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Revised: Is there a guide on removing taillights on an 07?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by treehggr, Aug 1, 2007.

  1. treehggr

    treehggr New Member

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    I did a search and didn't come up with anything. Any help would be great. I need to remove the whole assembly.

    Thanks in advance, Brandon


    Edit: I added how I removed them below.
     
  2. slair

    slair Ubër Senior Member

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    Try removing the carpet from the back where you change the bulbs. I'm not sure but it seems like a good place to start. Thats how it was on my tC.
     
  3. treehggr

    treehggr New Member

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    Yeah I ended up getting it after a while not too hard to do.
     
  4. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(treehggr @ Aug 1 2007, 10:04 PM) [snapback]489033[/snapback]</div>
    Could you share the procedure? I've been wanting to take that thing out to take a closer look. Thanks.
     
  5. treehggr

    treehggr New Member

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    Just open the hatch. Take out the rear carpet and rear panel/lid on the storage bin. Remove the storage bin so that the spare tire is visible. Take out the small panel/lid in the drivers side rear corner and just pull the small plastic bin upwards until it pops out. You will need to give it a firm tug to pop it out though. Now remove the panel/lid that covers the battery on the opposite side you were just working on. Now grab some sockets and a phillips screwdriver and remove the bottom metal peices on both sides where you hook the bottom of the cargo net to. Now pull the plastic peice that surrounds the latch where the hatch hooks to when closed upward. Once again just firmly pull until it pops out. Now if you look to the left and right of where the last peice was where the carpet material starts and run that verticaly to the upper plastic peice starts you'll see a screw inset there. Remove that screw on both sides. Now just pull the carpeted peice until it pops out. You should now have enough access to the rear of the taillight assembly. Now locate two longer studs that have the wires routed on the end of them and just pull the clip out so that the nut can be accessed and removed. Once those two nuts are removed the assembly just pulls out.

    Another way you can try is to just remove the two small plastic panels that are attached to the carpeting directly behind the light. This is where you access the bulbs for replacement. With a small enough arm you may be able to reach inside there and locate the nuts with your socket that way instead of all the crap described above. Didn't try because I had no clue when I started.

    This should help a bit. Pretty hard to describe without pictures though, sorry if this wasn't much help.
     
  6. zenMachine

    zenMachine Just another Onionhead

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(treehggr @ Aug 2 2007, 09:26 AM) [snapback]489222[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks. I needed to know how the assembly attaches to the car. Based on your description it's only two screws.
    When I get around to trying this I'll most probably try the 'easy' route first. I'll be sure to take pictures too.
     
  7. treehggr

    treehggr New Member

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    Yeah definetly try the easy route first. :D And yes, only 2 screws on each assembly.