Third Brake Light Removal

After getting my windows tinted recently, noticed water had dripped down in the third brake light area. It looks ugly as hell, and I can't find much of a tool to stick down the narrow space the light makes with the glass.

Was wondering if anyone's removed the 3rd brake light. I went through the trunk and took off the light underside cover. A metal bar, some insulation, and the light were all evident, but I don't feel like replacing something else if I don't need to.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Take out the rear seat, here's how: Take out the seat base by feeling along the bottom edge. You will feel a couple places in the wire frame about 6 to 8 inches in on each side. Push in(toward back of car) and up (in first then up in one motion) and the seat will come up kind of like a car hood or the top of an electric stove. Don't force it up until you have disengaged both sides. When you get it up look carefully at the attachment points so you can see how to put it back in.

Then take out the rear seat bacl. There are two wire loops at the bottom (easy to see) with a bolt thru eac one into the car's body pan. remove those bolts and the seat back can be lifted out.When you get it out look carefully at the attachment points so you can put it back in right.

Now you can remove the entire rear panel, the third brake light is part of the panel. Panel slides toward you. While it is out consider vacuuming it off and as well consider giving the rear window a good cleaning 'cause it will never be this easy to do until you putt the shelf again.

This takes a lot less time than it sounds like if you don't have to fiddle with the rear seat cushion too much. sometimes it is a little tricky to get out.

By the way, the battery is under the rear seat. Before you put everthing back together, since you are in there clean off the battery posts with a wire brush (auto parts places sell a brush you can use for this but frankly just about any of those small toothbrush looking wire brushes they sell at the dollar store will work if small enough - or a wire brush attachment on a Dremel Moto-tool), make sure the vent hoses are in place (the frame connects to the battery and the hose from that frame goes to a grommet inthe body pan). If there is dirt or corrosion around the battery fix it now, neutralize the acid with baking soda rinsed with water (when it quits fizzing you are done - dry it and paint it).

The rear panel with the CHMSL (third brake light) just slips out when the rear seat is out.

Now you can clean the window.

Reassembly is the reverse of removal.

Allow an hour to 90 minutes, give or take any time you have to spend fiddlin with unhooking the seat cusion from the floor pan.

Best,

Albertj

Oh yeah, I've had to replace that battery plenty a time. But thanks a mil for your help, al. Couldn't ask for any more than that!

The damn bolts seem almost welded onto the washers, though. So far that's where I am.

i just took mine out yesterday. PITA to take out, but putting it all back together took almost no time now that i see how it all fits together.
18mm and a big ratchet took care of the bottom bolts for the back of the seat.

Hey Zep try using some PBBlaster on those bolts - spray it on then tap them with a small hammer, edge of a wrench or what have you so the oil penetrates a bit quicker. They should back out then. At least it will loosen up the crud.

Albertj

I got em out actually after a long ass time. That's a workout in and of itself, heh. I got everything out, then I realized I had to drive some people in my car the next day and didn't have time to finish, so back it all went :/ I'll get back to it eventually though.

I just read through this to see how difficult it would be to replace the bulb back there. Nevermind. LOL Not worth the time.

I thought he bulbs were accessible from inside the trunk. ???????
I could swear I replaced a bulb by removing a small access panel while laying in the trunk on my back.
It was quite a while ago, back when I first got the car, so my memory isn't quite that clear. I think they the equivalent of an 1156 only with the plug in base, whatever # those are.

Rick, I do recall such a post. Seems much simpler than removing the entire rear seat.

Hmmmm.... I never t hought about that. Let me check it out and get back to you today. Good call Rick-thanks!

im not sure how different that park aves are for this but as rick said i remember being able to get to my third brake light from the trunk

Rick was right. There is an access door right underneath the housing for those bulbs. One side is held in with a push pin on either end. The opposite side has a flap that tucks underneath the metal of the trunk. Two 1156 twist type bulbs and you're done.

Love the easy ones.

Thanks again!!

DEMonte1997 wrote:

Rick was right. There is an access door right underneath the housing for those bulbs. One side is held in with a push pin on either end. The opposite side has a flap that tucks underneath the metal of the trunk. Two 1156 twist type bulbs and you're done.

Love the easy ones.

Thanks again!!

Yep the bulbs are easy.

Anyone put in LED replacements for the CHMSL bulbs?

Albertj