Flies Inside Tail Lights Mazda 3

[JFLanka]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2007 mazda 3. The problem i'm having is, there are flies trapped inside tail lights. I have no idea how they got in. Anyone else having the same problem? Any ideas on how to remove them? Here's a picture:

http://imageshack.com/a/img208/1775/yqxc.jpg

Thanks in advance.

[nano31]

One of my friend's Mazda 3 had exactly the same issue!

When he notice it the car in warranty period and they change it free of charge and had informed him that they will inform the mazda Japan.

Unfortunately the newly replaced taillight had to face the similar fate and now warranty is over!

I think only way you can remove it is by using heat gun and dismantle the unit and re gluing the unit only but do not try if you are not familiar.

Anyway try removing the unit from the car and remove the "breathing line" and turning the unit up and down might also do the job.

Car audio/modification place (ex: Bara-Dehiwala) where they do "smoking of lights" should be able to dismantle the unit by using heat gun!

Edited January 8, 2014 by nano31

[Schiffer]

I dont know about Mazda 3 but my Corona has vents on top of the housing of the tail lights, to which i assume is to let out the heat. Flied and stuff can crawl through those vents. There must be Vents on that tail light as well.

[JFLanka]

Thanks nano31 and Schiffer for the reply.
I tried to remove the light unit but i couldn't reach the nuts holding the unit in place. have to remove the side upholstry but it seems a little tricky. i removed all the plastic riverts which holds the upholstry but it won't come off. have to try tomorrow again. I can check for any vents once i remove the unit.

[VVTi]

Hi everyone,

I have a 2007 mazda 3. The problem i'm having is, there are flies trapped inside tail lights. I have no idea how they got in. Anyone else having the same problem? Any ideas on how to remove them? Here's a picture:

http://imageshack.com/a/img208/1775/yqxc.jpg

Thanks in advance.

I beleive the problem lies in the fact that someone is crapping in your tail light when you are not around. Thre is no other earthly explanation.

[JFLanka]

I managed to remove the unit. But as Schiffer and Nano said, i cannot see any breathing lines or vents on the housing.
I removed the turning signal light and checked for any holes. but i don't see any. didn't remove the brake light because the owners manual says the bulb is built into the unit (because the bulb is LED). I thought of blowing some air through the signal light holder and see if i can find any holes. But i'm bit concerned that it might damage the lenses. Do u guys think it is a good idea..??
here are some pics:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/841/1k83.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/p7t5.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/7/04za.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/802/z7of.jpg/

[Rumesh88]

It is not unusual for the rear light set to have a few openings towards the boot and behind the water seal for ventilation but what is unusual is that the flies are able to crawl into the boot and then reach the light. Although the car boot is not hermetically sealed it is not easy for insects - particularly flying species - to get there. See if any of the rubber seals or air vents opening to outside from boot interior are missing or damaged. Some how if they reach the boot which is dark then they may be attracted to the light.

[JFLanka]

Thanks Rumesh for the reply.

I tried blowing air into the light and noticed air can get inside. i think its getting inside from the little openings where the bulb holder fits in to the socket. There are no other visible openings.

[Davy]

Can you check the possibility of connecting a smaller tube to a vacuum cleaner and inserting it into the assembly? You might be able to pull the insects out without having to separate the housing from the lens.

[Crosswind]

How about keeping a piece of karawala just outside the tail light to flush the flies out ?

[JFLanka]

How about keeping a piece of karawala just outside the tail light to flush the flies out ?

Ha haa..

That is a good option.. but the problem is, flies are already dead..

[Watchman]

Can you check the possibility of connecting a smaller tube to a vacuum cleaner and inserting it into the assembly? You might be able to pull the insects out without having to separate the housing from the lens.

This is the est solution suggested thus far.

The flies would have gone in from SOME hole. Find it. use a small tube connected to a vacuum cleaner and send it through the same hole and suck those flies out.

