Decklid panel fitment

[JohnnyMacklin]

@NJ3 Thank you for the info! Mine looked exactly like the picture in the first post and even though it's a little thing, it always bothered me. After making some adjustments to those screws it looks so much better.

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[merlin803]

Thanks for all the info in this thread, the deck lid not aligning with my lights on my 23 Mach 1 has aggravated me for about a year, lol.

I finally got around to giving this a try and it is much better now.

 

[StangTime]

Thanks for this info @NJ3 I had a slight misalignment with stock taillights and I thought I could fix that when I changed them for the ice white versions. After installing I still had the uneven bottom edge. I planned to use plastic washers to move the taillight out, but I noticed the taillight hardware has a sealing gasket to keep water out of the trunk. If the gasket and cup washer are not pressing against the hole in the sheet metal, water will get in. I ultimately abandoned the idea and accepted them the way they fit. Now armed with your info, I am going to adjust them to get that alignment perfect. My wash mit always gets caught on the decklid corner sticking out.

 

[NJ3]

Thanks for this info @NJ3 I had a slight misalignment with stock taillights and I thought I could fix that when I changed them for the ice white versions. After installing I still had the uneven bottom edge. I planned to use plastic washers to move the taillight out, but I noticed the taillight hardware has a sealing gasket to keep water out of the trunk. If the gasket and cup washer are not pressing against the hole in the sheet metal, water will get in. I ultimately abandoned the idea and accepted them the way they fit. Now armed with your info, I am going to adjust them to get that alignment perfect. My wash mit always gets caught on the decklid corner sticking out.

I was going to use washers when I first attempted to adjust my taillights but when I noticed that sealing washer I knew adding washers wasn't going to work.
With time and patience you can get the taillights to line up with the decklid panel almost perfect.

I accepted the misalignment of the taillights to the decklid on my 2015 Mustang because there were so many panels that weren't aligned. But on my 2023 I couldn't accept it.

 

[merlin803]

As long as the 3 adjustment nuts are tightened back up after adjusting the screws, is their any danger of the light not being properly sealed?

 

[Kingballer]

Just confirming the adjustment screws indeed move to adjust tail light/deck lid alignment. I used 5/32. Thx again!

 

[luca1290]

Wow! Thanks!

I'm going to adjust mine's!

 

[RowdyRam]

I think the same person that did all y'all's taillights at the factory did mine too. Gotta try this myself soon, it's been bugging me too. Almost every Mustang I see has this issue.

 

[cerbomark]

Ford assembly line employee.

 

[involutions]

I did this as well. Mine was out on the driver's side about the same amount as the OP's and it took exactly 1/2 turn to make it even with the passenger side. I The correct tool is a TORX E6 (which is the smallest I had and it worked fine) or possibly an E5.

 

[jloshotz]

My adjustment / set screw bolts were either 5mm or 5.5mm, worked perfectly to line everything up

 

[Keith S]

Wow, I had no idea this was such an easy fix!

I am not an OCD panel gap guy, but mine was really off and it bothered me from the day I picked up the car… Few minutes in the trunk, lines up great now!

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Ah nice thread. Need to do this as well. Anyone know the torque spec on the tail lights nuts? In one of my past cars this was crucial to keeping the water out of the trunk, and if you overdid it, the tail light housings could crack.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Ah nice thread. Need to do this as well. Anyone know the torque spec on the tail lights nuts? In one of my past cars this was crucial to keeping the water out of the trunk, and if you overdid it, the tail light housings could crack.

Just snug it down lol. If you over tighten you will crack the housing. I can't see how water could leak in from way back there unless you are submerged lol.

 

[RJSS550]

I have the same issue and just found this thread. I just ordered some form lighting clear taillights and was wondering if anyone can confirm if these aftermarket lights have the adjustment bolts as the OEM ones do or we have to do the rubber shims? I’m waiting for these taillights to arrive but also don’t want to try to turn the screws and crack them if they don’t have that ability.

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