Coupe inner tail light removal

I'm replacing the tail light gaskets and the outer tail lights were easy enough to remove and reinstall. But how do you remove the inner (trunk lid) tail lights on a 6th gen coupe?

The manual makes it look like there are only 5 nuts on each side (2 on the outer edge that are accessible from the outside, and 3 inside the trunk lid), and I've got all of those off.





But the tail light isn't budging. I assume the entire inner tail light assembly comes off as one piece? Seems like there is something else holding this in place.

I thought there was something near the lock you had to remove too, maybe not. Anyway if it's been on there a while it's just stuck. If you can't break it free with your hands, cover a prying tool with a cloth and gently work on both sides to loosen it. Just pull gently and try rocking it back and forth.

Got it off - threaded each of the 10 nuts back on a few threads, then whacked them all with a mallet. The outer gasketing was sticking to the trunk lid, so whacking the mounting bolts helped loosen it up. The inner tail light assembly came off easily after that.

Looks like 2 kinds of gaskets involved. One is the gaskets around the light fixtures - this is replaceable and looks like this (I bought the replacement):




The second gasketing is the rubber that runs around the edge of the entire tail light assembly. This does not look replaceable and I cannot find a part # for this. I think I'd have to buy another tail light assembly to get this gasket, so that's a non-starter. Instead, I think I might apply some clear RTV silicone. I guess the big downside is this would pretty much seal the tail light assembly to the trunk lid and make it very difficult to remove and may damage the paint to remove.

Or maybe I can apply the RTV silicone around the edge of the tail light assembly where the factory gasketing is worn down, and let it cure with the tail light assembly off the car, and then install it? Maybe the seal isn't as good, but at least the tail light can be easily removed if necessary. If I'm thinking about this correctly . . .

I would just leave the rubber weatherstripping there, if nothing is missing then you needn't worry about it. There should be 1 long one along the top and 2 short ones along the bottom if I remember correctly.

If they are missing or need replaced for some other reason, there are various rubber moldings/strips out there you could superglue to the housing. Home improvement, auto, or hardware stores should have some weatherstripping that would work.

RedRyder said:

I would just leave the rubber weatherstripping there, if nothing is missing then you needn't worry about it. There should be 1 long one along the top and 2 short ones along the bottom if I remember correctly.

If they are missing or need replaced for some other reason, there are various rubber moldings/strips out there you could superglue to the housing. Home improvement, auto, or hardware stores should have some weatherstripping that would work.

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There are some small gaps in the weatherstripping and you can see these gaps between the trunk lid and tail light assembly. But the weatherstripping is not in such terrible shape that I want to deal with removing all of it.

I'm thinking I might apply some clear RTV silicone where those gaps in the seal are, and let it cure while the light assembly is off the car, so that it doesn't bond the light assembly to the trunk lid. Then bolt the light assembly back onto the trunk lid and the flexible silicone will form a good seal with the trunk lid, or at least that's what I'm thinking.