Let me start out by saying that I'm not always the sharpest hatchet in the rack. The other day, I was installing sequential turn signals in my '05. Having never removed the trunk liner before, I didn't know that they used a two piece fastener. I assumed that it was one piece fastener that they have been using for trim and door panels for many years. You know, the little plastic nail with the fins around the shank. Well, I popped it off, just like the old ones. To my disappointment, I found that I had ruined the fasteners. The two piece one, as you can see in the pictures, requires that the center pin be removed first, then the rest of it may be removed from the hole. Re-assembly would then be in the reverse order. But not in my case, mine were shot. So I went to my local fastener supply store and asked them for 4 replacements. The clerk looked all over, but said he didn't have an exact match for the ones that I damaged. Then he showed me one that I might try. The new replacement fastener had a Phillip's screw in the center. This would allow it to be installed and removed without damaging the fastener and they looked as good as the stock ones. I got to thinking that if I screwed up my fasteners, then there might be someone else in the same boat. I have included some pictures of the new ones, as well as the stock ones. Very possibly, if a person knew what the stock ones looked like inside, they might not damage them in the first place.

Dave

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Dave,

Would that have been Home Depot or Lowes? I busted mine when I installed my Chasers. Thanks for the tip!

 

I have a question, on my trunk liner, the bottom fasteners look like what you are showing, but the two top ones are totally different. They are 2 pieced, look like a hollow cylinder then there is a piece that goes inside that and grabs onto a threaded post coming out from the backside of the light? I am missing one of these pieces(the part that grabs the threads) and Ford dealer is no help. They printed out a diagram, we ordered the part that matched up, but it is no where close to what I need. Any ideas? (2005 v6 premium)

 

Yup, broke the one on the left side installing the sequential tail lights also. It doesn't seem to bother anything not being there.

 

I am about to remove my trunk liner to install sequential lights. If I should break any of the fasteners could you tell me the name of your "local fastener supply store"?

 

I have a question, which sequential tailights did you use? and would they be able to work on aftermarket tailights?

 

Any kind of fastner you want will be at pep boys. If not, go to your local auto paint store.