Third (Center) Brake Light Question

StewieMason

StewieMason

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My third brake light is out and I cannot seem to figure out how to replace it? Is this a simple process, if so how can I remove the housing?

Thanks!
 
Sigh.....

What
Year
LS
Is
This
??!?!?!?!?!?!

00-02 LS uses conventional TAEdison bulbs and are mounted on the package shelf. 03+ use vastly superior LEDs and are mounted at the top of the rear windshield. One is an easy job, the other isn't.
 
2000 LS Sport

exactly how do you get the center brake light housing out completely from the rear deck? i can only seem to pull it up just enough maybe to change the bulb.
 
You don't take out the housing. The cover slides off by pulling it towards the seat, then you disconnect the wiring harness, twist the socket counter clock-wise, and it pops out no trouble. Just be sure to replace it with a single filament bulb. If you use a dual filament, the bulb will burn too hot and melt the red lens, and the cover.
 
So my 2002 LS which I purchased new in 2002, has a 2002 LS owners manual that says "you have a high mounted LED brake light mounted near the headliner".

Uh..No I DONT. wtf.

Anwyays....question. The brake light housing has what appears to be some sort of separate "base" at the bottom that surrounds the actual housing. This "base" is the same plastic color as the housing but is clearly a separate part. When I press down and pull, am I to assume that entire plastic assembly..both parts, slide backward, including the "base" that I describe?
 
Only the upper portion of the housing will slide backward when pushing down on the top of the housing. This is a gen1 right
 
yeah mine is broke and I need to replace it just not sure where to get part, it rattles real bad
 
Yes, its a gen 1. So if I push down, Im guessing Im going to have to lift up a bit on the portion closest to the front of the car, in order to clear that base/lip at the bottom. Correct?
 
Anyone really, successully done this? Ive pushed down on the entire unit while trying to slide back and nothing. I've taken a flat head and pried up on the actual cover part, but it still wont budge. Im afraid of breaking this thing. Any other tips?
 
I did it easily on my 2000 LS to replace it with an LED bulb
 
Here is what mine looks like. Im I supposed to push down and pull towards the seat this ENTIRE assembly? Or just the cover part that Im lifting up with the screwdriver? And do I pry up that cover and then pull back? Obviously I cant just pull back the cover with it resting down in the base?
Help!

101_6541.jpg


101_6542.jpg
 
in that second pic, I cant get the cover up any higher than that, as its attached to the base up front closest to the rear window. I cant see how its attached, but can tell that if I keep prying much harder, Im sure SOMETHING is going to break/snap.
 
You push down on that whole assy and pull, no screwdriver should be used unless you want to break it off lol
 
Im starting to think different years of first gen LS's have different methods of getting to that bulb. I went back up and pressed HARD downward on that assembly and pulled and tug. Nothing.

I doublechecked the service CD again..and for a 2002 LS, it states that the entire rear package shelf has to be removed, then you have to go in the trunk, and release some sort of tabs/pins underneath the rear deck in order to get the third brake light out of the car. My 2002 owners manual is useless..as it refers to the 03 and up third brake light that sits high up by the headliner.
 
lseguy said:
Im starting to think different years of first gen LS's have different methods of getting to that bulb. I went back up and pressed HARD downward on that assembly and pulled and tug. Nothing.

I doublechecked the service CD again..and for a 2002 LS, it states that the entire rear package shelf has to be removed, then you have to go in the trunk, and release some sort of tabs/pins underneath the rear deck in order to get the third brake light out of the car. My 2002 owners manual is useless..as it refers to the 03 and up third brake light that sits high up by the headliner.
Click to expand...

In all the 00-02 LS's I've come across yours is the first with that style brake lamp w/ the bottom base, my guess is they had different one for the Alpine sound system. Here are a few pic's of what was used on my 00LS V-8 w/the Alpine system in the rear deck. If you press down on the trim cover near the front(where my pic shows the 1st of the 3 side tabs then pull straight back maybe it will release the same as this style lamp.
 
thanks. FYI..I do have the Alpine System as well.2002 LSE V8.

I'll go back out and try again, focusing on the front part to slide back..but as you can see, the base is kinda in the way for a push down/slide method
 
No dice. Not budging. That base is truly in the way. And its a catch22. The Service CD has a step in the process that says to remove the cover, in order to remove the whole assembly. But it doesnt give any detail in how to remove the cover. Thanks to your pics, I can easily see how sliding the cover straight back while pressing down would work if I didnt have that base. But the fact is..I do, have the base.
 
Lamp Assembly — High Mounted Stoplamp


Removal and Installation

1. Remove the carpeted package tray trim panel. For additional information, refer to «Section 501-05».

µ 2. CAUTION:
Exercise care not to break the locator pins, which are positioned on the high mounted stoplamp assembly at the rear of the vehicle.

Depress the two retaining tabs from the inside of the luggage compartment.

3. Lift the high mounted stoplamp up to clear the locator pins and remove the stoplamp assembly.

4. To install, reverse the removal procedure.
 
yep. Saw that..and in section 501-05 step two it says:

2. Remove the rear high mounted stoplamp (HMSL) cover

with no specifics.
 
Sounds like you need to crawl into the trunk with a flashlight and look at it from underneath.
 
rainjacks said:
Sounds like you need to crawl into the trunk with a flashlight and look at it from underneath.
Click to expand...


I did. I saw the two clips that they speak of, and depressed them and pushed upwards, but nothing easily lifted upwards at the housing. In fact, I depressed the metal "hook" part of the clip to release it, then actually used a hammer to tap upwards/push the clips up into the passenger compartment. Nothing. No movement. I can see where the push back on the housing method would work..if I didnt have that base.
 
This is damn near embarassing. I was able to replace my swaybar bushings and installed the Avic D3 and Avic F90..but cant replace a bulb. LOL
 
lseguy said:
I did. I saw the two clips that they speak of, and depressed them and pushed upwards, but nothing easily lifted upwards at the housing. In fact, I depressed the metal "hook" part of the clip to release it, then actually used a hammer to tap upwards/push the clips up into the passenger compartment. Nothing. No movement. I can see where the push back on the housing method would work..if I didnt have that base.
Click to expand...

Did you by chance take a pic of the underside of the rear shelf(trunk view) before reinstalling the sub woofer/amp & speaker assembly? I am curious to what the clips you saw
 
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