Algae in rear light moulding

[edbostan]

While washing the roomie this weekend and have noticed a thin line of green algae in the rear lights around the edge where it fits into the body work. Can anyone tell me if I remove the light fitting can I wipe away the algae or is it in the light fitting itself? Although  I park in a south facing aspect I reverse in and the rear of the car faces north. This northerly aspect also encourages green algae in body work near  the boot hinge. I can wipe this away with an old toothbrush but it is the rear lights where the annoyance is.

[malcster]

Bad drying regime is usually to blame and water sitting 

 

a little 3-1 mould remover spray and a pipe cleaner for the lights if you don’t want to remove them and a spray and wipe on the hinges 

 

most cars have water traps 

[edbostan]

Too much rain and snow this year. The problem has only arisen after 4 years of ownership. The algae past the hinge is the more irksome as the space between roof and top edge of boot is too narrow to get fingers in with cloth.

[aubrey]

The rear light fitting comes off really easy. It is something you have to do to change a lamp in it, if a lamp fails. There are torx screws on the outside, you will have a torx driver in with your spare wheel, if you don't have some anyway.

 

Undo the screws and give the whole lamp fitting a little pull, it will come away from the car and reveal the rear plug on cable. The rear plug disconnects and the whole lamp cluster removes.

 

The lamp cluster can be dismantled more inside.

[edbostan]

Thanks. A job for a summer's evening: if we have any

[tuscan30]

On 02/04/2018 at 08:15, aubrey said:

Undo the screws and give the whole lamp fitting a little pull, it will come away from the car and reveal the rear plug on cable. The rear plug disconnects and the whole lamp cluster removes.

 

It's a good idea to tie some string or wire to the plug before disconnecting it - if you are very unlucky and it disappears back into the bodywork it can become quite a challenge to retrieve it again.  (ask me how I know )

Other than that they are (as Aubrey says) simple and quick to remove.

 

Good luck,

Pete

[aubrey]

I'll have to watch that in future. I can't say I've ever had an issue with the cable even wanting to go into the body. Maybe I've been lucky, but thanks for the heads up.

[tuscan30]

You're welcome.

It only happened once when I was fitting the electrics for a towbar.  It was all supposed to be plug-and-play according to the instructions - should have been a ten minute job. Ended up taking the side panel off the boot and feeding the errant cable back up to the top.

 

Pete

[eccleshill]

On 01/04/2018 at 23:44, edbostan said:

The algae past the hinge is the more irksome as the space between roof and top edge of boot is too narrow to get fingers in with cloth.

 

A soft bottle brush is ideal for this area.  Something like this

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Munchkin-Sponge-Bottle-Stored-Handle/dp/B004QQ5HO8/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1522886320&sr=8-5&keywords=bottle+brush

[edbostan]

I will search for my wine making kit in the loft to find the bottle brush