DIY Swapped my ‘standard’ rear light strip for Glacier Ice Blue

[n3ophyte]

I'm looking to do the exact same thing and have the light bar in hand. Can you clarify: Did you need PIWIS or were you able to do this without it? I'm hoping I can just do this in my garage this weekend.

Jon - I managed the complete swap out without needing access to a PIWIS in the end.

I could publish the steps required here if there’s sufficient interest ?

Sponsored

 

[jpfern15]

I'm super interested! I would love to see how you did it if it's not too much trouble.

 

[ShiftyWolf]

I could publish the steps required here if there’s sufficient interest ?

Please do

 

[jpfern15]

Tim,

I managed to figure it out and swapped the taillight. The part I'm stuck on is getting the spoiler reattached. I can't get the weather stripping piece attached to the car above the stripping on the spoiler. How did you do it?

 

[jpfern15]

I figured it out. Swap is complete. The hard part is dealing with the spoiler, but here are the steps (sorry no pics):

1. Remove the trunk lining
2. Remove the four bolts that fasten the wing frame to the trunk
3. Remove the wing (or just rest it on some blankets like I did). This is difficult in that you have to finagle it to get it over the weather stripping. This video explains it.
4. Now you can work on the taillight. Unplug it and detach the wiring harness. Pop off the covers on the sides. Unscrew the five bolts holding the taillight housing (10mm socket).
5. Swap the taillights, plug it in. Test that it works, then reverse all the steps.
6. The hardest part is reinstalling the spoiler. The way I did it was set in the rear side first. The front side will be resting on the weather stripping that's attached to the car. Then use at least three plastic pull tools and a lot of patience to work the weather stripping back over the spoiler lip.
7. Fasten the bolts back in, test spoiler retraction, then put the trunk liner back on.

 

[n3ophyte]

It’s MUCH easier if you simply remove the spoiler surface from the actuator mechanism.

1) Extend the spoiler to it’s cleaning position

2) Remove the the boot lid liner by first unscrewing the 2 x bump stops (T15 torx bit), then prying of the plastic latch cover and 9 x press fit fasteners

3) Loosen off the 4x spoiler mechanism retaining bolts (10mm socket) as far as possible but DON’T remove the mechanism

4) Starting at one end, pull down on the plastic baffle at the rear of the spoiler surface to remove it. There are 10x press fit fasteners holding it in place along its length.

4) You can now acccess and loosen off the four spoiler surface retaining bolts (10mm offset ring spanner) from the underside of the spoiler surface and slide it towards the back of the car to remove it.

5) With the spoiler surface removed …

6) …it’s now trivial to access and remove the rear light strip

 

[jpfern15]

This is so much easier. I'm kicking myself for not seeing those bolts to the wing. Woudl've save me an hour. Thanks for sharing and the pictures!

 

[ShiftyWolf]

I did this modification to my 4S as well, but chickened out of DIY so I paid my dealer to install it. Not practical in the least for me but I really like how the Glacier Blue pops against the Chalk exterior.

 

[andrewh3]

Can you send a few more pics of your chalk/GB? My care came with GB front lights be standard rear light strip. Have been thinking about GB rear....

 

[ShiftyWolf]

Can you send a few more pics of your chalk/GB? My care came with GB front lights be standard rear light strip. Have been thinking about GB rear....

I'll try to snap a few more this weekend. I have one other photo but reflections made the blue too hard to see.

 

[n3ophyte]

Can you send a few more pics of your chalk/GB? My care came with GB front lights be standard rear light strip. Have been thinking about GB rear....

Here’s one of my Carrara White Metallic which is close to chalk …

 

[andrewh3]

Interesting and tempting!

 

[Raphie]

Does someone has a pic of this on midnight black?

 

[ShiftyWolf]

I took a few more photos today. The angle of the light reflects and makes it very hard to get an accurate photo, but I think these three are pretty representative. The "circuit board" pattern on the light bar is sort of a smoky silver color and the blue definitely pops out versus the black Porsche rear light.

Hopefully this helps.

 

[andrewh3]

Perfect thank you - now I am really envious!

Sponsored