Taillight Bug(s)

No, not an electrical problem, (that's another story) - but literally, a family of teeny, tiny winged creatures has set up housekeeping inside my left taillight housing.



Yesterday, when I was detailing the car I noticed them. At least one of them was flying/hopping around inside.



Any ideas on how to evict them without tearing the entire light housing apart?

TIA

Ha .... you know humans were not meant to live in Houston. I remember the time the locusts covered all the downtown buildings ..... like a plague.

Depending on the exact configuration you might remove a light bulb and spray a little insecticide ..... but I'd hate to fog the inside of the plastic with poison.

Insects have short lives...... if its just a couple and not a colony maybe leave it alone for a couple of days and see if they just die of natural causes.

Originally Posted by laser

Ha .... you know humans were not meant to live in Houston. I remember the time the locusts covered all the downtown buildings ..... like a plague.

So true. Of course, Hotlanta is not much more hospitable. Though it is at least greener.

If you can remove a bulb and get an opening into the housing, what about rigging up a 1.5" - 2" piece of soft, flexible tubing to a vacuum and sucking the little guys out of there?

We had a rather large, incredibly ugly bug (dead) in the front of my wife's headlight unit on her Lexus - costs us $$$ to get it out. And then, the car was hit about 3 months later. Yep, front side and the whole light had to be replaced....

Originally Posted by andrew b

If you can remove a bulb and get an opening into the housing, what about rigging up a 1.5" - 2" piece of soft, flexible tubing to a vacuum and sucking the little guys out of there?

We had a rather large, incredibly ugly bug (dead) in the front of my wife's headlight unit on her Lexus - costs us $$$ to get it out. And then, the car was hit about 3 months later. Yep, front side and the whole light had to be replaced....

Good suggestion.

For the meantime, I'm watching the bug life-cycle, per Laser's observation. Maybe after I've seen they've all expired, I'll tear into the lightbulbs.

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

No, not an electrical problem, (that's another story) - but literally, a family of teeny, tiny winged creatures has set up housekeeping inside my left taillight housing.

Yesterday, when I was detailing the car I noticed them. At least one of them was flying/hopping around inside.

Any ideas on how to evict them without tearing the entire light housing apart?

TIA

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kat,
Leave it up to YOU to have a previously UNHEARD OF problem!!

Only the left? They must be Democratic bugs! Certainly look very closely for an entry point. Must be an opening somewhere...and it could be very small if their teeny weeny "eggs" were permitted to enter and hatch! You'd think that water/moisture would get in there if THEY could get in there??

If you vacuum as suggested, you'll need an "exhaust port" to create a suction flow...not sure how this will work.

I KNOW you're QUITE ANXIOUS about this...sending Xanax as we speak (very small dose).

I took a few minutes to check mine out (again- I had a code thrown from a taillight for high resistance not so long ago) for you Kat, with a few photos. To get to this point right here, no exaggeration, I think only about 5 seconds. The panel pulls right off (pull outer edge towards the panel's center, putting a thumb right at where each "tooth" would probably give you easiest success; either side works, but it might be easier going "away from you"?).



There is only one little gray tab to depress and the socket panel comes right out. To unplug the plug, I remember that being a bit difficult, I probably had to use something to help depress the tab to do so, but it's not necessary here anyway for you. Tip, when you're all done and putting it back together, make sure to double check that the socket is snugly in place by pulling on it. It's weird how it always takes me a few tries, even if every try really seems like "oh, it's gotta be in, right?". I'm thinking it might help to pull the tab vertically to help it "snag" or something, not so sure.

A better angle at a couple/few apertures you have to work with:



This is using the "flex neck extension wand" that came with my Metro Vac, to see if it would get in there.




I think it can get to most* places inside (I did play around with a bit) and the one thing on my side (if I was in the same predicament) is that the suction power would be pretty strong with the machine, given the small aperture of the wand.

