Rear Trunk Light always on with headlamps?

[Kevin Lewis]

I replaced the bulb in my rear trunk light and noticed early in the morning yesterday. The rear trunk light was on while the head lamps were on. Is this the normal position? Then I looked for a way to manually turn it on and couldn't figure out how.

[Zeke]

The rear trunk light is wired in with the licence plate lights. Grey wire. Yes, when parking or headlights are on, there is power to the trunk light. Bad switch.

[HMeeder]

Yeah, I always thought that it was odd too.

The only solution is to wire an in-line plunger type switch, or someone had also once mentioned a mercury type balance switch wired to the hinge. When the lid goes up, the switch arcs the current and turns the light on. Seems slick, and the left hinge is right there, making the wiring pretty simple. Or you could just learn to live with it. I have.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You'll also need to run separate power to the light--unless you only want it to come on when the lid is open and when the parking lights/headlights are on.

This was probably done as a cost-saving measure, so they could say, "Look, we have a rear trunk light!" without having to spend that much money on it...

--DD

[bowlsby]

Another useful mod is to remove the black tape from the bottom of the rear trunk light housing and it will also illuminate the drivers side engine bay...handy for changing relays in the dark. But then your engine bay is always lit up when the headlights are on too...

[Kevin Lewis]

Thank you all. After searching around the trunk and light I realized it was probably hard wired to the on position with the head lights. I just wanted to make sure so I wouldn't have to worry about it down the line.

[PCA7GGR]

If you want to go the mercury type balance switch alternative, 944s have them on their hood - a there are alot of 944s in junkyards (oops, I meant to say "salvage" yards).