REAR LIGHTS

Hello how do you remove the plug from the rear light cluster .It seems as though there mwy me a lever to release it,but I dont want to force anyyhing I waqnt the lights out to respray the rear svar masking the clusters up Len

Sorry about the spelling ,didnt check it before I posted it .Must get a keyboard that can spell Len

There is a YouTube video covering this here.
https://www.google.com/search?q=mgf+rear+light+removal&oq=mgf+rear+light+removal&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIKCAEQABiABBiiBDIKCAIQABiiBBiJBTIKCAMQABiABBiiBDIGCAQQRRhA0gEINzY3OGowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_RnoiZrD4MqWnhbIPwN-n8A0_29

There’s a triangular retainer that clips over the peg on the edge connector, ease that away & wiggle the edge connector off the board.
I suspect a cheaper, nastier method of creating a fitting could have been found further down the barrel, but the bean counters at MG Rover didn’t have arms long enough to find anything worse further down.
I have a tube of Electrolube which was costly when I got the stuff many years ago & prior to reassembly I wipe a small amount on to the edge contacts, this, I feel extends the reliability between visits.
The “wires” to the bulb holders & the bulb peg retainers within the holders are tin coated steel, the bottom contact is some brass alloy, also tin flashed.
These crap choices are the roots of intermittentsy problems within the assemblies.
M

Len Ive just been out to mine to refresh my memory and it is very much easier than it looks.

First that whole plastic plate that carries the connection and all the bulb holders should be separated from the rest of the light fitting. That plastic tang you see a bit left of the letter R needs to be pulled to the side slightly. Theres also a 2nd one like that on the right, about the same distance from the centre. (It isnt quite so easily visible in that photo but it will look similar). The plastic plate then just lifts out. (Relative to your photo, just pull it towards you, away from the fitting).

Withe the bulb holder plate removed you'l be able to see the connector plug is actually an L shaped edge connector. This wont have been obvious whilst the plate was in place.
(Relative to your photo the plug should pull upwards vertically towards the top of the photo). It is only locked by a small piece of flexible plastic molding on the reverse side which will now be visible. Hold this down with the fingers of one hand whilst easing the plug upwards with the other.

The way it's put together isnt obvious but when you know how it goes together you will have it apart and the connectors off in seconds.

Just popped out to the garage and done it .I can now spray the rear end without having to mask the lights up Also can do a neater spray job Thanks again Len

I worked at British Leyland for 12 years and it was amazing some of the design flaws,usually to save a few pence Len