TAIL LIGHT CRACKED

[fmbighair]

I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe Sport.My band was loading all our gear into my Vibe, when my clumsy guitarist ran his amplifier into my rear driver's side tail light. It ended up making a crack on it. I temporarily have some grey duct tape over it. I am concerned about replacing it as soon as I can because I have heard that if water gets inside, it could mess up the computer system or something? Anyway, I have called a few dealerships and I told them I only need the outside cover, not everything else. But they said they don't sell it separatly and I would have to buy the whole "module?" The part would be $250 and another $45(1/2 hour labor) to install!!! I did some searching on ebay and came accross a really good price($125) on the light but the price is really low so I am wondering if it's just the light and not the whole module? Is there any questions I should ask the seller to make sure it's what I need? If that is true, would I be able to buy this part on ebay and just have a dealer install it?Here is the auction:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...&rd=1What advice do you guys have? Any info would be appreciated, thanks!

[engineertwin2]

As far as I'm aware, the tail light assembly is what you need. I don't believe you can get the "glass" separate. You might try http://www.pamsauto.com as they tend to have pretty good prices and stock.As far as shorting out the ECU, I've never heard of that. I won't claim that it's not possible, but a short in the lighting circuitry is much more likely. I don't have an electrical schematic handy to verify whether shorting out is possible.Good luck.

[joatmon]

I'd hope that if water did get in enough to short out one of the lights, it would blow a fuse instead of frying the computer.Some people tolerate no imperfection, and would replace it for a minor crack. I'm cheap, and wouldn't bother unless it was so bad a cop might pull me over for it. If it is just cracked and not broken, then you would probably be ok just putting some clear tape across the crack. They only sell them as assemblies, and if you buy a replacement, when you get it you'll see it's all glued together.You shouldn't need to pay anyone to replace it. To swap it out, pop off the access cover inside, then quarter turn and remove the two light sockets and bulbs, then there are three nuts to unscrew.Here's a pic of the backside of a light assembly and the hole it leaves

Attached files

[WaveAction]

i emailed GM themselves and asked where i could possibly get the GT-R rear tails but they said they wouldnt sell them and to check a dealership even though i know they dont

[kevera]

What's the difference between the GT-R tails?

[WaveAction]

the GT-R lights if im not mistaken are smooth and all red with the black dividers..as ours has the little ridges on the lights and the amberunless these were custom made even my diecast car has the red-out tails that are smooth..i've seen a few different variations, those tales plus the regular tales which we have..correct me if im wrong guys

[kevera]

Quote, originally posted by WaveAction »the GT-R lights if im not mistaken are smooth and all red with the black dividers..as ours has the little ridges on the lights and the amberunless these were custom made even my diecast car has the red-out tails that are smooth..i've seen a few different variations, those tales plus the regular tales which we have..correct me if im wrong guysDood,they are the same as mine,are yours without the black divider.

[fmbighair]

well, so far, it still works. Like you said, its prolly a long shot but I figured I would just ask. I emailed the site you listed to see if they have the part. I'm still confused if this auction is the WHOLE light assembly(module, whatever you call it) or just the red cover part? I emailed them and they didn't get back to me yet? I have a feeling its the whole module but the price is a lot cheaper than a few dealer's quotes I've got so far which was $250? This really stinks that it's gonna cost almost $300 for a stupid tail light....

[fmbighair]

oh, ok, by "assemblies" you mean that the light cover is not sold separate, its all together with all the wires n stuff? Then this auction must be for the whole assembly since you say they don't sell them separate, but the price is really cheap, so I am skeptical. Dealer's price is $250. Check out the auction I'm looking at and tell me what you think, too good to be true?http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...wItem

[darcmater]

dealership prices are insane what they jack stuff up to

[joatmon]

Quote, originally posted by fmbighair »oh, ok, by "assemblies" you mean that the light cover is not sold separate, its all together with all the wires n stuff? I guess it's all semantics. What I think of the tail light assembly is all plastic (with three metal studs). The wires connect to sockets, bulbs go in the sockets, the sockets with the bulbs fit into the tail light assembly, so the wires'n'stuff is separate from the assembly. maybe it would be better to call it a tail light lens assembly, since it does not actually include the lights themselves, or perhaps we could call it the tail light lens and housing assembly. The way you asked before made it sound like you wanted to just find the red (or yellow) outermost surface of the assembly, but you can't buy just that part, you have to buy a larger plastic assembly that the bulb sockets fit into. If you buy one, or take the cracked one out, you'll see what I mean.