Boot Interior light

[Tattie 0]

Just for info

 

I had hassle with my boot interior light not coming on. Had power to the lamp but would not come on i.e. switch perm open.

 

After a bit of investigating the actual switch for the boot light is in the boot lock itself, the part on the tailgate - not the body. The nice brass looking shackle bit with the movable latch.

 

If you take off that shackle cover (4 plastic plugs which you have to push out the centres) and the tail gate cover (turn lock plastic screws) you can get access to it.

 

There should be a cable with a 2 core plastic plug on it which pushes into the rear of the lock (if viewed from outside the car) . It comes from near the locking motor itself.

 

The switch closes (operates the light) when the shackle part of the lock is open and opens (switches the light off) when the shackle closes/locks.

 

Only reason mine didn't work was because the cable had become loose in the socket. Pushed it home and its now A-OK!

 

I hope this is of help to anyone with a dodgy boot light.

[Jim 2]

Nice one. Make sure that light is definately going out though when you close the boot.. one of the common causes of the car mysteriously draining its battery if left for more than a day or two apparently :)

[Tattie 0]

Yeah checked that it all worked before I reassembled everything. Also my drive is on a slight hill. Has came in handy once so far!

[ben16v 0]

my alarm is on my boot light for the boot open sensor, is there another switch i could put the wire to and disconnect the boot light??

 

(dunno if it stays on but does loose charge after a couple of days)

[Tattie 0]

The only way round that would be put another switch in somewhere and extend the wires to it.

 

Mines the same, its connected to the earth line (goes from the lamp holder to the switch - grey wire)

 

But to be honest why bother if its working? As the switch is built into the lock itself as soon as the lock is operated/opened the switch activates. And you have to do that to actually open the boot. That means it operates before any other switch would.

[ben16v 0]

so its not on a plunger type affair like the bonnet

 

(or am ithinking mk2 golf..)

[Supercharged 2]

so its not on a plunger type affair like the bonnet

 

Nope, there is a plunger but its a damper/assistor for opening/closing.

[Henny 0]

benji16v, take the bulb out... ;)

 

The alarm installer should have connected the alarm sense wire onto the earth side of the lamp, not the live side so that it only works on the switch... removing the bulb will leave the switch working OK for the alarm and remove the light from your possibilities list for the battery drain... 8)