Anyway, andrew's idea is definitely worth a shot, you could be done within minutes, if you're lucky that is. Good luck, and nice flake in your paint! What LSPs am I seeing there?

Originally Posted by pointandgo

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kat,
Leave it up to YOU to have a previously UNHEARD OF problem!!

Only the left? They must be Democratic bugs! Certainly look very closely for an entry point. Must be an opening somewhere...and it could be very small if their teeny weeny "eggs" were permitted to enter and hatch! You'd think that water/moisture would get in there if THEY could get in there??

If you vacuum as suggested, you'll need an "exhaust port" to create a suction flow...not sure how this will work.

I KNOW you're QUITE ANXIOUS about this...sending Xanax as we speak (very small dose).

I think the fact that the bugs got in there in the first place is evidence that the unit is not exactly hermitically sealed. If you can find a place to insert the vacuum hose you will probably be able to generate suficient air flow to suck then out,

If that does not work try to find a small bird that can fit through the bulb opening and then if you can't get the bird out you can . . . . .

Oh, the hell with it!

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider,
That wriggled and wiggled and tiggled inside her;
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd to swallow a bird.
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cat;
Fancy that to swallow a cat!
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady that swallowed a dog;
What a hog, to swallow a dog;
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cow,
I don't know how she swallowed a cow;
She swallowed the cow to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider,
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - Perhaps she'll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a horse...
She's dead, of course!

CA

Originally Posted by pointandgo

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kat,
Leave it up to YOU to have a previously UNHEARD OF problem!!

Only the left? They must be Democratic bugs! Certainly look very closely for an entry point. Must be an opening somewhere...and it could be very small if their teeny weeny "eggs" were permitted to enter and hatch! You'd think that water/moisture would get in there if THEY could get in there??

If you vacuum as suggested, you'll need an "exhaust port" to create a suction flow...not sure how this will work.

I KNOW you're QUITE ANXIOUS about this...sending Xanax as we speak (very small dose).

Yes, Interesting only on the Left. HMMMM, what is interesting is that the left side of the car has had the chronic water retention problem for which I've previously employed countermeasures.

ps: Thanks for the Xanax!!



Amazing how those Californicated bugs have managed to find their way to Tejas!

Originally Posted by Ilovemycar

I took a few minutes to check mine out (again- I had a code thrown from a taillight for high resistance not so long ago) for you Kat, with a few photos. To get to this point right here, no exaggeration, I think only about 5 seconds. The panel pulls right off (pull outer edge towards the panel's center, putting a thumb right at where each "tooth" would probably give you easiest success; either side works, but it might be easier going "away from you"?).



There is only one little gray tab to depress and the socket panel comes right out. To unplug the plug, I remember that being a bit difficult, I probably had to use something to help depress the tab to do so, but it's not necessary here anyway for you. Tip, when you're all done and putting it back together, make sure to double check that the socket is snugly in place by pulling on it. It's weird how it always takes me a few tries, even if every try really seems like "oh, it's gotta be in, right?". I'm thinking it might help to pull the tab vertically to help it "snag" or something, not so sure.

A better angle at a couple/few apertures you have to work with:



This is using the "flex neck extension wand" that came with my Metro Vac, to see if it would get in there.




I think it can get to most* places inside (I did play around with a bit) and the one thing on my side (if I was in the same predicament) is that the suction power would be pretty strong with the machine, given the small aperture of the wand.

Anyway, andrew's idea is definitely worth a shot, you could be done within minutes, if you're lucky that is. Good luck, and nice flake in your paint! What LSPs am I seeing there?

ILMC: Thanks for the insight particularly in respect to the metrovac! That's what I have as well. Might have to give this a whirl tomorrow afternoon in the broad daylight.

Regarding the paint fleck: The first pic is after my final workup: Wolfgang Paint sealant 3.0 chased with Dodo Wax Diamond White Hard Wax. The second pic is just after the PS 21 Paint Sealant. Thanks for noticing!

