. And yes, it has nothing to with the spoiler. Only thing is that it needs to be mounted before the spoiler is mounted.

[Beppe]

Pictures of spoiler and brake light.

[Sarge]

Yes, IIRC the spoiler is 'just' glued on. Lousy design if brake light can't be replaced with spoiler in place. 

[Smeds84]

 Did you manage to remove brake light? I have been able to remove the panels  and remove everything that should hold the light stuck. And can still not remove it.  

 

Have followed this instructions https://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk2/vehicle_electrics/electrical_system/lights_lamps_switches_outside/high_level_brake_light/removing_and_installing_high_level_brake_light/

[willy0329]

On 21/04/2018 at 15:19, Smeds84 said:

 Did you manage to remove brake light? I have been able to remove the panels  and remove everything that should hold the light stuck. And can still not remove it.  

 

Have followed this instructions https://workshop-manuals.com/skoda/octavia-mk2/vehicle_electrics/electrical_system/lights_lamps_switches_outside/high_level_brake_light/removing_and_installing_high_level_brake_light/

The seal on the old light can become stuck like glue i had to push quite hard to pop the old unit out , on the latest revision of brake light it only has 12 leds not 14 like the original on my car it caught me out i thought two bulbs had blown !

[Smeds84]

@Beppe,  were you able to replace the light without removing the spoiler?

Edited 1 June, 2018 by Smeds84

[Smeds84]

I could try to force it out, but it seem to really not want to move. I have the exact same rear as beppe shows in his picture.

 

Quite a few pages seem to imply that you have to remove the spoiler, which also apparently is firmly glued. could it be so bad? @willy0329

 

[willy0329]

My estate didn't have a boot spoiler so it was simple the hardest part was forcing the old brake light unit out it took 20mins start to finish .

[Smeds84]

I can confirm that the spoiler needs to be removed too easily take out the light, idiotic design.

 

However, I was able to change it without removing the spoiler. By disassembling the light unit into smaller pieces, while it still was installed. After that I had to modify the new unit slightly to be able to install it. Finally, no more error message:)
 

[Stingmeister]

On 02/06/2018 at 20:24, Smeds84 said:

I can confirm that the spoiler needs to be removed too easily take out the light, idiotic design.

 

However, I was able to change it without removing the spoiler. By disassembling the light unit into smaller pieces, while it still was installed. After that I had to modify the new unit slightly to be able to install it. Finally, no more error message:)
 

This is about 2 years late but how did you modify the new unit? I have the same freaking problem ad the mechanic doesn't even want to touch it even do that he broke the old one to pieces without asking me. (Smart move, not)

[xman]

On the estate/combined you simply remove the interior tailgate trim. The light is held in by 2 plastic nuts. 

 

[Stingmeister]

1 minute ago, xman said:

On the estate/combined you simply remove the interior tailgate trim. The light is held in by 2 plastic nuts. 

 

Yes, when you don't have a spoiler over it but there is no space to get it in so it is what it is. Have no clue how to fix it. Trimmed of all extra plastic on the lamp etc, it just don't get in with the spoiler in the way. 

 

PS. It's an original spoiler that was in one of their accessory packages in the Nordics.