[JFLanka]

Can you check the possibility of connecting a smaller tube to a vacuum cleaner and inserting it into the assembly? You might be able to pull the insects out without having to separate the housing from the lens.

Thanks for the reply Davy.

Yeah that might be possible. Have to try that.

Openings to the inside of the light are in the brake light. Not in the turning signal light. There are 8 LEDs and there's a space around each LED which is large enough to a fly to get in. I somehow managed to get most of them out through that space. But there are some flies stuck in the outer line of the light. As Davy said, if i can insert a small tube inside, I might be able to get them out as well.

Here's the image of the opening from the back of the housing:

Thanks everyone for the valuable ideas.

[Rumesh88]

@JFLanka, cleaning alone is not enough see how the flies get into the boot! Otherwise you will have to repeat the process every once in a while!

[Hoonigan]

What Rumesh said...if you are certain that these are the holes the flies got in through, you might want to seal that off, at least with some tape. If all the lights are LEDs that souldn't casue any overheating issues within the assembly. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Rumesh88]

What Rumesh said...if you are certain that these are the holes the flies got in through, you might want to seal that off, at least with some tape. If all the lights are LEDs that souldn't casue any overheating issues within the assembly. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

LEDs above 1W rating do produce appreciable heat. Even then as you said I do not think closing the tiny holes at the back would cause a serious problem. But the common belief is that the LEDs are made to last a life time and in case if one blows off you would be blaming yourself eternally for blocking the air vents. Having said that I have seen a few Insights in CBO with couple of LEDs from the brake light set gone. So they may not be as sturdy as you would believe them to be. Personally I hate LED brake lights particularly those in SUVs flashing right into my eyes. In case of incandescent lamps they give your iris a little time to adjust itself but LEDs do not .

[JFLanka]

@JFLanka, cleaning alone is not enough see how the flies get into the boot! Otherwise you will have to repeat the process every once in a while!

What Rumesh said...if you are certain that these are the holes the flies got in through, you might want to seal that off, at least with some tape. If all the lights are LEDs that souldn't casue any overheating issues within the assembly. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks Rumesh and Hoonigan for replying.

Boot lid seals well. Those flies were there for few years. They were there when we bought the car from the previous owner. May be he is the one who's responsible for the miserable death of those flies..

I searched again and again, couldn't find a place where flies can come in. I can seal the openings of the light but the issue is only the brake light is LED. Turning signal light is a normal bulb. So would it cause a problem if i seal off those openings..??

[Hoonigan]

In that case I guess the best thing to do is to let it be and keep watch. If one or two show up inside again, repeat what you just did and think about sealing the unit off at that point.

I didn't realise that they can heat up until Rumesh mentioned it. However I don't think your blinkers will cause much heat as they don't stay on for long periods. But it is best to leave it as it is until/if the flies become a problem again.

[JFLanka]

Can you check the possibility of connecting a smaller tube to a vacuum cleaner and inserting it into the assembly? You might be able to pull the insects out without having to separate the housing from the lens.

Sadly, I couldn't find a tube smaller enough to do the job. Even if i find one, it is not easy to navigate the end of it inside the light. So I tried inserting a wire and loosen the flies stuck in the edges:

It is difficult to point the end of the wire to where I want to.

So as Hoonigan said, I'm gonna leave it as it is now. I removed most of the dead flies. Here's how it looks now:

Looks better than how it was before:

Have to do the other side as well.

Thanks everyone for the valuable ideas.

[c1nder]

@JFLanka, cleaning alone is not enough see how the flies get into the boot! Otherwise you will have to repeat the process every once in a while!

Carrying a dead body in the trunk might explain it

[JFLanka]

Carrying a dead body in the trunk might explain it

Oh SH*T..!! You found out..??

[Hoonigan]

Oh SH*T..!! You found out..??

You actually own a Mazada and not a white van now do you???

[JFLanka]

You actually own a Mazada and not a white van now do you???

LOL

[Komisiripala]

Mazda makes white vans too!! Omg!!

[Hoonigan]

I thought Hiace was the weapon of choice.