Stupid quick question

anyone know how to remove the license plate lamps from the tailgate. One of the bulbs has gone so I need to replace I cant see any obvious means of removing them

 

Good question. License plate lights usually trigger CELs when burnt out or replaced with and LED or I would have already put in a super bright white LED back there.

 

Burt Gummer:

If you put a resistor across the LED to simulate the load of the conventional bulb, you avoid the bulb failure light.

You can determine the correct "on" resistance of the conventional bulb by taking a couple measurements, so it's not guesswork. I can go into more detail if interested.

 

I get that, and have installed external resistors for that in the past, but in a confirmed space like a rear plate light housing usually is problematic.

Also, LED lights that have built in resistors or are sold as 'CEL-Free' or whatever they call it - Canbus?? - only are error free about half the time.

After having two idiot texters almost rear end the Ftype I am all for more lighting back there. In bad weather I always turn on the rear fogs - I just wish there was an on/off led light built into the button.

I wish there were a way to make the rear fogs flash rapid when the brakes are engaged.

 

Flashing fogs when you hit the brakes definitely could be set up.

The ones pre-made with a resistor are guessing and that's why they still produce errors which is why measurements are necessary to do it correctly. (20 years of electrical, electronic and software engineering under my belt, trust me on this )

The different off and on resistances can present a challenge as well, so there could be some experimenting required to find out what the bulb-out detection system is prioritizing or ignoring

But yes the space being confined can certainly be a limitation or challenge.

 

Back to the OPs original question, how to remove the licence plate lights.
The Workshop Manual is not much use, all it says is: "Each lamp is secured to the
finisher with spring clip located at the right end of the lamp."
I've had a look at and fiddle with mine and it seems as though you simply lever away at the right side of the housing to release the spring clip, but it was one tight **** and I wasn't prepared to try any harder for fear of damaging / breaking something.
Also, the cover panel of each light has "DOT SAE L12" shown on it, and that turns out to be a specification of LED number plate light. The globes are obviously LED and everywhere the Workshop Manual mentions LED lights it says "non-serviceable".
So even if you could somehow lever the light housing out I suspect the LED globes inside cannot be bought from anywhere and the only remedy is to buy a new housing with globe from the dealership and be prepared to be bent over on price.

 

Thanks OzXFR that's what I assumed just didn't want to bust anything. your dead right though very tight fit. For the others led lamps fitted have been fitted as std from new on my 2016my. Looks like one of them has either a dodgy connection or one of leds is failing. After fiddling about trying to remove the lamp its now back on. Plus it has not triggered any cels

 

Much easier to wire a strobe controller (LSC-100A) to the center brake light ($5).