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Broken Third Stop Light Tab Fix. Posted by FredKolb12 [Email]  (#46) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from FredKolb12) on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:20:21
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Pictures of this repair are in my gallery.
About a year ago, I broke one of the plastic tabs on the high-mounted third stop light on my 2000 9-5 SE V6. I kept the tab and did a quick fix with package tape (with the nylon strings). It held pretty well, but this past Nov, the VA inspection station claimed that white light was showing to the rear and decided to help me by using masking tape. That was a less than elegant solution (it soon failed), but the car had passed VA safety.
Just after that, parts became scarce due to the SAAB situation.
I knew I had to fix it or replace it so I finally took the light bar out of the car and came up with a fix. [You may need a small flat blade screwdriver to get plastic plate loose.] I decided I could epoxy the tab back in place, but knew it needed some reinforcement. A strip cut from a tin can top became the source of a reinforcement plate. I cut the top into a strip just sized to fit the width of the tab and base assembly. Once the strip was trimmed, I bent an âLâ into it so it would stay in place while the epoxy cured. Step one was to affix the steel strip with epoxy that sets in 20 minutes. Once it was cured, I put the tab in place with the same epoxy. Unfortunately, I had not scuffed up the side of the tab, so it stripped off the base with a loud SNAP when I tried to put on the light cover. I decided to redo it and this time scuffed up the epoxy surface and the tab.
Last night, the light assembly went back into the car with all new bulbs and the cover eventually lined up and snapped into place. [This reseating job and touching the light at any time is a daylight job. Dress the wire leads up above the light assembly as they will interfere with reseating the cover.]
What I learned:
1. Be careful and donât break it in the first place. (This applies to the whole car.)
2. You CAN fix this part if you canât find a new one or have not been to a junk yard.
3. Make sure to scuff the sides of the tab with an emery board or sandpaper so epoxy will stick well.
4. Align the reinforcement metal tab at about the right angle like the other sideâs tab. After it cures, add the tab and glue in place.
5. Do the reinstallation job in daylight (itâs easier to see than with a flashlight or droplight.
What you need: can cover, airplane tin snips, 20 minute epoxy, the broken tab, flat blade screwdriver, patience.
SAAB re-engineered this part (47-85-226) with metal clips (now it is 53-37-985) due to many failures of the plastic tabs. They used to cost $46, but now seem to list around $70 (wholesale prices are out there, too).
_______________________________________ The more details you learn about your Saab, the more interesting it becomes. Fred 2000 9-5 SE 3.0L V6
, Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:20:21 <-- Viewing This Message, Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:38:40
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