Advice on changing brake light bulb on a 2004 A3

[paul b]

Hi guys/gals

Just a quickie. I'm an A6 man, but I have a mate with an A3 who needs an offside rear brake light bulb changing. He says it's a nightmare to do and he has sent it to an independent garage who claimed it was too difficult to change.

I have yet to look at it, so if anybody could tell me if it really is a big deal then that would be very much appreciated.

Paul

[paul b]

Anyone?

[hc_TK]

its just to unscrew a plastic nut, thats behind the panel in the trunk.

[paul b]

its just to unscrew a plastic nut, thats behind the panel in the trunk.
Okay, cheers for that mate. :beerchug:

Paul

[nickcook]

Did your mate manage to change his bulb?

It's a bloody pain in the ***...

[paul b]

Yeah he did, he said it was harder than he thought it would be, but at least he knows how for future reference.

Paul

[Pipey]

I've got the same problem O/S rear brake light, I have unscrewed the bolt but it still seem's to be stuck on the right hand side. I don't want to pull to hard as to break the light cluster.

Can anyone give me any advice:confused:

[nickcook]

It's tricky, but as long as you're gentle and treat it like your best friend, it will come lose.

You then need to hold the rear cluster by the inside edge (boot open) and pull it out a bit to clear the thread you have just removed the plastic nut from. Move the cluster outwards and sidewards which will pop the side of the light out of the side part of the bodywork. Its only held in by 2 plug style things in rubber gromets. The rest is simple, the bulbs are held on a circuit board like any other car in the back of the cluster. I would use phillips bulbs though, I put some cheap petrol station ones in and it kept blowing them! Hope this helps!

[Pipey]

Cheer's Nick I've changed it now, but how hard can Audi make changing a light bulb!!!!!!:biglaugh:

[nickcook]

That's what I thought when I had to change mine. I reckon they do it so we go to them and they charge us 20 quid for the pleasure.

I don't think so!!

[Batesy808]

Hmmm rubber gromets - will those be the ones that just fell inside the body work :( - anyone know the part number - pretty please - so i can try an order some for an exhorbitant price from the local audi dealer. Undoing the nut with a socket set was easy - pulling the whole set of lights off was scary - it just felt like everything was going to break!

[mxb350]

I found a guide, which I will try and link to which gave full details on how to remove the rear light cluster. Its not easy the first time but once you have done it once its not too bad.

Once I find it will add a link.

[mxb350]

There is a guide on how to do it in the 'how to' section of the forum that includes pictures which I found really useful when I needed to change rear bulbs.

[Batesy808]

Thanks MXB - instructions help - and it's sure that once you've done it once and know how it comes apart it's easier.
:approve: