DIY: Repairing Water Logged Rear Tail Lights

Ok, I asked for some heads up on this one a little while back - thanks all for the tips, figured i would do a write up.

Tools needed:
Phillips head screwdriver
10mm. Socket
10mm Wrench
8mm. Deep Socket
Pliers
Clear Silicone Caulk

Ok, first you will need to take down the carpet in the trunk to expose the back of the tail light assembly. There are two plastic screw clips that will need to be removed to get enough room to work, just unscrew them and pretty much pop off for you.



Now you will have to take the nuts off the (3) bolts on the tail light - this is the 8mm deep socket. Once you have those removed, you will need to remove the light bulbs from the tail light assembly. Normally most honda tail lights would be ready to pop out by this step - not true on the ES model. There are two posts and a screw at the bottom of the tail light still holding it to the car. You will need to partially loosen the bumper to gain access to the clips.

Use the 10mm socket for the bolt located next the tail light on the bumber, and the phillips head screw driver for the screw located at the join of the rear wheel well and back bumper.


There are 4 clips holding the rest of the bumper on you will need to use the Pliers to push them out to loosen the bumper.

Once this is completed you will need to unscrew the tail light from the clip that is located under the bumper - you will need to gain access to it from under the car. The picture is very hard to see but once you are under there you will understand - it is a very tight sqeeze!! You will also have to loosen the clip all together as it is bolted onto the car via 10mm nuts - use the wrench as your socket will not fit under here. Once this is completed - the tail light should just pop out.

I did not have the access to sunlight at this point as it started to rain when I took the light out so letting it sit in the sun is not an option at this point - good idea though Don. I did however use CenZ hair dryer tactic and sealed them back up - This will take a long time doing it with the hair dryer and it needs to be on high pointed right at the light for a good amount of time - I tripped a circuit doing this but oh well.

Once the light is finally dry and all drops are gone, it is time to seal it up so we don't revisit this problem, I used clear silicone Caulk, becareful when placing the beed on the entire edge of the tail light cause almost every edge is visble once back on the car. I usually place the beed, lick my finger and run it down the beed to ensure that it is smoothed out and covers perfectly.


Now that we are almost ready to put it back on the car, I used some Meguiars Plastx just to give the plastic some extra protection - optional.

And there we have it! - put it all back together, and we are ready to roll
again