Hello ALL.

There are two lights in the luggage compartment. My only question is: Are these lights supposed to turn ON when the trunk (deck) lid is lifted - even when the other lights, ignition, engine, etc. are NOT on ? Thanks for your help.

Rick

 

Yes.

 

OK. Thanks Greg. That's what I thought. While installing new gas struts I noticed they do not come on. I suppose after owning it for 24 years the bulbs have gone out. Easy enough fix.
Do you know if the lights go on as soon as the trunk button is depressed ? Or does the deck lid need to be raised a bit for the lights to go on ? I ask this because I don't drive it that often and its kept on a battery tender. So I have a power cord running to the trunk requiring the lid to be cracked open just a bit to allow the cord to run to the battery.

Rick

 

Even lid cracked open and not sure how much, but there is a switch near the latch mechanism I believe, that completes a ground for the lights to turn on.
Best method to make sure the lights are not on when you have the battery tender on is to disconnect the light fixtures.

 

OK. Thanks so much. I'll test this.

Rick

 

The switch is, at least on coupes, on the LHS rear corner of the boot opening, and is activated by closing the lid of the boot. There should be a rubber pad of some sort on the lid inside surface to push the switch plunger.

 

Rick,

As you may know, the boot light switch is one of the most common causes of XJS inadvertent battery drain.

If you're running anything which requires the boot lid to be anything less than perfectly closed, then I would remove the boot light bulbs as many of us have done. They are pretty useless anyway.

Good luck

Paul

 

I have had a battery tender attached all winter with the with the terminal attachment wires coming out of the trunk/boot. The lid did not completely close because of this. I went to the garage at night with all the lights off and did not see any light visible from the trunk so I thought I was good. After reading this thread I put my phone on video and placed it in the trunk/boot under one light and closed the lid in the described manner. The light stayed on. I will have to take a look at the lights to figure out how to remove the lens cover without breaking them so I can remove the bulbs.
Thanks.

 

Well, I did a test yesterday. I installed new bulbs in both lights. Sure enough they both came on. I have a larger diameter drop cord going into the trunk that plugs into the short tail plug on the tender. So the trunk lid is a bit more open than just a crack. Sure enough, when I lowered the lid and it rest on the drop cord the lights remained on. So I'm guessing my bulbs went out years ago, and never noticed. While I'm maintaining power to the battery with the tender, I was probably also draining it at the same time with the lights staying on. LOL I feel somewhat like an idiot. LOL But now I know. So I just removed the new bulbs and left the sockets empty. As mentioned above, they don't really seem necessary anyway.

Harro10: Notice you also have a 96 like mine. There are two lights in the trunk area in the upper right and left corners. They are just held in with spring tension. A flat blade screwdriver (I use a plastic interior tool) will pop them out. And they just snap back in.

As mentioned above, it does in fact seem that those lights come on immediately after the trunk latch is released. Or very shortly thereafter. Glad I posed this question. Just learned something new again about my XJS. Shows how valuable this Forum can be, even for little stuff like this. Thanks again guys.

Rick

 

Thanks, Rick

 

By the way, Unsnap the light assembly from the rear of the lens, the area closest to you.

 

I have accomplished making the quickest, simplest of tasks complicated and time consuming. It took about one minute to remove the light and disconnect it. However, as Rick helpfully stated, the light housing is held in placed by a simple spring clip. I used a small flathead screwdriver to compress the spring clip and the clip sprang out of the housing when I pulled the housing free. No problem I thought, how far could it go, and I continued and disconnected the bulb. I then spent an hour futilely trying to find that clip. I was sure it was still in the trunk/boot but after doing an inch by inch seard of the carpet, removing the battery/relay cover, and then the spare tire - no luck. I search the floor and my clothing - no luck. One day it may turn up while I am working on something else.

 

You’ll find it the day after you get rid of the car.

 

Hi Harro10. DARN. That is so frustrating. And we've all done it. Like dropping a bouncing, tiny screw that rolls right to the middle underneath the car, and is the same color as the garage floor. @#$%^&* Something I found very handy for these situations is one of those small telescoping magnets. You can usually find them at most parts stores. Would be handy to run it around the trunk area and see if it picks up anything.

Rick