95 RM Sedan - hot wire in trunk?

[ilgoldstein]

Just bought a 95 sedan - (details to follow)

Love the car, miss a decent trunk light! Thought I would steal the one out of my 93 Cad which is going to the great beyond (sniff!)

Is there a source of 12v I can tap into in the trunk area that is not dependent on the light switch? How about the antenna? Which wire?

Thanks everyone, look forward to shareing more information in the future.

[buffman]

why not just splice it in with the original trunk light?

[ilgoldstein]

The only light I see in the trunk is the license plate lamp mounted on the bottom lip of the trunk lid. It only comes on if you put on the parking lights or headlights. I'd like something that comes on when you open the trunk not matter what. My Caddie has that as does my wife's car, and sort of got used to it. Handy for unloading the car without having to go shut off the lights.

[Lurch25]

I've never looked in the trunk of a '95, but my '92 has one. Check out the openings in the trunk lid structure around the latch assembly. On mine, you see a small silver tab going into one of the openings and held on by a small bolt. The tab holds the light socket up inside the trunk structure. When you change the bulb in the socket, don't get excited if it doesn't work right away - it uses the small bolt to ground the circuit, which means the bulb won't light until you put it all back together.

[ilgoldstein]

I see the hole where one would go, even has the little screwhole next to it. I guess they deleted it like the cornering lamps to save $$. I just need a source of 12v in the trunk to tap into, I think I can rig up the one out of my Caddie.

[ilgoldstein]

Well fellow Roadmasters, the solution was earier than I thought and all I had to do was LOOK! Yes there is a light in the trunk under the package tray, snapped it out, the bulb looked good but I replaced it anyway. Calls for a 920 (according to Sylvania) or a 917 (according to the auto parts store) but all I could find was a 912. Popped it in, and lo and behold NOTHING!

Then I went to the fusebox, and sure enough, the 10 amp mini fuse was blown. Now I usually hate to replace a fuse unless I know WHY it blew, and Is see that this controls the rear suspension electrics. Visions of a bad compressor danced in my head, but I see there is another fuse that controls that, so maybe it just controls the switch. The car has Dynaride, but since I just bought it I don't even know if it is still active -- I don't haul around a lot or tow so I really don't care at this point, wen it needs new shocks I'll probably go passive anyway.

So I replaced the fuse, popped the trunk and as the good Lord said, "let there be light" and there was light!

I am hoping that solves that annoying problem!

Thanks to all for your feedback and responses to my original post.

LATER THAT SAME DAY - - - -

Well the third time I opened the trunk, the light blinked and went out. I am guessing the fuse blew, God bless it's soul! I guess I am going to have to check the wiring out for a short.

THE VERY NEXT DAY - - -

Looked at the wiring, and sure enough, the wires to the light were routed neatly underneath the stop bumper on the trunk hinge! Poor little guys to a bump every time the trunk opened. Insuralation was worn off one wire and the bare wire cas touching the trunk hinge when the trunk was opened. Wrapped it in tape, rerouted the wires behing the bracket and secured with zip tiesa to keep the wires out of harms way, replaced the fuse and volla -- back in business!

On to the next little problem . . .