number plate light bulb holders

why the ****** hell as a picture of our kid pumping a transit van tyre up appeared on my post ??????? PMSL!!!
Remember that,, blow out in a tranny at 90 on the m1,, smashin stuff !!!!
 
Hey guys Ive been to the local DIY stores and I cannot find any M3 x 20 STAINLESS ALLEN BOLT CAP SCREWS any ideas people I know ebay is an option but Id like to buy and get them there and then if your with me and I only want a couple not a whole pack!ThanksTom
 
T0m said:
Hey guys Ive been to the local DIY stores and I cannot find any M3 x 20 STAINLESS ALLEN BOLT CAP SCREWS any ideas people I know ebay is an option but Id like to buy and get them there and then if your with me and I only want a couple not a whole pack!ThanksTom
Click to expand...

As linked above 20 screws for £1.85 inc. P&P is not so bad IMO - always handy to have spares.

You could try a local "fastenings" trade counter - do a local Google search and see what pops up.
 
Hey Woorlord thanks for the reply and Ive had a butchers but cannot find anything not even screwfix sell them so looks like ebay it is!Thanks
 
I couldn't find any either Tom, so I just got some of Ebay aswell.

They were easy enough to fit, thanks to Leaky Lloyd for the guide.

A few pics bit of a difference eh? :yes:

leds1.jpg



leds.jpg
 
Scouse said:
I couldn't find any either Tom, so I just got some of Ebay aswell.

They were easy enough to fit, thanks to Leaky Lloyd for the guide.

A few pics bit of a difference eh? :yes:

leds1.jpg



leds.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks good Scouse and looks like Ive got to waste money on 20 screws that I will only use 2 of them, ok I know its only £2 but I hate having packets and packets of screws for packets sake! Dont fancy sending me a few do ya fella and I'll chuck you a drink!!
 
Alright Tom, I've got 2 here pm me your details and i'll send you some freebies :icon_thumright:
 
I will be doing mine this weekend - saw this thread a few weeks ago after wanting to change to LEDs - decided to leave them alone.
That was until one of the bulbs went yesterday!
 
Just got all mine apart, well corroded it was both screws snapped to gotta replace whole, maybe even lock, mine is an 02 plate avant can I get the plastic replacement for mine surely the later model part is the same fitment
 
Well, managed to get mine done over the weekend.

Looking through the cars service history, when the car was serviced in June of last year (2011) at an Audi dealership - they have charged to replace the plinth and lenses at a cost of £162.
The plynth and lenses were quite clearly the original parts fitted to the car when I was working on it over the weekend!
 
Thanks for all the info guys. Much appreciated.

My screws where badly seized on so I drilled them out and replaced the lenses and put some leds in. Got new pressed plates on also.
Led on the right.

6d9adeca-b815-b4f1.jpg


Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2
 
Chris555, i tried to reply with quote but just hanged anyway the middle pic of the moulding looks different than mine, mine is plastic not metal behind and the wiring looks differnet i have a problem with my bulbs not working i removed them now they do not work any ideas?
 
That's right, they are one way only, turn them round and see if they come on.
 
Normal bulbs just not sat in right, anyway the standard bulbs are really dim. So what is a good led bulb to buy?
 
I bought some LED replacement lights (include lenses as a full unit) off ebay.

My screws are rounded so ordered a new Panel from TPS as well, but it wasn't £27 it was £52 + VAT. :-0
 
mine was more expensive because it was complete with handle, lenses etc and, I just kept the lenses and bulbs as spares, and used all new for the handle etc, why not.

I used the same eBay LED lamps as scouse, very happy with the results.
 
For rounded off screw heads - use a dremel with the finest cutting disc you can find and cut a flat slot straight across the screw head and then use a flat blade screwdriver instead. Has worked a treat on the last 3 Audis I've worked on
 
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Thanks everyone for the info on here. Still an absolute PITA to do though. I ended up taking the strip out of the boot as both of the screw were rounded off. I was able to dremel a line through the screws and get a big flathead in there to open them up, I did try an impact driver on it first (with the strip removed and in a vice..) but all I ended up doing was bashing the connector / holder part of the unit right through, and broke it away from the strip itself.. ! :-(

A long enough and strong enough screw though is now holding the whole thing together, with a bit of sealant, and bobs your uncle. Two working number plate lights!

Why oh why to car manufacturers insist on making life tricky?!

Oh also - bear in mind it you take the strip out, there is a bolt hidden behind the plastic unit that protects the metal bar of the opening mechanism - couldnt find it at first!
 
I too have had the "pleasure" of needing to change number plate bulbs on an A4. Like so many others the retaining screws on the lenses were $%^&ed, but I was not able to remove them at all even after butchering the lenses. I ran the car with a lashed up fix for a while but now have bitten the bullet and replaced the whole moulding. This cost me €48 + €18 for new lenses!

