Need Rear Pass. Lower Tail Light Assembly & Repair Advice Topic is solved

[sleddriver]

Rear Bumper_Collision 003.JPG (143.47 KiB) Viewed 3455 times

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Rear Bumper_Collision 006.JPG (138.67 KiB) Viewed 3454 times

[skloon]

It looks like you lucked out- the nasty area is below the light- you should be able to access that area when you remove the tailight- some wood wedges can help - can go to autobody101.com and post for assistance too

[sleddriver]

Update:
Returned to PnP the next day (after cooling off) when it occurred to me that a new tail light cluster just might not fit UNLESS the sheetmetal around it was fixed FIRST. Therefore, I needed a replacement to check this out and the quickest & cheapest route was the PnP.

I picked up a 8mm deep 1/4" drive socket on the way. It's tough sledding without one. I also discovered you must remove the tail light assembly above it FIRST to get the lower one out without applying undo force. Gaining access to the rear 8mm nuts means removing interior trim first. With that accomplished, I also removed a few more pieces. I was finally able to successfully remove the pass. outer mirror insert without breaking it for the first time in four tries. I've had the worst luck with these......

Yard only charged $14 for the complete tail light assembly. Well worth going back.

Turns out I did have to straighten some bent sheetmetal to extract the busted tail light, then work on it even more to get the replacement properly fitted. I also took time to thoroughly clean the gaskets of dirt and lube it with Mequiers VLR. Might as well as I had both upper & lower out.

Next, I washed the rear bumper to see just how much of that was dirt, the other cars trim, damage to my bumper/paint, etc. While doing so I noticed these short, black threads floating in the wash bucket. So I began scraping the damaged area with a fingernail and noticed it WAS the other cars bumper material and that after removal, my white bumper was undamaged!

After enough work, here's the results:

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This was a most-welcome surprise! Compare this with the above before photo.

So I WAS able to fit the replacement tail light lens without getting the big dent fixed first. Also got lucky finding a OEM replacement lens in excellent shape locally for only $14. Third, I'm street-legal again so don't have to worry about being stopped for a busted tail light. Fourth, I can replace the cracked pass-side mirror. Fifth, I can also replace the pass door handle (plastic swivel fatigue) and the door latch mechanism that defies my attempts to repair it internally. Sixth, I also scavenged some inner door panel keepers that hold the panel to the metal door. I also spied some OEM axles there.....

It's ALWAYS something.......lifeus interruptus maximus......

[scot850]

Take the positives when you get them and be happy! Now you also have the parts to fix the other pains you have with the car as the PnP visit got those other parts too.

Good luck with the remaining repairs. If you go back to PnP check the axles are A) the same both ends as yours or ideally have the same Volvo part numbers and B) they are Volvo axles.

Neil.

[sleddriver]

To: Neil.
Well, there is that. First time to be hit in the sled's rear in 20 yrs of ownership. Just a RPITA having to deal with this at a rather critical time personally. As if I needed more weight added. "When it rains, it pours".

The pass-side outer boot is completely torn now. I do have the replacement (I think). I have done that job before as well. I was preparing to deal with that when I was hit. C'est la vie.......

[scot850]

Life can really suck some times. Hopefully the issues resolve for you and life returns to a better place!

Good luck our friend!

Neil.

[WhatAmIDoing]

Have to give Volvo a +1 on their plastic bumpers and trim piece. The other guy's paint usually wipes right off. Had a white ford focus sideswipe the entire length of my car in a parking lot. The white streak buffed right off.

[sleddriver]

^^^ Indeed. Rather amazing all of those black marks were just melted plastic adhered there from heat due to friction.

Just finished replacing the pass. side mirror with the PnP replacement. I used some VLR on the plastic 'ring' to condition it and ease insertion. I really like that stuff for all sorts of uses. Has a pleasant smell too.

[sleddriver]

Fifth, I can also replace the pass door handle (plastic swivel fatigue) and the door latch mechanism that defies my attempts to repair it internally. Sixth, I also scavenged some inner door panel keepers that hold the panel to the metal door.

Went about replacing the pass. door handle mech. + cable + PnP door latch/lock mechanism. When pulling the old one, Ii found the motor/gear plastic cover, the gears & the motor laying down in the bottom, rattling around! Small wonder it quite working. Installed the replacements. However, now the pass side door will not open using interior switches or key fob. It will lock and the door will not open from the inside using the handle, which previously it would not.

The white, plastic levers do move as does the main gear, however something is Toes Up with the sliding levers as they won't reset to enable the door latch to open. Odd that.....

I did search here on this issue and many report the same problem. Thus, it's not unique. The PnP does have a 2wk? 4wk? replacement policy. Not sure if it's worth another trip though.

At least the broken inner door handle mech is fixed, the door lock mech. will actually lock the door along with all of the others (big improvement).

Curious what the failure is if anyone knows.