Glove box light replacement

[Durzel]

Has anyone here replaced the bulb in their glove box?

I bought a set from Abstract Ocean (they’re great by the way) and watched the installation video on YouTube first, which made it all look pretty straightforward, but when it came to the glovebox light it was basically impossible to get the plastic tool underneath to extract it.

Unlike in the video mine is recessed deep, and at an angle.

Not the end of the world as its not likely to be seen often, but wanted to finish the job.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Heavy Rain]

I came to a similar situation when installing one (purple) LED for our client.
There are two small openings/slots at both ends of the LED (see photo below), what you need is a small but strong "hook" which you can hook in the slot and pull the LED out. I used a nail and grinded off half the nailhead, worked well.
Hope this helps.

 

[Durzel]

Excellent, thanks. Didn’t even think of that. Definitely no chance of getting the plastic spudger under it.

 

[Durzel]

I never want to do that again.

Horrible, horrible job. I ache from a mixture of sitting and lying on the uncomfortable, unforgiving door sill.

I fashioned a bracket of a sort to try and prise it out. It bent before it could get any real purchase on it. Must’ve spent a good 45 minutes trying to pry it out, to no avail. In the end I found a thicker metal bracket and worked it around the edge of the bulb, whilst pulling down. On more than one occasion I had to take a break, and felt like giving up.

Eventually it popped out, and one side of the clips were snapped off from me pulling on it, as well as damage to the plastic around the edge. It then took me another 20 minutes or more to try and get the new bulb in, you really have to force it and you’re at a really uncomfortable angle, and the bulb only goes in one direction (the hole is keyed, and there is no give it in at all). For a while I thought I was going to have to get the service centre to put it back in.

Probably easier if you can take off the glovebox door, as you could get something more substantial in there then.

I do not recommend anyone do this unless they like pain and frustration.

 

[nightowl]

I struggled too when replacing the glove box light (also to install Abstract Ocean lights).

Spudger did not fit at all for this one light.

Pretty sure I resorted to wedging a flatheaded screwdriver under one side of it (the "slot" indicated in one of the earlier posts). It took a fair bit of force.

 

[HKP_Tom]

reminds me of the footwell lights on the Model S FL - an absolute pig! The rear footwell lights on the other hand were a walk in the park!!

 

[Traguar]

took a slightly different approach - leatherman file/flathead screwdriver tool and out in 2 mins...
Not recommended unless you're used to using these tools

 

[Durzel]

It takes a LOT of force to get it out, more than you feel comfortable using. I felt like at any moment my hand was going to slip and I was going to smack the glovebox into the footwell. Likewise getting it back in. Not a fun job in the slightest, and only really a rather circumstantial benefit.

 

[Heavy Rain]

reminds me of the footwell lights on the Model S FL - an absolute pig! The rear footwell lights on the other hand were a walk in the park!!

For these you need to raise the seats on the highest point, more importantly, help of a kid with his little hands

 

[m3gt2]

I didn't order a glovebox replacement as I'll never really use it but I'd say a stubby screwdriver may well do the job.

 

[Durzel]

You wouldn't be able to get the actual blade of it underneath the opening on the light. You'd essentially have to do what I ended up doing, and that is lever it out, wrecking the tabs, or fashion a sortof hook like @Heavy Rain suggested to get underneath and pull down.

I spoke to Abstract Ocean about it, and they were perplexed. It seems in the States, and maybe on earlier cars, the glovebox light is fitted in hard plastic, not the hard felt we have over here. It is nowhere near as recessed as ours are, either. I noticed the same on the footwell bulbs - recessed at a slight angle, although at least those were accessible.

 

[Durzel]

I'm surprised the cars in the States haven't been updated to this, or maybe they have and AO have an older MY19 car. The light being recessed deeply means you don't see any part of it when the glovebox is open, which I guess you would with the hard plastic shallow recess version.

Anyway, it is not something I would recommend anyone doing really - the benefit is grossely disproportionate to the stress involved in removing the bulb.