High level brake light gasket - NC retractable hard top.

Technical Area Body, Interior & Styling
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Does anybody know if it is possible to get a new gasket for the high level brake light on a MK3 with power retractable hard top. Removed the light to get deck sprayed as some paintwork was bubbling and the foam gasket broke up when pulling the light unit off.

Also had to cut the black “fabric“ to take out wiring and remove nuts, is there a similar material which can be used to patch it over rather than just using black tape. 

Thanks

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Mazda dealer?

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This was discussed 4 months ago, I believe the outcome was that the gasket was not available in the UK unless a new H/L brake light was purchased but it is available in the US.

Richard. 

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As above really or that was the situation when this was discussed last.

May be worth contacting your local dealer first, armed with the part number to see if the situation has changed. 

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Thanks for the replies, I did suspect that the gasket may not be available as I couldn’t find it on mx5parts.co.uk. However the posts above relate to NB with the brake light on the boot lid, mine is a NC with retractable hard top where the brake light is on the deck between the rear window and boot. Maybe a trip to the nearest main dealer as suggested by mjwman is the best way to be sure.

Chris

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My high level had a few LEDS that had failed, so I had to change the whole unit.

I don’t recall a gasket though.

A few bits of foam around the clips and that’s all.

The clip holes were raised above the deck, so unlikely to let any water in.

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Can’t you just make a replacement?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/ramgasketsolutions

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Yes, apologies but reflects a similar scenario with the MK3 I believe.

Here is a thread that may be useful

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There are a number of references in the links I’ve looked at which say that the brake light is held in by clips.

The one on my NC with retractable hard top is rather different, it is secured by 3 nuts which go onto studs moulded in to the plastic of the brake light unit. Around where the electric lead enters the light, there is a gasket. This is a black foam “D” shape which is adhesive on both sides and when I removed the light it is this which tore apart so is the part I’m trying to source. The adhesive on one side sticks to the bake light and the other is on the deck which the light is fixed to. This makes it a particularly good seal but if it’s not possible to get a new one I may end up using silicone or similar.

I’ve tried to include a picture to show exactly what I mean but get the error that number of characters has been exceeded.

Chris
 

 

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Thread Resurrection!!!

My situation and query is identical to kirkyboy’s; removed PRHT deck and third brake light in readiness for a respray and the foam gasket for the brake light has taken it’s own life during removal.

Will see to fabricate my own if required, but has anyone found a source for gasket on it’s own?

Thanks.

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Double sided number plate tape or 3M tape and a craft knife.
Can’t be that difficult.

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Not overly informative, but thanks anyway.

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I just had to remove mine as it filled (10mm deep) with water. No idea how that is getting in. But the foam seal was wrecked on removal, I had nothing suitable (it needs a lot of compliance, as the fit is unknown and invisible when assembling), so I used silicone sealant. It may be tricky to remove next time (and I expect there will be a next time).

So does anyone know how the water is getting in so deep?

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I too ended up using silicone sealant (left over from the scuttle grommet fix) to seal my brake light.
The advantage that I had was that I had the deck off the car and so with it inverted I could easily visually check that the silicone had formed a decent seal as it oozed into the cable hole; I didn’t have to mess around with a mirror and a torch to see the state of affairs.

As the third light is supposed to be a sealed unit I can only supposed that the unit is no longer sealed around either the base or the lens? Is it regularly left outside on an incline “node down”? My best bet would be on the seal with the lens being the entry point (but that is a wild guess)

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Thanks - its kept outside, but on the flat. I could not get the water to leak back out when I waved it about, so could not find the point of ingress. Had to drill holes in the base to drain it, which are now taped up. I did seal the back lower lip (base to lens join) with silicone in the hopes of keeping the water out, only time will tell if that makes any difference - I’m not optimistic.

Are the scuttle grommets the silly plastic clips which retain the plastic ‘cowl’ on the windscreen (that covers the wiper motors), with their feeble foam seals? If so, I have done both mine (last year) and my daughter’s (last week). An irritating fault, but what bliss to be able to drive without a plant tray in the passenger footwell! I would have had to fix mine quicker if it had been the driver’s side.

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scuttle grommets - yes. you are right