clear side markers
 

I just installed these and ended up not using a screw driver. I know there have been thousands of comments about this but I searched and couldn't find an answer to why one of the new side markers does not seem to latch back into place. I can seat it all the way in but can easily pull it back out. Did I break something?

Did you follow these instructions? There is a folded metal spring thing on the back of the unit that holds it securely in place. If this has become over-bent, it may not hold them in well. I remember that when I changed mine, there was a little effort to get the sping bit in but once there, it was solid.

Yeah those are the instructions I followed. It doesn't look like the clip is bent. When I look inside, I don't see what it should even clip to. When I initially put it in, I heard it lock in and it felt secure. After a drive today, it is pretty much dangling in there. Does anyone have a pic of what the inside should look like? Thanks.

cant you just run the car up to the porsche dealer? are you tight with the service guys where theyll just fix it really quick for you?

I had the same problem this week.

The amber came out fine and I snapped the clear in and it was tight; after I snapped the clear in, I noticed that I forgot to install the rubber cover on the wire harness. I removed the clear and went to re-install and it was sloppy as hell. It is nearly impossible to bend the spring back to normal.

Solution:

I am much wiser now and you can use a screwdriver to pop the spring. I ordered a new side marker and will install them today.

The more complicated fix is to take off the wheel, remove the plastic wheel well liner, and insert high pressure laminate shims between the side marker springs and the metal posts on the inside of the fender.

Damn, I should have ordered new ones too, but I wanted to drive it!

How did you get the marker out without depressing the retaining clip with a screwdriver? If you just pried it out, it's possible that the piece the clip secures against was broken or damaged. Just a thought.

The spring clip secures against a thick metal tab. The tolerances seem to be tight, and it's easy for the spring clip to become 'sprung' and loose its ability to securely hold the clear side markers. Don't believe they are made to be installed/ubinstalled/reinstalled multiple times.

So in other words, if I broke something, I broke the clip on the side marker itself? It just doesn't look all that "unsprung".

The spring clip is likely just no longer within tolerance. I had the clear markers on my 997.1, and removed them prior to picking up my 997.2. When I removed the amber side markers on the .2 and installed the clears, they would not fit tightly. Since this was a Saturday, I went ahead and removed the plastic wheel well liner, so I could better understand the problem. In short, I used small pieces of high pressure laminate and inserted them (as shims) between the metal tab and the side marker spring clip. This created enough tension to firmly hold the side markers in place. The best solution would have been new side markers with fresh clips, but I wad impatient to drive the car.

Install update..

I installed the new clear side markers after I had sprung the original ones on my first attempt.

No problems and the they fit tight.

A big thanks to Suncoast; they shipped the new clear marker and also threw in 4 amber take-offs markers for future screw-up if I want to go back to amber.

Please don't just pull them out!

Tool required, screw driver!

1) Remove the black plug on the inside of the wheel house.
2) Use smaller screw driver to push on the clip until it loosens.
3) Pull out the Side marker carefully, rear side first.
4) Unplug the wiring harness.

Kind of bad of Sunset to post an instruction which will damage the existing clip.