changing a tail light (Prelude '01)

Since when did changing a tail light become such a PITA? I checked the
manual which said to remove the side liner by popping some plastic
rivets (I learned how after awhile by mistakenly removing the rivets
around the trunk lock plastic centerpiece). As for the side liners,
each side had a different rivet. The one with the central popper I
pushed in but the l'il bugger would not come out. I was afraid I'd
break it if forced too much. I gave up. Maybe the manual is wrong? Is
it the lock centerpiece by which you find the light?

 

I've always been able to get those center plunger plastic clips out in my 99
Prelude without too much grief. Barely press the center plunger down and
the whole assembly should lift out with a little shaking back and forth. To
partially remove and reinstall the rear/side liner, it's probably easier to
remove that center plastic cover around the trunklid latch first. Although
the service manual doesn't show access to the bulbs (taillight, brake, turn
signal, backup and side marker), I would hope you don't have to remove the
tail light assembly (six nuts) to do so.

btw, the trickiest part of those clips is resetting the plunger before
reinstalling them. Spread the "legs" of the clips and gently push them up
so the plunger is above the top surface, snap the assembly in place and push
the plunger flush.

 

"btw, the trickiest part of those clips is resetting the plunger before

reinstalling them. Spread the "legs" of the clips and gently push them
up
so the plunger is above the top surface, snap the assembly in place and
push
the plunger flush"


I had no trouble with that on the center piece. Thanks for the info.
That side liner feels like it's glued down...?

 

Not on the '99 - did you find all of the clips?

I had the right liner completely loose while fixing the 'shock knock'
problem heard in some of the earlier 5th gen ludes. Bumps in cold weather
would cause a clunking at the top damper mounting due to a sleeve in the
rubber bushing not being long enough. Simple fix (from the web) without
removing the damper was to add some large diameter fender body washers at
the top of the bushing.