The rear indicator bulb on my mother's car needs replacing. *Should* be
a very simple process, but no, as usual it is stupidly difficult. You
have to open a ridiculously small hatch in the lining inside the boot,
try to squeeze you hand in (cutting your hand and/or ripping the
lining) to undo a very tight plastic spring-loaded bolt (drop it and
it's gone forever) and unclip the electrical connector, then go outside
the car and pull off the entire taillight assembly (which is also
clipped in so not easy to simply pull off), then you have to unclip the
back of the light assmebly to get at the bulbs. Once you repalce the
bulb you have to try to reverse the whole process. :-(

Even just getting the bulb seems to be stupidly difficult - Repco,
Supercheap, etc. don't know what it should be because nothing comes up
on their computer for the make and model, depsite being quite common on
the roads. They suggest taking the bulb out so they can find a
substitute.

Companies need to return to sensible design, not idiotic fashion over
function and custom parts.

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On 2023-01-15 20:27:09 +0000, BungleBob said:

The rear indicator bulb on my mother's car needs replacing. *Should* be
a very simple process, but no, as usual it is stupidly difficult. You
have to open a ridiculously small hatch in the lining inside the boot,
try to squeeze you hand in (cutting your hand and/or ripping the
lining) to undo a very tight plastic spring-loaded bolt (drop it and
it's gone forever) and unclip the electrical connector, then go outside
the car and pull off the entire taillight assembly (which is also
clipped in so not easy to simply pull off), then you have to unclip the
back of the light assmebly to get at the bulbs. Once you repalce the
bulb you have to try to reverse the whole process. :-(

Even just getting the bulb seems to be stupidly difficult - Repco, Supercheap, etc. don't know what it should be because nothing comes up
on their computer for the make and model, depsite being quite common on
the roads. They suggest taking the bulb out so they can find a
substitute.

Companies need to return to sensible design, not idiotic fashion over function and custom parts.

After attempting to get the bulb out, I realised it's simply too
difficult to do. So instead of buying a $20 bulb and taking 10 minutes
to replace it (as I can do on my much older car), my mother's car will
have to be booked in to the dealership service centre, which means
probably a week's wait without a rear indicator, a $100+ fee, plus a
likely a $40 OEM bulb.

It's complete insanity!! X-(

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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On Monday, 16 January 2023 at 12:24:11 UTC+13, BungleBob wrote:

On 2023-01-15 20:27:09 +0000, BungleBob said:

The rear indicator bulb on my mother's car needs replacing. *Should* be
a very simple process, but no, as usual it is stupidly difficult. You
have to open a ridiculously small hatch in the lining inside the boot,
try to squeeze you hand in (cutting your hand and/or ripping the
lining) to undo a very tight plastic spring-loaded bolt (drop it and
it's gone forever) and unclip the electrical connector, then go outside
the car and pull off the entire taillight assembly (which is also
clipped in so not easy to simply pull off), then you have to unclip the back of the light assmebly to get at the bulbs. Once you repalce the
bulb you have to try to reverse the whole process. :-(

Even just getting the bulb seems to be stupidly difficult - Repco, Supercheap, etc. don't know what it should be because nothing comes up
on their computer for the make and model, depsite being quite common on
the roads. They suggest taking the bulb out so they can find a
substitute.

Companies need to return to sensible design, not idiotic fashion over function and custom parts.

After attempting to get the bulb out, I realised it's simply too
difficult to do. So instead of buying a $20 bulb and taking 10 minutes
to replace it (as I can do on my much older car), my mother's car will
have to be booked in to the dealership service centre, which means
probably a week's wait without a rear indicator, a $100+ fee, plus a
likely a $40 OEM bulb.

It's complete insanity!! X-(

What kind of car? Most on mine are easy but there's one, the front daytime running light, that can only be reached by someone with little pixie hands. I luckily found an auto electrician with little hands that could do it. I would try an auto-electrician.

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