# No Risk -- Tail Light Removal



## doublee (Jun 1, 2004)

Not too long ago, my dealer had to remove both tail lights for mounting my hitch. The result was that one out of two broke. Not my problem -- he obviously replaced it for free.
Recently, I had a special task and needed to remove both tail lights again in order to un-mount the rear bumper. Obviously, my dealer was not thrilled about a new job order and sort of let me down.
Therefore, I was scared to death to do that on my own. Especially, because of so many posts here about the risk of damaging it.
*Here is the ultimate way to remove the tail lights without risking to damage it *(I pre-suppose you are familiar with this topic and I'll omit the common details):
1. Unscrew the two screws. 
2. After removing the screws, the tail light comes lose. Now it only hangs on the ball-snap-connection. (This is the part where you risk to damage the lights.)
3. From the opposite side of the screws, you should be able to gain some clearance between the body and the light. Maybe by pressing your finger into the gap. Do not use a tool!
4. 2 mm should be enough to insert a strap into the gap.
5. Move the strap inbound toward the ball-snap-connection. The connection is obviously on the back of the light, so you can only imagine where it is -- probably 4 cm inbound from the outer edge of the light. See picture.








6. A decisive pull at the strap will pop the ball out of the snap connection. Since the pulling pressure is distributed on the back of the light with the peak force right next to the ball, it should be "guaranteed" that nothing breaks.








7. Result: O out of two broke!








Don't get me wrong: I would not recommend this procedure just for fun. Also, I need to emphasise that, in spite of the title, you do this at your own risk...so don't sue me!
Note: I have gathered many useful information on this site. I believe this post should be valuable enough to pay everything back.


----------



## mdjak (Aug 13, 2003)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (doublee)*

Dude, is that your bra strap?


----------



## Outrageous (Jul 3, 2003)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (doublee)*

That's a very clever technique. By the way. what was your "special task" which required removal of the bumper?


----------



## doublee (Jun 1, 2004)

The special task was to mount an European Hitch Harness. No need to mention that the dealer felt that this was a little too challenging. Please do not ask me why I had him to install the hitch (w/o harness) a couple of weeks ago...it just so happened. Don't get me wrong, I do not complain about my dealer! This was clearly not part of the standard procedures, and I appreciate that he can not take any responsibility for such a task.


----------



## 12johnny (Oct 28, 2003)

*Re: (doublee)*

Hi doublee!! and thanks for the trick!!! I'm sure it will work!!
I'm a Spanish Touareg owner and now that I'm working in the States and have bought a V6 Touareg I intend to install a CURT trailer hitch from TregCentral and I had in mind to install a european hitch arness when I get to Spain in two or three years.
My question is: How does it work that someone told me that when I export the car someone at the port writes down in a paper the special equipment that the car has installed, for instance, privacy glass, towing hitch, etc... Perhaps I could install a european hitch arness without connecting the lights (something I'm not sure I could perform) and, if they don't test it they simply would write down "hitch receiver" and in Spain it would be easier to get everything legal...
How is it that I have read in some occasions that "at port" they install hitches and etc to the Touaregs when they get the States?... What do VW have at port? Is it a kind of workshop? I'm new in those issues and would like to know a little bit more







...
Thanks again for your "trick"...
Johnny


----------



## hotdaymnitzbao (Oct 26, 2003)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (mdjak)*

lol


----------



## 12johnny (Oct 28, 2003)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (hotdaymnitzbao)*

lol? What do VW have at port? ...


----------



## 12johnny (Oct 28, 2003)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (12johnny)*

by the way... I like the back of your car without the BIG VW logo http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## doublee (Jun 1, 2004)

*Re: (12johnny)*

If you plan to export your car with an US-type hitch, i.e. with the hitch socket sliding to the rear, you should double-check whether this type of construction will be accepted by your country's vehicle registration department. Fact is that Italy and Germany definitively will not accept this type of construction. My guess is that none of the EU countries will accept it. Also, from an esthetical point of view, the European Hitch is by far more appealing because you can't see it under the cover! 
Note that the European Harness requires an adaptor if you want to use it with an US trailer. No sweat.


----------



## 12johnny (Oct 28, 2003)

*Re: (doublee)*

Thanks!!! I was told in Spain that if I wanted to have a legal foreign hitch it should appear in "the papers" of the car. So it is supposed that if the ones at the port (I still don't know who they are...) write down in the Treg documents that it has installed a hitch their colleagues in Spain would assume that this hitch is legal and was installed according to US regulations and it would mean that it is legal in Spain too.
It happens the same with a BIG FOOT... they are not possible to be built in Spain but if one import a GIB FOOT Pick Up Truck from the States one can legalize it as a industrial vehicle, like a farm vehicle or something similar... I intended to do the same with the front windows of the T-reg... given that in some States it is legal to tint them slightly clearer than the rear privacy glasses, if I could get that someone stamped in the documents: "front windows tinted, 20 %" or something similar, perhaps I could drive it legally in Europe...
Thanks for your help!!!
And by the way, in my European cars I have always had "european style" hidden hitches and I would like to install something more sturdy (I'm not very good at english, but I mean something harder) to be able to transport a dirt motorbike ON it... it is something impossible with a european hitch, given that the maximum load is about 75 kilogrammes. Thanks again for your input!!!
johnny


----------



## 12johnny (Oct 28, 2003)

*Re: (doublee)*

BTW: I don't know what means "hitch socket sliding to the rear"... If I buy and install a CURT hitch... is it like what you describe? Here in the States I don't intend to use a trailer, so it wouldn't be a problem.
And another question: As my Touareg has the Parking Assistance, would it be neccesary to recalibrate the system if I installed the hitch?
Thanks!!!


