DB9 rear number plate light

[jamespconnor]

I've tried searching to high heaven but nothing seems to get found. Just a few days ago I came across a thread about swapping bulbs on DB9 - rick-dms posted a picture of the tool required (like a bent screwdriver) to pop out the bulb holder from the rear number plate explaining the process. Can anyone find this?

Or perhaps I should ask if anyone has replaced a broken number plate bulb before and if so, how is it done? I've tried (albeit without much determination, yet) to lever the bulb holder out without joy, I don't want to damage it so before I tackle it tonight with a screwdriver, has anyone got any advice?

I have a replacement bulb ready to go in.

[tonyhall38]

i tried mine.....and broke it , had to buy new fitment....was only a tenner though...but 60 for a dealer to put it back!!!

[yvr]

I started a thread on AMOC (with pictures) when I had a bulb go out. Mine's the North American style, but the lens is the apparently same part in a different orientation.

On one end of the lens there's a tab behind that locks it into place (in my case the lens is vertical and the tab was on top). You have to figure out which end that is, and pry up from the opposite end; shouldn't take much force if you've got the correct end. Then the assembly just pivots out.

[peterr96]

We all know that in a Haynes manual it would say "using special tool XYZ simply unclip the cover"
So that's what you should do!
Is there really nobody on here today with a workshop manual they can provide some snippet of info from?

[jamespconnor]

I've got the workshop manual but I can't see anywhere that tells you how to replace the rear license plate bulbs. Perhaps I'm missing it, I'll take another look.

Thanks for the info yvr, looks very much like my lens/bulb holder assembly. For starters, from your description, I was trying to lever it from the wrong end!

[jamespconnor]

Update: Found the image that Brakedwell posted on the AMOC thread in my DB9 parts list manual but no instructions in the DB9 owners manual or service manual saying how to perform the bulb renewal.

[Simond S]

part number from Ford for light unit is xs4x-13550-ax

part is used on 1998 - 2005 Ford Focus

[jamespconnor]

Simond S said:

part number from Ford for light unit is xs4x-13550-ax

part is used on 1998 - 2005 Ford Focus

Thanks for that - I found this which looks identical to the units in my car:

http://fordfocusworld.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2...

Will follow tonight.

[jamespconnor]

Ok - with the best will in the world, and 30 minutes trying, I couldn't get the thing off without breaking it. I pulled it the right way it seems but obviously not enough. Anyway, I got the bulb out (hurrah) - now I've just got to order the right part to replace the light assembly. Hopefully I can do this myself, although Tony, you said you had to get AM to do it? Do they seal/glue it in?



Oh and I found the other thread:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=783...

[tonyhall38]

the annoying thing is ...no..it just clips in.....

[KarlFranz]

Here ya go:

[mikey k]

They are the same on the Vantage
Tricky little suckers

[peterr96]

jamespconnor said:

Ok - with the best will in the world, and 30 minutes trying, I couldn't get the thing off without breaking it. I pulled it the right way it seems but obviously not enough. Anyway, I got the bulb out (hurrah) - now I've just got to order the right part to replace the light assembly. Hopefully I can do this myself, although Tony, you said you had to get AM to do it? Do they seal/glue it in?



Oh and I found the other thread:

James

Any chance you could take a photo of it from the other side.
I want to get an idea what the plastic clip looks like at the cutout end.
I suspect it's the kind of thing that's obvious once you've broken it to get it out!
Armed with that I suspect fabricating a tool for the job is fairly trivial.

[jamespconnor]

peterr96 said:

James

Any chance you could take a photo of it from the other side.
I want to get an idea what the plastic clip looks like at the cutout end.
I suspect it's the kind of thing that's obvious once you've broken it to get it out!
Armed with that I suspect fabricating a tool for the job is fairly trivial.

Yep sure - I'll get a photo later today.

Thanks all for your help!

[jamespconnor]

You can see the clip on the left hand side which holds that end firmly in place. And the metal clip on the right that holds that end in. When fitted it looks like theres a deliberate slot on the left hand end (in this photo) but you can't lever it due to the plastic clips.

[peterr96]

jamespconnor said:

You can see the clip on the left hand side which holds that end firmly in place. And the metal clip on the right that holds that end in. When fitted it looks like theres a deliberate slot on the left hand end (in this photo) but you can't lever it due to the plastic clips.

So the clippy bit visible on the left hand side would have to be pressed to the right and the left hand side of it lifted up to get the fitting out.
Most informative James. Thanks for sacrificing one for our benefit (that sounded sarky but truly wasn't meant that way)

[jamespconnor]

So tonight I finished my rear numberplate task. I had 2 of the ford replacements arrive (perfect fit, except they have a ford logo stamped onto the glass ) and decided I wouldn't just replace the bulb with another filament bulb but instead buy some white LED bulbs instead, I figure they would match with the LED rear lights better and last longer. This ofcourse meant changing the remaining working light - now I understood the clipping mechanism it was easy to remove without breaking it (meaning I now have 1 spare fitting). To remove, because you have to pull hard with pliers to the left due to the clip, it is far easier to remove the right hand bulb holder due to space constraints etc. Unfortunately I didn't get any outdoor in the dark shots whilst I was fitting them which would have shown the difference a bit better.

So here are my efforts:

Before:

New bulb:

After:

Comparison (The LED looks dimmer but the white light mixed with the white fluorescent in my garage causes that):


With rear lights:

[SL500UK]

Has anyone changed the number plate bulb themselves - for a Vantage or DB9 as they are the same? Taking it out is pretty simple (with the help of this post) but reinserting the casing is not as easy as it ought to be.

[bullet7]

I have changed over to the LED versions and it was considerably easier to get the new ones in than it was to get the old ones out! What problem are you experiencing?

[SL500UK]

The issue is reinstalling the lamp assembly back into a Vantage. It doesn't want to to clip back in and I don't want to use excessive force which will doubtless break something.