UNN.....believable......!!!

[milleplod]

Well, today I decided to get stuck in to the broken high-level brake light wire on my '09 Tourer. Armed with Lenny's 'how to' measurements, I cut the 2 holes in the plastic trim to allow access to the hidden screws that hold the spoiler on - easily done, and lo and behold, there they were the little *******s! I'd borrowed a mate's Snap-on magnetic screwdriver and bits, for fear of dropping the screws into the plastic tailgate trim - first one removed, piece of cake.....fumbled the second one and down it went into the depths of the tailgate, never to be seen again! Ah well, I found a suitable replacement and rubber sealing washer in the garage, so no problems so far.

All 4 screws removed, then the wiggling/pulling/banging/swearing started....and went on for a while till I realised its best done with the tailgate halfway between open and closed, with the rear window just about horizontal - that seems to be the optimum position for 'easy' removal. A few judicious tugs and off it came - there are 2 trim-panel type clips (white plastic ones) in the centre of the spoiler, a knock with the heel of the hand straight up away from the glass pops each one out easily, then there are 2 plastic spring clips that go around the tailgate hinge pins - there's no real 'grip' on them, they come off with a simple pull on the spoiler.

So, onto the wiring - it had snapped at the top corner near to the left hinge. Repair section soldered into place, heat-shrink tubing applied.....and the bloody brake light unit only has one flickering LED working!!! Now if I'd known that in the first place, I'd have got a replacement unit first to save having to do it all again! Ah well.

Reassembly was a bit fiddly, initially I didn't get the clips around the hinge pins located properly and then couldn't get the spoiler to line up properly, but I soon realised my mistake. At least I should now be able to do it a lot quicker, and with more confidence, once I've got a new brake light unit sorted!

Is the unit part number 6351HH or 6351LX does anyone know? And I couldn't quite figure out how it seperates from the spoiler......answers on a postcard please.....

Pete

Pete

[RichardW]

Post the last 8 digits of the VIN and I'll check the part no...

[milleplod]

Last 8 are 54083491.

Pete

[GiveMeABreak]

Is the unit part number 6351HH or 6351LX does anyone know? And I couldn't quite figure out how it seperates from the spoiler......answers on a postcard please.....

Hi Pete the original part was actually 6351 EY, but was replaced with part 6351 HH.

I included the original in case you want to search for a second hand one and sometimes they don't list the replacements.

Cost £113.14 Ex VAT or £135.77 all in from Citroen.

Stop Press! Just found this one (new) for £48.60:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6351HH-SUPPL ... Sw3pVZzj7A

[milleplod]

Is the unit part number 6351HH or 6351LX does anyone know? And I couldn't quite figure out how it seperates from the spoiler......answers on a postcard please.....

Hi Pete the original part was actually 6351 EY, but was replaced with part 6351 HH.

I included the original in case you want to search for a second hand one and sometimes they don't list the replacements.

Cost £113.14 Ex VAT or £135.77 all in from Citroen.

Stop Press! Just found this one (new) for £48.60:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6351HH-SUPPL ... Sw3pVZzj7A

Hi Marc.

Many thanks for the info, appreciated! Pity its not the 'LX' one, they're only £36! I'll order the one you've linked to later this evening.

Pete

[Richard_C]

You might be able to fix the light, I posted details in the similar recent thread. The conductors were corroded despite the insides being dry.

[GiveMeABreak]

Richard are these actual LEDs or are they in fact W5Ws that they had in the Xsara Picasso high level brake lights? The X7 prior to the facelift with the LED DRLs - had LED 'effect' lamps at the rear, but they weren't - they are standard bulbs. I was just wondering if this module can be opened or if it really is a sealed LED affair?

[Richard_C]

The LEDs are not bulbs as such, they are chips on a flat printed circuit board. As soon as I got power reliably to the PCB the LEDs all lit up properly. I'm guessing all are the same, suppose they might have used different suppliers.

You can open up the unit by sliding a thin blade between the transparent bit and the black
moulded body, and re fix with glue or sealant. Once in, you wiggle the PCB up, maybe a couple of screws, don't re call, you will see it sits on two prongs which are the conductors. It was that area where I had corrosion, yours might be different but for the sake of half an hour fiddling you might save £100, nothing to lose. Remember polarity matters with LEDs.

[old'uns]

from memory of doing mine..a long time ag....pretty sure it's a 'motherboard' jobbie?
mine had rust at bottom lense, connecting pins were corroded to the point of being non existent, soldered wires to board and ran them long enough to connect to loom.
it is i think a 'sealed' unit as such but took mine apart and resealed, probably better than OEM and had nothing to lose if it failed.

[GiveMeABreak]

So LEDs for sure then, that answers it thanks. I just wanted to clarify W5Ws or LEDs.

[old'uns]

If you see something like this....


then the connecting pins will be something like this....

[Richard_C]

Yes that's what I did, even after clean up.it wasn't reliable so soldered a lead directly to PCB, plenty of space, drilled small hole for lead and sealed with gloop, ran lead a long way back to bypass a connector or two.