----------



## doublee (Jun 1, 2004)

*Re: (12johnny)*

1. The Curt hitch does have that feature, which I described. The hook (= part that holds the ball on which you attach the trailer) slides in and out of the receiver/socket (= fixed to the vehicle) to the rear.
2. The Curt hitch uses the very same screws, which are already on your vehicle. But these screws are only designed for holding the light weighted bumper support – but not for towing up to 3500 kg. This is very suspicious. The screws, which are supplied by the original hitch manufacturer, are longer, and, I suspect, are stronger than the pre-mounted ones.
3. The max. tongue weight for the European Hitch is 140 kg (not 75 kg). Probably still too low for you. But again, the torque on the hitch, which is caused by a 300 kg load on the tongue, results in a force of approximately 7500 N per screw. This is approx. twenty (!) times the value like for an acceleration of 1m/s2 of a 3000 kg trailer (per screw).
4. I don’t know about your privacy glass. But if you plan to use your car outside of Spain, maybe in Germany, you better don’t have that type of glass on your front windows. Otherwise you risk a confiscation of your car since you pose a potential risk to the traffic. (In Germany it is required that the driver’s face is visible from outside.)
5. Park Assist is no issue. If you use the original harness, then the board computer will detect the trailer and turn off the PA when you back up.



_Modified by doublee at 5:36 PM 6-2-2004_


----------



## 12johnny (Oct 28, 2003)

*Re: (doublee)*

Thanks for the instructive response!!
It is not very rare to find in Spain SUVs, mainly from american brands, imported with the US specs hitch receivers, and they all passed the inspection prior to getting their spanish plates. What I'm not sure is if they have the european harness or the american one. The good thing about the US hitch receiver is that it allows several uses for it. The european hitches only allow (and in some regions) to install a bike rack, and ALWAYS with supplemental lights, license plate, etc...
I didn't think about so many issues when I thought about buying and installing myself the Curt hitch... it is true that it seems very close to the VW hitch but I agree with all your reasonings. I intended to carry my Suzuki DRZ400S, whose dry weight is about 130 kilogrammes, and if we add the gasoline, oil (and mud, sometimes...







) it exceeds the maximum tongue weight... I saw some weeks ago here in Vortex a picture of a Touareg carrying on the ball a Honda CBR 600 and I thought that mine would be ok, but I see that it is not so easy...
In relation to the (front) privacy glasses, I thought that tinting them with the Llumar special for Touaregs would be ok, but after reading your post we all agree that no police officer (even if it was legal to tint all the windows) likes to have someone inside a car doing something that he/she cannot see, so even in the case that I get to make it legal I would have to endure lots of pull overs and having to explain the same time after time... it would be nice to have it here, as in Virginia is not very common to find cops pulling over cars with front tinted glasses (perhaps it is legal here), but in three years the warranty expires, and it would be very difficult to replace it in Spain (and almost for sure illegal...)
The park assist is, again, against the NON-OEM Curt hitch... it wouldn't be nice to back up having to turn it off manually...what I will do is to think twice about the issue and if I can afford it, install the original receiver (about $1000 installed), which will manage to tow my little motorbike trailer if it is able to tow an Airstream...
Thanks again for the VERY instructive post!!!
Keep enjoying the T-reg... you all know that in Europe is terribly expensive, and the fuel too










_Modified by 12johnny at 7:17 AM 6-2-2004_


----------



## Nimo (May 31, 2004)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (doublee)*

Thanks Doublee! My rear tail light burned out a couple of days ago and I attempted the fix tonight. Rather than post a request I thought I would search first and found this post. It was very helpful and I got mine off without breaking anything. Sure was a bitch tho... Thanks for the pics and the description, couldn't have done it without ya...


----------



## acbristol (Aug 11, 2003)

*Re: (12johnny)*

Check this post, it should give some insight to the "port " make-ready.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1332812
<<How is it that I have read in some occasions that "at port" they install hitches and etc to the Touaregs when they get the States?... What do VW have at port? Is it a kind of workshop? I'm new in those issues and would like to know a little bit more







...>>


----------



## See5 (Nov 4, 2003)

*Re: No Risk -- Tail Light Removal (doublee)*

That looks like a winner >Thanks


----------



## wybbull (Jan 11, 2013)

*replace tail light*

Thank you for the information ! Very helpful!


----------

