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David87

Member Since: 03 Mar 2015
Location: Essex, innit
Posts: 21

2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 SW Corris Grey

Difficulty Replacing Number Plate Lamp

Due to my wife kindly reversing my Defender into a lamp post, I need to replace the number plate lamp, which was obliterated. Thankfully the bodywork was untouched!

I'm having issues with it in that the part I ordered from my local LR dealer doesn't seem to have the same connections as the one already on the car (see pics). The broken base plate (doesn't look so bad in the pic, but needs to be swapped as it was pretty smushed and is cracked) has rivet-type things holding the wires in place, whereas the new one has what look like very small jet engines. Do I have the wrong part?

Secondly, when I have undone the 8mm bolts that hold the base plate to the plinth and the plinth to the body, the nuts that they tighten into have fallen inside the bodywork. How on Earth do I go about sorting this as the bolts now can't be tightened at all! The back of the car is looking very sad indeed.

I had no idea this could be such a headache - I can see myself having to take it to a specialist to get it sorted out!

Thank you so much for your help.

Old one:
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Click image to enlarge[/URL]
New one:
[URL=]

Click image to enlarge[/URL]
Where the bolts go into. On the left hole you can see one of the nuts, shortly before it fell into oblivion.
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Click image to enlarge[/URL]

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

18th Aug 2016 10:28pm

Chocolate

Member Since: 18 May 2012
Location: Berkshire
Posts: 153

2004 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Bonatti Grey

Hi David
You have to remove the speaker panels, or you can get to the nuts by just removing the speaker. I did this recently when replacing mine to LED.
You can just about see the holes with the speaker removed.
Bit of a faff but not too bad..

Wayne. 110XS CSW TD5.

18th Aug 2016 11:01pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20339

You'll need to access the nuts from the inside, remove the speaker inside in the panel and locate the nut(s).

Probably quite awkward but easily possible, if really awkward remove plastic speaker panel too.

The nut(s) won't be lost anywhere they will be present just behind there at the bottom.
Simply hold it one side and tighten the other.
Don't over tighten either.

18th Aug 2016 11:04pm

Alien

Member Since: 18 Jan 2015
Location: Bacchus Marsh
Posts: 230

Getting to the nuts has been covered, Land Rover fitted very few captive nuts to the Defender from what I've found.

For the wireing it looks like the origional wires are used from what I can see in the picture.
There may be a screw in the " bullet" conectors or it may be a solder job. Cheers,
Kyle.

19th Aug 2016 3:54am

Ryderoo

Member Since: 28 Aug 2015
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1666

2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Santorini Black

David, as above posts you need to access from behind the light.

I changed mine last year with an LED unit from MUD.
They have instructions on line on the fitting of this unit.

http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/led-number-license-plate-lamp.html just click fitting instructions

Hope this can help you sort it out mate, it was quite an easy job, as I was able to do it

Cheers Simon

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you

1990 110 TD5 county, my first Land Rover - gone
2012 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone
2014 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone
2015 Evoque SD4 dynamic - Wife’s - gone
2015 Urban Truck 90 XS Santorini Black Hard Top - Reluctantly gone
2020 Discovery 5 Eiger Grey 3.0 SE - gone March 24
2021 Defender S D250 Santorini Black 110 HT - gone March 24
2023 Evoque P300e SE wife’s current vehicle

19th Aug 2016 5:18am

Lotus_esprit_s1

Member Since: 01 Oct 2014
Location: Uk
Posts: 201

You need to cut the wires off you original unit. You then strip approx 10mm of insulation off each one. Remove each "jet engine" (bullet) from the lamp. Push the wire through the back of each bullet so that the bare wire is sticking though the hole. Fold the bare wire back over the bullet then push the bullet back in the lamp socket to make the connection.

19th Aug 2016 5:53am

Clive

Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Littleborough
Posts: 467

2004 Defender 90 Td5 X-Tech LE Zambezi Silver

It looks to me like you've got the wrong one, I'm pretty sure the newer type comes with the wires attached, terminating in a two way connector which sits inside the rear cover or speaker.

As already mentioned, the nuts are not captive, they're accessed from inside behind the cover/speaker.

19th Aug 2016 9:56am

Brewstop

Member Since: 28 Oct 2012
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 313

2002 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Zambezi Silver

Ryderoo wrote:
David, as above posts you need to access from behind the light.

I changed mine last year with an LED unit from MUD.
They have instructions on line on the fitting of this unit.

http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/led-number-license-plate-lamp.html just click fitting instructions

Hope this can help you sort it out mate, it was quite an easy job, as I was able to do it

Seconded, go LED

https://www.firstfour.co.uk/defender-wipac...-lamp.html Sandy

19th Aug 2016 10:18am

Martin
Site Admin

Member Since: 02 Apr 2007
Location: Hook Norton
Posts: 6605

2015 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Montalcino Red

You've got an earlier bullet-type lamp as a replacement, rather than the plug-and-socket type.

If you can solder or know someone who can you can use the leads from your old broken one to convert your replacement.

1988 90 Td5 NAS soft top

2015 D90 XS SW

19th Aug 2016 10:37am

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20339

If you go LED to swap definitely go for the one in the FF link above. One before I had was useless.
The Wipca one in the link I have now and is faultless

19th Aug 2016 11:17am

Birdy

Member Since: 07 Oct 2011
Location: Côte d'Azur
Posts: 865

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black

I can understand the OP replacing his smashed number plate light light with an LED one, possibly cheaper than one from the dealer.

But why do others replace perfectly good ones? And flashers, side repeaters etc.? Not trolling, I've upgraded the headlamp bulbs on my own truck, but need to be explained the advantage of LED'ing the rest.

Peter

19th Aug 2016 5:07pm

VeeTee

Member Since: 06 Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1512

Seriously? In the first three years of ownership I replaced three bulbs and four complete lamp units (rear/brake and indicators) due to the outstanding quality of these items (water ingress, melted bulb holder, corroded bulb connectors etc. etc.). I then replaced all indicators, rear/brake and dim headlights by sealed led units (RDX), now 5 years ago - never had a problem since... Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold)
1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold)
1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold)
1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold)
2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold)
2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold)

MySite

19th Aug 2016 6:52pm

Ryderoo

Member Since: 28 Aug 2015
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1666

custom90steve wrote:
If you go LED to swap definitely go for the one in the FF link above. One before I had was useless.
The Wipca one in the link I have now and is faultless

To be fair my mudstuff lamp is running fine after a year and provides a good light. I'm happy, it matches the rest of the LED lamps on my 90

19th Aug 2016 7:46pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20339

Is that Wipac? There is two types with different LED styles.
Wipac's I have now and is excellent, the other Le Perei I think it is or something was crap.

SMD vs Regular again, IMO SMD LED wins every time.

19th Aug 2016 7:51pm

Ryderoo

Member Since: 28 Aug 2015
Location: South Oxfordshire
Posts: 1666

Not sure if it is wipac, no branding on cover, all the same looks good and no problems after a year.

How do the LED's differ, mine gives an even spread of light across the number plate. Cheers Simon

I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you

1990 110 TD5 county, my first Land Rover - gone
2012 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone
2014 Discovery 4 XS SDV6 - gone
2015 Evoque SD4 dynamic - Wife’s - gone
2015 Urban Truck 90 XS Santorini Black Hard Top - Reluctantly gone
2020 Discovery 5 Eiger Grey 3.0 SE - gone March 24
2021 Defender S D250 Santorini Black 110 HT - gone March 24
2023 Evoque P300e SE wife’s current vehicle

19th Aug 2016 8:07pm

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