Can a hole in an indicator/brake light lens be repaired?

joaniemerc

I've put a hole (about 1" x 1") in the clear (reversing light) part of my indicator/brake cover by hitting a metal rim around a bollard.

£83 for a whole new cover and then whatever labour to replace it. Might sound mad but is there such a thing as liquid plastic or any other type of clear filler that would do the job, anyone know please?

[Deleted User]

Have you tried a breakers/eBay for one? Should be a lot cheaper.

Wig

I would get one from a scrap yard and fit it myself, they are usually held on with 4 screws, undone from inside the boot.

Failing that, a repair might be done most simply by using 2 inch wide clear sellotape, just tape over it. Or glue a bit of stronger thicker polythene -from food packaging, or if you have a bit of the same type of clear plastic from another scrap car lamp cover, you could glue that on. You would need waterproof glue, if glueing a new piece of lamp cover on I would try this stuff
http://thescaleworkshop.co.uk/product.php?id_product=175

If glueing a bit of polythene sheet from a tough pack of soup or something (TESCO does a pack of beefstrips, hash, peas, ricottta cheese and tomato sauce stir up in a strong thick plastic container) then I think you would struggle to glue it on with anything other than strong very tacky sellotape

pendulum

eBay parts for older cars can be pretty cheap if you keep an eye out.
I've only been asking £15 including delivery for each complete rear light cluster from my old Citroen ZX. One has sold and one hasn't.
If you had a Mondeo for example, type "Mondeo breaking" or "Mondeo spares" in to eBay and contact someone who's breaking a car like yours, chances are the price will be very reasonable (try and haggle if not).

Usually easy to fit yourself as well. Ask the breaker for install tips

colino

There is tape speciically for this, usually sold in clear, white, amber and red as a pack and as long as no white is showing round the repair (not important with reversing light!) can get you through an MOT.

paddedjohn

Lens tape, available from a motor factors or possibly halfords.

Delivery_Driver

A bit of silicone sealant will bodge it up in the short term/forget about it and its long term.

Sally_A

Aaah, for a moment there I was taken back to the days of Quality Street wrappers being used as a temporary fix.

As the reversing light is clear, I agree with the others, yes you can get tape to make do, however, the patterns on the plastic lens are designed to make the light look a lot brighter than any tape will do.

Of all lights, I'd say reversing was the least safety critical.

Just make sure it doesn't have a knock on effect on the visibilty of the brake/indicators if it's all part of one light cluster. If you don't feel 100% comfy with a quick fix, £83 could be worth it's weight. (and often these are fixable by the man in the street). Please don't scrimp with safety.

kingstreet

Big leap of faith here.

Assuming the OP's username is due to her association with Mercedes and that's why the new cluster is so expensive, can I suggest;-

http://www.prestigeallparts.co.uk/

I've been using them for a few years for bits for my wife's now ageing A160 and second hand stuff is an awful lot cheaper.

joaniemerc

Thanks so much, everyone:j

Some great hints and tips.
J

joaniemerc

kingstreet wrote: »

Big leap of faith here.

Assuming the OP's username is due to her association with Mercedes and that's why the new cluster is so expensive.

Spot on! It's on a CLK.