Applies to: VW PASSAT (1998-2005) JETTA (1999-2005)
To access the fasteners that hold the tail light in place you will need to pull back the trim cover in the trunk. You can pull back even more of the trim cover if you lift up and down on the trunk liner. This should give you plenty of room to work
Remove the three 8mm nuts. Be careful it is very easy to drop them down behind the trunk liner and very hard to retrieve them
After the three nuts are removed, start to work the tail light out.
Once the tail light is away from the body of the car, disconnect the electrical connector