bigdaddy45

so i just got my own 07 civic and yes I'm a '13. I took it for a maryland inspection and they said the middle brake light LED is not working. Is this a common problem? any suggestions if i could replace it myself? so i have to replace the whole assembly or can i just change the LED?(yes i know i haven't even picked up the car yet but i just want some options before i see my car) thanks in advance.

ezone

What did that mean?


You must have a coupe.

Yes, I have seen many of the LED center lights either inop or super dim. Tap on it and it may work or at least flicker.

Easiest way is to replace it, but I have taken apart a couple of them and resoldered all the connections on the board and made them work again.

You have to remove the entire rear shelf cover to get it out so it is a bit of work, but doable.

xRiCeBoYx

iTrader: (22)

I was wondering the same thing.. do you mean you're 13? Class of '13 (college? high school?)?

bigdaddy45

i joined this site in 2013 that's why I call myself a 13' but about the tail light I need some help taking out the rear dash panel, i was able to push up and pull most of clip ons(the thing that hooks inward to the metal didn't know how to say it) and i can basically take the left panel off but the right part of the panel is stuck and something seems to be holding it in place. Is their a video for this? as for the soldering it shouldn't be that hard but in the case of the LED's being broken where can i buy the assembly for the brake light? preferably at a low price(aftermarket?) and I'm sorry i wrote so much i need to get this fixed asap because it's the only car i have and i drive a lot. BTW why do people take forever to respond on this forum?

ezone

You, the one who just took 12 hours to make a second post in your own thread are asking a question like this?

Because this is not a freeking chatroom, and only a few people are really active at answering anything.

I seem to be the only active dealer tech.

And, um, it seems like I have no life.

IIRC, the center section of the rear shelf is held on with hooks and simple pins (like a door panel has pins you just yank loose) that should all release with lift and/or pull. You may need to use something long, wide and flat to get under the panel to carefully pry them loose. There are pins in the middle areas too, not just on the edges. There is a pin on each side of the center brake light area. A proper service manual would help, I'm sure.
They won't be broken. Just resolder everything, then plug it in and make sure it works before you spend a bunch of time reassembling.
If you have to buy one, I'm sure any dealer would be happy to order one for you. Or use http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/

xRiCeBoYx

iTrader: (22)

because there's only a handful of actually active members now :/
That, and this site started as a 7thgen dedicated forum, then it got sold and made an all-generations civic forum. Most of the detailed information on this site will be directed at the 7thgen (01-05) civic.

ezone is pretty much our resident expert, seeing as how he works at Honda (service, was it?), so he'd prolly be able to give you the best answer.

But, to help you out a bit, in my 02, in order to gain access to the third brake light (removal and replacement; i.e. removing the rear deck), I have to take out the rear seats and pretty much every piece of plastic in the rear section of the car.

bigdaddy45

i wasn't able to find the part on the parts website. as for soldering how can i acess the brake light? i dont mean to sound redundant but the right part of the frame still won't come off, I got the clip off but it seems that their is something around the speaker that is holding it in place.

ezone

You said yours is the LED type, that's #3.

Linky: http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...-+TRUNK+LINING

I picked some random car since you never bothered to say what yours really is.

Get the panel out first.
Remove the lamp assembly from the panel
Take it apart and fix it. (Or replace it.)

More of the same.
If you got one side up and can see under it to see what held it together, the other side is made the same way.
I sure can't be there to do it for you.

See in the parts pic above, maybe that gives more clues.
Or get the correct repair manual.

bigdaddy45

finally i was able to take off the cover, it needed some elbow grease but i got it out. Then i took it apart and i got the led brake light out. as for the joints i see the left side has a l and the circle thing is smooth, however the right side has a + and the circle thing on that has some small(very small) cracks in it, the black and white wires are connected to the green board perfectly. i have a soldering iron should i just solder the + until the cracks go away? thanks for the help so far guys.

update: i played around with the soldar(not for fun) and the first try i did didn't work but i came back and messed with the joints a bit more and it worked. Now the center LED light works!!!!!! i might make a video of taking off the cover in future when i want to change the tail light to one with the civic sign on it but again thanks everyone!

ezone

I use a hot iron with a fine tip, and retouch every last solder joint I can find, and add a bit of fresh solder at the same time.

I don't normally try to find a single suspect spot on a board that small since it only takes a few minutes to go over all the joints.