Originally Posted by captainaudio

I think the fact that the bugs got in there in the first place is evidence that the unit is not exactly hermitically sealed. If you can find a place to insert the vacuum hose you will probably be able to generate suficient air flow to suck then out,

If that does not work try to find a small bird that can fit through the bulb opening and then if you can't get the bird out you can . . . . .

Oh, the hell with it!

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly - perhaps she'll die!

There was an old lady who swallowed a horse...
She's dead, of course![/COLOR]

CA

LOL

[QUOTE=captainaudio;7119871]I think the fact that the bugs got in there in the first place is evidence that the unit is not exactly hermitically sealed. If you can find a place to insert the vacuum hose you will probably be able to generate suficient air flow to suck then out,

If that does not work try to find a small bird that can fit through the bulb opening and then if you can't get the bird out you can . . . . .

Oh, the hell with it!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BURL IVES!!! I have ALL of his tapes (8-track of course). I greatly admired him.

[QUOTE=pointandgo;7119904]

Originally Posted by captainaudio

I think the fact that the bugs got in there in the first place is evidence that the unit is not exactly hermitically sealed. If you can find a place to insert the vacuum hose you will probably be able to generate suficient air flow to suck then out,

If that does not work try to find a small bird that can fit through the bulb opening and then if you can't get the bird out you can . . . . .

Oh, the hell with it!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BURL IVES!!! I have ALL of his tapes (8-track of course). I greatly admired him.

Oh, the good ol' days.

Never seen these little buggers "up north," but then my detailing routine is severely lacking. Perhaps I just can't see them under all that dirt.

Hey Kat, I probably wasted your time this afternoon, didn't I? I'm sorry about that. Maybe I'm lucky and caught you in time. Skip to the ** to see the bit about trying the wand again, but otherwise I explain why I was digging through again, to begin with.

So I started the car for the first time after pulling/reinstalling the socket, and I got another CC-ID code, but this time for the left panel! LOL, I didn't even unplug the thing. Last time I had the aforementioned issue it was the right panel, but I decided to replace both since one whole side was only about $16, and initial shipping was such a big part of the total cost anyway.

So I unplugged, replugged, still had the code. I reinstalled the older original panel, and now the code is gone. What gives? I turned on hazards, rear fogs, etc, to see if I could discern any difference in brightness/hue/something, but thankfully I couldn't.

**Anyway, because I had it open again, I played more with the wand. I don't think I could get the wand to the left part of the light assembly. I think I could get the wand to just about every nook and cranny of the larger "back side" of the panel. I apologize for my lack of thoroughness. Also, I admit I was being a bit careful, thinking of Murphy's law, and wondering if I was going to detach the brush tip of the wand inside the light assembly, seeing as how my luck was already going here, heh.

TBH, I'm not sure how you can even get in there. I pulled back the inner insulation of the trunk just a bit to see if there were any other exposed holes to get too, and I didn't see any immediately.

I saw your thread about your battery/electric issue, so I decided to throw my CTEK on. I hope they find a simple solution for you!

Originally Posted by Nordic_Kat

For the meantime, I'm watching the bug life-cycle, per Laser's observation. Maybe after I've seen they've all expired, I'll tear into the lightbulbs.

Kat, if they're hard to reach with the vacuum don't be afraid to just pull the taillight assembly and wash them out. The lights are easy to remove, secured only by the three nuts you can see in your pictures. Just take care not to damage the seal between the housing and body, and maybe slap some painter's tape over the bumper in case you slip.

Rinse out the critters with the hottest tap water you can stand (to aid evaporation), drain, let sit a few hours and/or chase out any remaining moisture with a hair dryer.

(Aside to captainaudio: I'm surprised you omitted the most relevant verse when you transcribed the lyrics:

I know an old lady who swallowed a goat
Just opened her throat, and swallowed the goat!

)