front trunk light switch

[SiberianDVM]

Does anyone have a picture and/or a part number of the front trunk light switch and bracket (if it has one)? Mine seems to be missing. The light works if these twisted wires are grounded, so I guess the switch is a push to open circuit. Car is a 1984 Carerra.

[cain]

It looks like your missing the switch, it threads into that hole you pictured, its the same as the door switches at the Jambs. my 89 carrera does not have a bracket.

[cain]

Porsche 911 & Carrera Panels & Doors - Page 5

[EmptyGarage]

I'm working on electrical issues of my own and needed pics so here you go.

[SiberianDVM]

Thanks, guys! I wish all my problems were solved this quickly and easily.

[balleta]

Just a suggestion. Check the clearance of the bulb base against the hood. Some weeks ago I change mine to a led bulb. It worked very good with a brighter light but then after a few days the interior lights went out. Then I noticed that the clock also was down. Time to check. The clock, the interior, glove compartment and the trunk lights are all in the same circuit and all the cables were fried out! The previous owner put a 25A fuse!
Had to redo all the circuit.
The culprit, apart from the fuse, was that the new trunk led bulb was a tad longer than the original and barely touched the hood when tightened. After some research found that I'm not alone on this.
Solution, add two water faucet seals as spacers at the light to bring it a little bit out. And, of course, check for a proper fuse...

[porschenut]

Originally Posted by balleta

all the cables were fried out! The previous owner put a 25A fuse!

People who do this should be shot! You're lucky the car didn't burn down.

Everyone reading this should let go of the mouse, and immediately go out to their cars and make sure that every fuse in the panel is correctly rated for the circuits that they protect. Otherwise, keep a bag of marshmallows in your glove compartment cuz they may come in handy some day.

[balleta]

Really lucky!
Only had to redo that circuit and a few other cables that melt part of the insulation. Could be worst...

[SiberianDVM]

OK, I could use a little more help. I installed the switch, crimping the brown ground wire to the end of the switch, and the lamp comes on when the trunk is open and goes off when it is closed. But where does the brown with white stripe wire connect?

And I did manage to blow the 8A fuse while futzing around. Luckily PepBoys is just down the street and they carry these old style fuses.

[D911SC]

I suspect that the wire connects to one of the luggage compartment light terminals. If I remember correctly it will link to another interior light. Check all other interior lights to see what isn't working. Check the operation of the 3 way switch for the door lights plus the glovebox.

If you find another light that is not working have a look at the terminals on it and you'll probably see a brown/white wire. This is probably the other end to the loose wire you see. I'm guessing here but I think the brown/white wires are used to connect to grounding switches like the door light switch, luggage compartment switch and horn.

I'd look at my own car to see what it is but it's not at my house right now.

Before you connect it to anything check it with a multimeter!! Don't just connect and pray

[kidrock]

I'm gonna throw out a WAG here (again), but I think I read something a few years back where one of the ground wires to the front trunk light was part of the original alarm system? And also that several people have disconnected their "frunk" light because it created not only an issue with the stock alarm, but also the same problem that was outlined by the OP.

Gerry probably has some damn schematic stashed away somewhere.

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by kidrock

I'm gonna throw out a WAG here (again), but I think I read something a few years back where one of the ground wires to the front trunk light was part of the original alarm system? And also that several people have disconnected their "frunk" light because it created not only an issue with the stock alarm, but also the same problem that was outlined by the OP.

Gerry probably has some damn schematic stashed away somewhere.

Looks like an alarm CKT bypass.

Here you go, for our '86.

Hope this helps:





Gerry

[D911SC]

Nice job Gerry. I may be reading it wrong but perhaps the connection to the alarm unit is the other brown/white (br/ws) shown in your second image- as it refers to location D5 on your first image. Am I interpreting that correctly?

Either way I think it's academic. Seems the loose wire needs to be reconnected at the light along with the other brown/white. As kidrock says though, maybe there is a reason it was disconnected.

[86 911 Targa]

Originally Posted by D911SC

Nice job Gerry. I may be reading it wrong but perhaps the connection to the alarm unit is the other brown/white (br/ws) shown in your second image- as it refers to location D5 on your first image. Am I interpreting that correctly?

Either way I think it's academic. Seems the loose wire needs to be reconnected at the light along with the other brown/white. As kidrock says though, maybe there is a reason it was disconnected.

That's correct.

At minimum, I would tape those wires up.

You should be able to find a light at a salvage yard.

You owe me a Crownie!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fresh from the brewery next door...........

Good luck,

Gerry

[SiberianDVM]

Resurrecting old thread because I never did find out what this wire is supposed to connect to. I did check it with a multimeter, and it's always hot with 12 volts! So the end is now securely taped up.

Anybody with an '84 that can look at their car and give me some pointers?

[Andy911sc]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

Resurrecting old thread because I never did find out what this wire is supposed to connect to. I did check it with a multimeter, and it's always hot with 12 volts! So the end is now securely taped up.

Anybody with an '84 that can look at their car and give me some pointers?

I have an 82 with the factory alarm system and I had the same brown/white stripe wire disconnected. I refurbished my alarm system and hooked everything back up and works great. The wire should have 12volts of power and when the switch is activated it causes it to ground and set off the alarm. Hope that helps.

[donagain1]

Brown's ground the world around. The white stripe generally indicates that the lead is switched, and black wires lead back to the 12V source. In the case of these courtesy lights, it's via the clock, thence to the glove compartment light, and onward. The luggage compartment light is part of a harness, and if you trace it past the clamps on the hinge, you'll no doubt see a single black wire going to a spade-tipped connector (disconnectable so you can remove the lid). Look to see if this is the case, and if it is, then the br/wh striped wire no doubt originates inside the lamp housing... e.g. 12V on black to one side of lamp, 12V through bulb to br/wh on other side of lamp, thence to one side of push-to-open switch, finding ground via solid brown wire to chassis. It's doubtful that the br/wh lead originates from elsewhere outside that harness.

If you've got better eyes than mine, this pic is from the Haynes Manual for at leaset one model of an '84...

[SiberianDVM]

Thanks, guys.

If I somehow managed to get to the alarm module, which I think is stashed behind the fresh air blower, and removed it but left the wiring, would the car still run? Stupid question probably, but with these cars, I haven't found anything to be a given.

[david482]

I found this thread interesting as my trunk light, 89 Conv, does not have a switch but a rotating cover that turns the light on but only if the headlights are on. I know the PO never changed anything so I am pretty sure this was the stock setup?

[SiberianDVM]

david482, are you talking about the luggage compartment (my original question) or the engine compartment? My engine compartment has a light like you are describing, but it doesn't work.