N/A Spoiler Removal Guide

I had a water leak from the spoiler attachment location.

Spoiler Removal Guide Attached.

 

Thanks for the information you provided here.
I have stickied this thread to keep it visable at the top of this section.

Gary

 

<< Just Silicone the hell out of everything >>

Good luck next time you need to take it loose or apart for service. You can buy a new seal at most automotive stores when reinstalling.

 

As James11549 says, if you silicone it up then it will be impossible to remove again.
This is a bad idea.
This should not be a sticky it should be unstuck. God help anyone who does this and has to remove the spoiler again, because it will not come off.

 

As usual, another awesome little tidbit to help us XF lovers tear into our car's innards. Good points if you want to re-enter the area down the road! I was just looking at one of those modules to flash your high mounted brake light and by golly, this gets you right into that area. Thanks again rekcah!

 

I am going to put in one of these flashers and to put it in you have to remove al the panels on the hatch. I intend to fit connectors on the OEM wires and the flasher. I will extend the wires down inside the panels to the bottom, that way if I ever have to R&R the flasher I will not have to remove all the panels. Also the flasher is stickied to the hatch, if it came loose it might rattle, if I stuck it on the inside of the hatch on the inside of the face with license plate lights, it could not fall any farther and would be on a horizontal face putting little stress on the glue. These sticky pads tend to creep in the heat and slower in the cold.

 

Great point! If its down on that 'ledge' it'll never 'fall' anywhere. Wiring is simple, its the access that sometimes baffles.. A simple grouping of the wires along the cabling to the hatch lamps makes for a fast error free install, and its totally hidden. Also, might be a great place for the splicing, up there where the cable bundle comes into the hatch, just 4 wires or less depending on the model used (I have seen 3 and 4 wires depending on the model used), added to the bundle (two down to the module and two returning back up to the splice)..

 

Hey 180, I found a module that's less than 3 bucks same number should be the 3 flash then 3 slower flash then steady on fleabay. The url is ( http://www.ebay.com/itm/Flash-Strobe-Controller-Flasher-Module-for-LED-Brake-Stop-Light-Lamp-T1K-/141092528159?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20d9c5201f&vxp=mtr ) . I'm ordering this and from what I found (if it isn't just the label being copied), it'll work. The feedback on this item at this seller is all 100% (for this module).

 

I got four of them as they were so cheap, the price included shipping so a real bargooooon.

 

Rather than pulling all the trim panels off the hatch lid (again!), I'll attempt to locate the LED brake light wires in the harness bundle at an easily accessible area and install the module there, any suggestions where that might be?

 

How about pin 5 ( black/blue wire ) out of the headlight switch ?

 

I guess you have to use two wires not just one..

 

At that price, I ordered 8 of them.
One for each of my 4 vehicles, and 4 more to give to people that haven't pi$$ed me off.

 

Thanks guys, if anyone uses this option please post results.

 

I think you'll have to cut into two wires so..................

 

Don't see why you'd have to do that. Ground is ground, just tie the 2 black wires together from the thingey and hook it in series with the red wires.
Won't that work ?

--------bl/bk----x----red---thingey----red-----x------bl/bk------------
gnd---black-----------------thingey-------------------black--------gnd

 

Whoa there Nellie!!! If you connect the two black together and GROUND them, then find the power wire going to the LED stoplamp and cut once. Attach the + line (the one you cut leading to the stoplamp) to the box +12v (red) in, then the 'out' wire from box (red) to the other wire you cut leading to the stoplamp. This puts the flashing box in parallel (you power the flashy box) then that box outputs the new signal to the actual stoplamp assembly. No matter how you ground the unit (even if the original ground to the LED assembly isn't cut into), the power line MUST be interrupted and only outputted to the lamp assembly. This will insure the lamp works properly. You also could cut both the hot and ground and install it that wag but this way (above) will work and you only have to cut one wire to insert the reds into the power line feeding the stoplamp. I got confused with the way you said that above George, and I am assuming the BK/BL wire your referencing is the actual color of the wire in everyones car be it LHD or RHD. I have found wires not labeled correctly as when they manufactured the harness they sometimes run out of a certain color/stripe.

 

OK, using this .pdf supplied by the most awesome forum membership, interrupt the number 5 (LHD) or 19 (RHD) wire from the illumination control module and insert the red wires as I indicated earlier. Then just ground the two BLACK wires from the 'BOX' that flashes (yes the one you bought with two sets of red/black wires, mine shows V IN +/- and OUT +/-).


If your as **** as I am, you can test the wire you cut before hooking up by attaching the positive probe and grounding the negative probe, then look for the signal (12v nominal) as you hit the brake pedal. That is the wire you connect the red V IN wire to. You connect the other piece of that wire to the OUT red wire of your flash box you bought. Hooking this up this way is perfect if you do not want to take apart your hatch trim AND the wiring diagram shows the correct terminals/direct wiring (ie there is no other device(s) in the circuit leading from the illumination control module to the LED array).


Personally, I just might take the trim out and hook into the BK/BL wire leading to the array (positive wire IN and OUT), and ground both of the black negative wires from the little flasher box. This way nothing else can be controlled by that flasher box.


Good luck!

 

OK, my install of the very inexpensive 100% fully functioning flashing TCMBL module!