IMG 2221
The temporary solution- a self tapper & some silicone, worked OK but a bit worrying in the rain.


IMG 2220
The original moulding removed, with that familiar "Captain Nemo" finish

IMG 2218
Thanks to the detailed instructions in this thread I managed to fit the new moulding without too much difficulty, except of course the bits where it says "disconnect the electrical connector" like it was in any way easy or obvious how to do this???? Every connector on the car seems to have a different clip system and they are all a ***** to get off
icon8.png
. I fitted the standard bulbs and screws temporarily till my Ebay LED bulbs turn up. Copper grease is on order.

IMG 2222
Obviously 1hour after I finish fitting the old style bulbs the postman calls.... Hopefully I will not have to do this again for a while. All I need now is some Stainless Steel M3 hex head replacement screws, Ebay again I suppose??

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread, I certainly would never have figured any of this out for myself!

P.S. Can anyone point me to a thread explaining how to post images properly? I have tried to search both FAQ and whole forum but no joy. I am baffled by the attachment manager which seems to have a mind of its own and all my images appear tiny in my posts. Clearly I am doing it all wrong somehow?
 

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Legendary thread, same issue here, I managed to persuade the screws out using some voodoo magic and witchcraft and will replace now with M3 x 12mm Cap Heads! Thanks!!
 
Omg just done. mine was not Easy,screws were almost welded in. Your guides were helpful took advice put hex screws in, boot Liner off now got to fit resistors
Lol post a pic when done. MikeIMG 20140118 210032IMG 20140120 192906
 
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mine are stuck in there :( is the easiest way to remove them to break the lense??
 
Drill into the lens around the bolt, prise the lens out and use some mole grips to wind the screw out.
 
I did mine in mid Jan, screws were fine? Albeit, a bit rusty on the surface but certainly not stuck fast. I now have a white rear underglow from the LED lights lol. they are very very bright.

 
Its a pain in the neck the screw sit flush and have to. Get the plastic underneath it out then with pointed. Molegrips wind out the screw. Took. Me a while you wont get them out without breaking the lens covers, good luck with it
 
morrisonbrink said:
Mine were so far gone that it was impossible to get the screws out with mole grips, they just sheared off in place, so I had to replace the whole housing. See above
Click to expand...

So were mine if you see the pictures earlier in this thread.

Incidentally I still have my replacement light surround and loom from the A4 if anybody is needing one.
 
Think its a universal part. Check with Audi for part numbers for your car as the there is a left and right
 
Anyone have a couple of the replacement screws at all?
 
Anyone have trouble removing the key lock barrel from the light surround?? Mine just WILL NOT come out
 
Great info in this thread. One of my bulbs had gone and de-headed. So retrofitted LED's

I took out the strip
drilled round the plastic as per page one thread
Used molly grips to get screw out (touch and go with one must say........)
Noticed blown bulb rear contacts were badly corroded (probably not blown bulb but duff contacts)
Used some contact cleaner (electrolube!) and wire wool to clean contacts
New LED's in (must say nevous about them rotating round so they don't shine out no more- any ideas?)
New lenses, s/s cap screws, copper slip......HAPPY DAYZ!

Ebay parts -
Audi Number Plate Lamp 8E0807430B RIGHT | eBay
Audi Number Plate Lamp 8E0807430A LEFT | eBay
M3 x 12 STAINLESS ALLEN BOLT CAP SCREW 20 + 10% EX FREE | eBayCARLUBE COPPER SLIP 20g MULTI PURPOSE ANTI SEIZE ASSEMBLY COMPOUND GREASE | eBay
2x 36mm 6SMD 5050 LED 239 C5W Canbus Error Free White Feston Bulb AUDI | eBay

Photos-
20140413 161427
20140505 151445
20140506 203353

BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!
 
An old post - but full of great tips. Glad I found it. Thanks to all of you.
One of my number plate lights fails to contact properly (pressure on lens and it comes on). Plastic around contacts bubbled with heat.

To inspect the mounting (with hatch handle) - and maybe find crud like in your photos - I assume that the inside panel(s) has to come off (main panel and 4" wide strip under window).
Thanks for the pictures and descriptions - plenty of different fixings.
Behind the main panel, I have the triangular spring clips sorted - but I can't remove the hard plastic strip (4" wide). It's stuck at each corner.
There is some grey plastic screwed in to the the metal window pillar. I hope this is part of the plastic up the side of the window - but I'd like to be sure before yanking too hard on the hatch panel/strip only to find that this is the same piece of plastic.
Any tips for unhitching this plastic strip - or the main panel?

Even better would be a tip about improving contact with the bulb without all this palaver !!!
(How many people to change an Audi light bulb ??)

Thanks very much
 
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