DIY: Clear (or smoked) side markers on MKVI Golf / JSW / TDI

[sfpegasus]

Clear side markers look especially cool on a candy white car!




Tools needed:

1. T25 Torx screwdriver / bit

2. Patience


The side markers must be removed from inside the front wheel well liner. Do not attempt to remove your side markers using the MkV method of pressing on the forward edge. It will not work and will probably only serve to detach the housing from inside the bumper cover. Trust me. I spent several hours gluing a housing back in place.

It is not necessary to remove the wheel or jack up the car. Simply turn your wheels all the way to the right if you're working on the left side of the car, or to the left if you're working on the right side of the car.

Remove the three screws on the outside edge of the wheel well liner.



Prop open the wheel well liner so you can get your hand inside. I used a roll of tape.



The side marker has a clip on the rear edge shown on the right hand side of the picture. Push it towards the front of the car and the marker will release from the housing.



The electrical connection pulls straight off. Now's a good time to change your bulb if you want amber lighting.

Reinstall the electrical connector on the new side marker. There are some alignment marks on the rubber boot that need to be lined up with the alignment marks on the plastic housing.

Reinstall the new side marker by inserting the forward tab in the housing and snapping the rear firmly into the housing. I suggest you hold the housing from inside the fender as you do this. It doesn't appear these things are too firmly attached to the bumper cover.

Reinstall the three torx screws in the wheel well liner.



Believe it or not, I'm using an amber bulb here. Gotta love cell phone pics.

[chittychittybangbang]

I will add this to the FAQ. It will also qualify for the writeup contest even though it's very simple.

[Keithuk]

Yes I've seen these on US cars only, usually amber?

[sfpegasus]

Originally Posted by Keithuk

Yes I've seen these on US cars only, usually amber?

Yeah, for all the years I've driven, I just found out that you guys across the pond don't have these.

[sway162]

Thanks for posting this! Quick noob question.....where do you pick up clear sidemarkers?

[sfpegasus]

Originally Posted by sway162

Thanks for posting this! Quick noob question.....where do you pick up clear sidemarkers?

Parts4euro.com is where I got them

[sway162]

Originally Posted by sfpegasus

Parts4euro.com is where I got them

Great, thanks!

[abv36]

Sfpegasus,

You, don't have to disassemble the front wheel well liner(s) in order to get access and replace
these side marker lights. (I have done this on 'Jetta 2006 TDI Special Edition')
There's much easier way to do that - I have discovered it accidentally.

From the front side of the car, remove left (and/or) right cover(s), located below the headlights
- both are held by a single Phillips screw, then pull these covers off and they will snap easily out.

(You can find more detail instructions as how to remove these 'covers' in your car manual,
see the section for 'towing' - where it describes how to remove the (passenger side) cover - and
screw in the 'eye tow' bolt (anti-clockwise rotating direction).

Once you remove these cover(s) off - you can 'relatively' easily gain access to the sockets of these
bulbs, see which direction they go and gently pull them out. Replace the bulbs and re-insert back.
Then snap back the cover(s) and tighten them back with the screws. You're ALL Done NOW !