IF THIS POST IS MISLOCATED, PLEASE RELOCATE, DO NOT DELETE! IT TOOK ME 4 HOURS TO GET IT RIGHT! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

1st. I installed it top left side of rear window behind the trim (where the wiring comes into the hatch on LHD vehicles). There is a perfect small cubby hole where it sits completely compact and protected.

2nd. I tied the two black neg wires together and snaked across the top to the hard ground point as indicated in the photo's. I did this to reduce the extra wiring running through the hatch trim area keeping it above the rear window.

3rd. I only cut the confirmed 08 LHD wiring color coded BK/BL wire, putting a female quick connect on hot side (insulated/encased in plastic) and the matching male on the LED lamp side (in case in the future there is a problem OR I want to remove it for another use (No, I do not want to sell my XF BUT if someone hits my car I will be able to move it to another as this install is completely reversable).

The only tools you need to access and close it all up is a #20 Torx, #30 Torx, and a trim tool to pop off the two trim pieces. The #20 is for the three screws (the large washer one is the handle access one), the other two #20 is for the left and right trim screws after the main handle/latch/lower trim piece is removed. The #30 is used at the top right GROUND hard point, I snaked the terminal behind the large ground wire and put it on top of the existing ground wire that is already installed). So, a lot of pictures, hope I can get em all in. A short narrative of each to help along. I am sorry I could not find a way to narate at each picture but here is the narrative starting at 1 ending at 46. The picture number matches the comment number below. I open two windows, one to follow comments the second to scroll the pictures to the comments.

1. Take the cover off the 'handle' trim screw. Use the #20 Torx on that one screw (#20 on my 08).

2. Use your trim tool to pop off the white trim fittings around the trim piece. I think there was 7.

3. Close up of one of the two (top trim) screws, remember, this is a #20 (in my 08).

4. RH side of top trim removed, notice the clips where the trim (tabs) lock into.

5. Picture of heater grid control box, notice the GROUND hard point to the left?

6. Top @ center frame, you can see the bottom of the LED assembly above the screw (note trim clip).

7. Top left, black wire tape bundle is the LED wire harness, this is where I cut hot lead and wired up.

8. Top and left frame, clips, grid, again notice the cloth covering wires to LED assembly.

9. Picture is the top left inner trim (reversed), had to (?) nip small tab on right of picture, you'll see.

10. Picture is top trim reversed again, notice flat spots either side of lower extension, more to come.

11. The plug, top left into LED assembly, the BK/BL is the HOT lead I used. The brown GROUND.

12. Slipped sticky cloth wire cover way back, for room to splice and insulate. More to come!

13. Two rubber pieces dropped out of lower trim when removed, remember those top trim flat spots?

14. Closeup of left side LED assembly, hmmmm, small square shape matches little rubber squares?

15. Right side same shape opposite location.

16. Here is one of the top trim small square offsets, noting slight square impression?

17. Other side top trim, same impression. I believe those two rubber squares were attached/pinched.

18. I used this paper thin double sided tape cut to fit the rubber squares to reattach them.

19. Like this!

20. Attached here, just because.

21. And here, just because.

22. Started to wire the two black module wires to the GROUND hard point.

23. Finished splice, tape, and shrink wrap, you'll see where I 'clipped' this onto the top frame point.

24. Closeup of GROUND hard point on the top right side to left of heat strip module.

25. Closeup of male input terminal and female output terminal on red HOT wires of new module.

26. A small demonstration of the connection of the two splices, notice the (right) HOT output is female?

27. Harness splice, notice HOT side is female, reduces potential for a grounding if loose/energized.

28. Module inserted, located into the cubbyhole it easily fits into without any problem.

29. Notice the black GROUND splice in the clip to right of module? It holds and immobilizes wires.

30. The included double sided tape partially curved around corner of long side of module.

31. The slightly larger than the module cubbyhole, it fits perfectly and the tape holds bottom and side.

32. Approx 1/4 tab" trim I did (center) just in case it may have rubbed, measurements didn't think so.

33. Module taped in place, the portion of tape curved behind module helps hold it to the cubbyhole.

34. The tool I used, only the #20 and #30 used, no other tool except the trim tool, thats all!

35. Tuck and tie of wires into area between glass and frame, no sharp chaffing areas anywhere.

36. Notice the black GROUND wire fishing to the GROUND hard point under the LED assembly?

37. Closeup of GROUND from module inside and onto GROUND hard point #30 Torx on top of existing.

38. Closeup of approximately 1/4" 'JUST IN CASE' trim tab trimmed from the prior noted local. SMALL!

39. This foam double sided tape came in handy for securing the GROUND wire under the LED array.

40. Roll approx 1/2x1/2" or smaller and prepare to 'tuck' into the space in next picture as indicated.

41. See how to 'trap' the GROUND wire in a couple locations, helps reduce slack and vibration, if any.

42. I trapped the GROUND in 5 locations, I am too **** for sure! Ready for trim, Pretty aint it?

43. Reassembly, be sure to use the right screws for the upper trim attachment after popping in clips.

44. Before final insert/tightening of screws, line up screw holes by tapping trim lightly in hidden places.

45. Notice the two upper trim screws are different from the one lower trim screw where the handle is.

46. Gross grease/dirt/debris on lower trim at latch, cleaned B4 reattaching. WORKS PERFECTLY, DONE!

 

It was a lot easier on my roadster. Used 2 sets of polarized 2 pin trailer connectors and just tapped into existing wiring.
Mounted the unit to the inside of the black metal brace.
I can now unplug it if I want and plug the 2 remaining connectors together to return to stock.