I promise I have searched first... here, youtube, google, etc... can't seem to find much information.
The wifes 2012 Countryman has been occasionally throwing a warning that indicates an issue with a bulb. I've looked them all over, and it appears the rear marker light is the only one out. I hoped I could access this from the same portal where you get to the brake lights, because apparently that'd be super easy... but it looks like you have to go through the wheel well. The few videos I found online appeared ot be older (or newer) models which just showed removing a screw and then you were pretty much set to move the wheel well out of the way, but this one appears to be held in place with plastic rivets. Without tearing too much into it, I'm nervous that if I pop these out, but I'm a little nervous about just popping them out in case I can't find replacements, they need a special tool to reinstall, etc. Any advice on replacing that bad boy?

 

Look at newtis.info

 

I actually checked that out (I saw one of your replies on a similar post, good link!) and it gives some details, but it also shows removing screws to remove the wheel liner, but mine has no screws, just rivets.

 

Go to realoem for part numbers and buy a pack of rivets before tackling job. I have to do this soon for sons front wheel arch to get at windshield pump (I think?) so I'll be popping rivets or screws soon.

 

Well, it's been a few months (ok, close to a year) but I finally decided to tackle this project. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought it might be. The rivets were what had scared me the most, but I don't think I had much need to...
Based on some of the links above, I figured I needed part #52108099299 and ordered a few from outmotoring. This was one of the two expanding rivet options presented. Turns out, I ordered the wrong one. 52108099299 is 16mm, and part #071498072127 was the 11mm version. I realized when I pulled out the old rivets that they were shorter than what I'd ordered, so I probably would've been better off with the 11mm version. As it was I was able to use the 16mm just fine except for one hole, which I was able to reuse one of the rivets with no problem. If I did it again, I'd order the proper part, but not worth waiting for the parts again.

Basic process ended up being:
- Remove tire
- There are a few 10mm nuts holding the wheel well trim in place. I removed those closest to the bulb. I'm not sure I actually needed to, but it probably made it a little easier.
- Remove the two bottom 8mm screws holding the rear bumper to the body.
- Remove four of the plastic rivets (there were 5 total, but one I could've removed or left, either way it didn't get in the way). I couldn't find a screwdriver small enough for this and ended up using an awl to push out the center portion or the rivets.
- With rivets and nuts removed I was able to push in the wheel well enough to get access to the electronics, and it just took a 1/4 turn to pull the wiring harness out of the light assembly, and then the bulb pulled right out.


- The bulb is a 2825 bulb, easy enough to find anywhere. Inserted it back into the wiring harness, slipped it back into the light marker assembly, and 1/4 turn the opposite direction to get it back in place.
- Put the wheel well back and work on rivets. Pretty typical two part plastic expanding rivets, so you just have to put it in the hole and then push the rod with pliers or a light tap of the hammer. Redo the 8mm bumper bolts, the 10mm nuts holding the wheel well in, and put the tire back on. Poof!

Still, kind of curious what the dealership would've charged me to do the same .