afraid of breaking the trim

[xfive]

hi, i have a 02 x5 and the driverside signal light went out. i got the signal light changing instructions from one of the links on this website. its very good and it provided very detailed instructions. i am at a point to remove the trim piece but i am having a nervous breakdown because it doesn't want to come out. i tried wiggling, pulling, twisting but it seemed stuck. anyone has any suggestions? does anyone has a close up pictures of the tabs or clips to show how it works? any idea is appreciated. thanks

[JV]

Originally Posted by xfive

hi, i have a 02 x5 and the driverside signal light went out. i got the signal light changing instructions from one of the links on this website. its very good and it provided very detailed instructions. i am at a point to remove the trim piece but i am having a nervous breakdown because it doesn't want to come out. i tried wiggling, pulling, twisting but it seemed stuck. anyone has any suggestions? does anyone has a close up pictures of the tabs or clips to show how it works? any idea is appreciated. thanks

You wanna pull it gently but steadily for it to come loose. I had the same fear first time I removed my headlights. Use a screwdriver wrapped in electrical tape to help out if you need it. The trim piece needs to "bow" outwards just a little to come loose. It'd take a lot of force to snap the whole piece, but the tabs are not bulletproof, for sure.

Good luck!

JV

[xfive]

thanks for the info. it turns out that the clip extended from the fender was bended. i got that part of without breaking anything. however, the vertical clip still doesn't want to let go. is there a detail of the vertical clip. its getting really close but again i am afraid of breaking anything. any info would be appreciated.

[xfive]

Job completed. Turned out I never was able to pull the vertical clip out. I just rotated the trim piece such that I got enough clearance to get to the bolts. But this is a life safer though: my wife's Mikasa hostess serving spoon. I caught the bolt that otherwise would have fallen into the bumper. .Thanks Honey.

She would have killed me if she knew I used it for this.

[JV]

Originally Posted by xfive

Job completed. Turned out I never was able to pull the vertical clip out. I just rotated the trim piece such that I got enough clearance to get to the bolts. But this is a life safer though: my wife's Mikasa hostess serving spoon. I caught the bolt that otherwise would have fallen into the bumper. .Thanks Honey.

She would have killed me if she knew I used it for this.

Great improvisation! I put some chewing gum on the end of the socket to catch those bulbs, but I like your idea as well!

JV