# Your best Internet lifelines against ignorance.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-internet-lifelines-against-ignorance/487160>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [February 24, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-internet-lifelines-against-ignorance/487160 "2009-02-24T03:59:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-internet-lifelines-against-ignorance/487160/1 "2009-02-24T03:59:22Z")

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My father, who is visiting, is so good making friends that he can even convince them to help the family with some very specific chores that could cost a serious amount of money.

My VW Beetle had one of the brake lights off, no problem, I got a replacement light and it was advised at the auto part store that the rear lights are easy to change, but because we got a good and cheap repair shop I was not worried to pay a little for the replacement.

But before I got to it, my father got the neighbor to start replacing the bulb in the garage. Oh well, my father knows more of cars than me so I trust he got good help. But when I saw the back tire being removed from the car that then I realized that there was trouble.

They reported that the way to change the light mentioned in the car manual was not clear, that removing the back screw of the casing in the trunk did not release the light casing so they began to dismantle the panels underneath the light casing.

I mentioned that that was not needed, but it was two against one.  
Time for a lifeline like on the “Who wants to be a Millionaire” show..  
After some searches in Google the step that was missing showed up:

[http://www.cindyli.com/index.php/site/comment/vw\_beetle\_tail\_light\_bulb\_replacement/](http://www.cindyli.com/index.php/site/comment/vw_beetle_tail_light_bulb_replacement/)

> [@](#):
>
> Along the rear fenders where the lights are, there are two gaps. The inside gap (nearest hatch back door), is a release tab/clip on the light inside between the gaps.
> 
> Insert a butter knife or something slim and pull out the casing (don’t be afraid, and it take a little force to pull it out).

I got strange looks for coming into the garage with a butter knife, we removed the screw again, but the knife was too wide, using a long thin normal screwdriver in the gap did the job by having the light casing pop up, the web site in any case was correct on the location of the tab so it save us from more grief and spending more money.  
So, share your tales of Internet lifelines and cites, you could be helping other dopers, and to help relatives avoid embarrassing situations.