My bulb is visible but trapped behind the interior door panel. Body shop must have left it there. Must have known something was up when I found the red lens behind the seat.

The bulb shines but is nowhere near where it should be. Is there anyway to fish that cable out under the door cover panel? How easy is it to turn the corner of that door cover loose enough to grab the bulb or is that futile?

 

To get the puddle lamp bulb, you can pop off the door panel pretty easily, its just fasteners and a few screws up in the door handle and a couple for the pull/armrest...for the corner you need, you can just pop it off straight. You may get it separated enough from the door to work the puddle lamp (w/o removing the 3 screws), but If you can't, you'll have to remove the entire panel. There is link in the FAQ thread at the top of the XK8/R forum that shows how to do the whole flamingo. g'luck.

Don't forge to introduce yourself in the new member area, its tradition.

 

Matt is right! It is a very simple procedure to remove the door panels in our cars. I was a bit leery because on my previous cars it was always a nightmare and the cheap clips always broke. That said I really did not want to spend any more money having my windows adjusted, again, so I dove in and it was off in less than five minutes, went back on even faster and no broken parts or f-bombs.

 

Woohoo!!! Sounds like I have an opportunity to make another video!

 

Oh boy, oh boy!! Another video!!!!!!

 

If you can see the bulb/socket from the puddle lamp cutout in the panel you shouldn't need to pull the panel all the way off to re-secure it. I just did this (the lazy way) a few weeks ago.

Work the fastners loose starting at the bottom corner of the panel, after you've popped all the ones on the bottom of the door you should have enough space to slide your arm up there and position it back into place. The harder part might be finding the locking clip, if the socket fell out of the panel its probably because the locking clip wasn't installed correctly. My bet is the clip is also sitting somewhere back there.

 

Hey thanks, What's the best tool for this door panel separation operation. Is a spackle blade or some other flat tool ok?

2000 XKR

 

... my fingers. Best spot to start from is up near the a-pillar, then just work your way down the side, bottom and top...pop, pop, pop.

 

Ok, what does that retainer look like? Plastic? Metal? is it a clip or round grommet looking thing?

Thanks,

Mike

 

The retainer is a metal C clip that slides into the rear of the bulb socket/housing on the backside of the door panel. If you can't find it you could probably make one out of a paper clip with some patience, the diameters of the two are pretty similar if I remember correctly.

 

Found the socket, it has a clear plastic end that looks like it should go on another clear plastic base in an L pattern. But it looks like it broke at the corner. I need a bulb though. Can this bulb be bought at Autozone or someplace similar. Jagbits has it but it's 4 plus another $20 or so for shipping. It won't come out completely through the hole unless I force it which I don't want to do.

Also there is a skinny round hole there in that cornet but only looks like the bulb could squeeze through there and the socket would have to sit back behind the door panel and inner door metal. That bulb would burn the plastic panel with the heat. So it can't go there.

Thanks.

 

I grabbed the bulb and cable, but this bulb eventually burned out on something. Is this a 15 Watt bulb 14 Volt? I found one at AZon but not sure what wattage it is. 15 Watt should be hot enough. Jgbts wants to much for shipping one bulb.

BTW on my car the mount is an L style plastic mount and where one end is mounted to the door steel and the other end is on the bulb socket. That corner broke but I think I can manage to let it hang there somewhere once i get the bulb.

Thanks

 

I'd just pick up the bulb at the dealer. Are you close to one? The price on the bulb is going to be minimal (compared to shipping from jagbits) and at least you'll get the right one.

 

Yupper.

 

Stock bulbs are 2825, You should be able to get them at any Advance Auto or Autozone.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...GRPLAMPAMS____

These are a 5W bulb, you can replace it with a 194 bulb but they are only 3W so its not going to be as bright.

 

Thanks vagearhead, that's exactly what I need.

 

Ok, now the tricky part. How do you replace or reinstall the lens. I notice that there is an angled plastic part on the lens that looks to slide on to a plastic tab on the door. Also it looks like the installation should happen with the door panel loose so that when you pop the panle on there is some pressure on the upper tab of the lens. Is this how it happens?

Mike.

 

no, panel should be on when you put the lens back. It is a little tricky, but you either get it on correctly, or not. If correct, it easily slips on and snaps. i often have to look to make sure the angled part gets under the right piece. gluck!

 

If I remember correctly there's a small tab on the top of the housing that slips into the bulb housing, then the lens just snaps in. I had the same issue one evening right as it was getting dark and I was buttoning everything back up. Look directly up from below the puddle lamp so you can see the housing/bulb socket and it's much easier to see how the lens snaps into place.