Finally went to the Parts dept on Sat, so if you want to know how to put a light in the boot - this is how to do it:

Time: 5 mins
Difficulty level: easy peasy

1. Buy part: 60665239 L080 Ceiling Lamp (yes really). It comes complete with the bulb and costs £10.52 inc VAT.

2. Unscrew the screw holding the left side parcel shelf rest closest to the boot opening.

3. Unscrew the screw holding the left side parcel shelf rest (this should have a small oblong cutout - the same size as the lamp in it) closest to the back of the rear seat.

4. There are only two screws, so if you can see more, STOP at this point - as something is about to go horribly wrong...

5. Pull away the black trim/carpet - starting from pulling it out from under the rubber seal that runs around the boot opening - you will see that there is only about 15cm of it under the seal.

6. Carefully pull the trim from between the two locations where you have just removed the screws. It's quite tight, but you can slide the trim down and away.

7. You will now have revealed the wiring loom.

8. Note that there is a white connector lightly taped to the loom with masking tape and two wires coming out of it.

9. Remove tape and untangle connector and connecting wire.

10. Poke connector through a cross cut in the trim that is very close to the screw hole for the shelf rest that contains the oblong cutout for the light.

11. Connect the white connector to the boot light, and snap into the oblong cutout. At this point, the light should come on - because unless you are a contortionist, you have the boot open....

12. Push the black cable holder lug (that is connected to the boot light wire close to the connector) into the hole next to the bootlight. It stops the wire wiggling around....

13. Replace trim by sliding it back up between the car body and the shelf rests - and don't forget to slide it back under the boot seal.

14. Stand back and admire handywork and bathe in the glow from the, errr, pretty crap boot light and realise, it's still as light as a Cornish tin mine in there....

Good luck!

any chance of some photos to go with it so we can create the first nouva panda guide?

btw: outstanding work!!!

First class post. Panda owners will never be in the dark again.

My 4x4 came with a boot light. I must have got the last one in the factory!

DOes it go out when you shut the boot?

I ordered a light unit from my local dealer today.
H

Sprox said:

DOes it go out when you shut the boot?

Click to expand...

Something that doesn't go out when you shut the boot, is next doors cat - when you feel it needs to be introduced to a new neighbourhood .... (just kidding cat lovers - and anybody who lives near me).

The Mrs is out and about in it at the moment, but I'll try and do some pics this weekend.

Is the panda boot light the same as fitted to the Mk 1 Punto? If so there should be lots in the scrap yard.

If I type in the Panda Boot Light part No (60665239) into Google I am pointed to an Alfa Romeo Boot Light. I suspect, therefore, that many Fiats and Alfa Romeos have the same boot light. Can anyone confirm this?

Brilliant advice, thanks.

I'm now off to look for next doors cat, and later i'll look for boot light wires .

Bootle said:

Is the panda boot light the same as fitted to the Mk 1 Punto? If so there should be lots in the scrap yard.

If I type in the Panda Boot Light part No (60665239) into Google I am pointed to an Alfa Romeo Boot Light. I suspect, therefore, that many Fiats and Alfa Romeos have the same boot light. Can anyone confirm this?

Click to expand...

You're right, there are many Fiats, Alfas and Lancias using this light.

According to Eper (june 2005) the following uses this light:
Fiat Stilo, Seicento, Panda (new), Punto (mk2+mk2b), Idea, Croma (new), Doblo
Alfa Romeo 147, 156, 166, GTV, Spider, GT
Lancia Ypsilon, Musa, Lybra

I ordered the boot light from my local Fiat dealer when this thread started. They said they'd phone me when it came in to stock. I'm still waiting
H

I'll order myself one as soon as Christmas is over.

Found the wires this morning, real easy, but i would not have known about them if it were not for the above post. Thanks!

P.S. I never put the neighbours cat in the boot . (but i'd like to)

So does it go out when the boot's closed? Or did I miss that bit?

Only if the cat is called "Houdini".

For anyone who's a bit tight for cash, i looked at my Mums 05 MK2 Punto today, and it looks like the boot light is 100% identical. The scrappies must be full of them by now. Probably get one for a couple of quid.

if you have an electric triger for the boot ie swich opening not mechanical the light will go out as their is a swich in the lock to tell the body computer wether the boot is open or closed also i fink ther is a warning on the dash board depending on how much you spent on the car lol

Thanks for the tip. We have been wondering about the boot light for ages. B/F looked at it today and found all the wiring just as you have said.

Guess who is phoning the Fiat garage to order the part ?

Thanks again for a great post.

Just fitted mine, cheers for the detailed instructions.

bathe in the glow from the, errr, pretty crap boot light and realise, it's still as light as a Cornish tin mine in there....

Click to expand...

Think i might consider one of these to replace the bulb

First of all, thanks for detailed instructions.

I've checked up one of these, and I understand why this stock light is pretty ineffective - not only its really tiny, but also pointing in wrong direction(almost in your face instead of down the boot)!

After some deliberation and checking I've decided that it should be a lot more effective to install a LED light strip, wiring it to proper boot light connector described here.
There are alot of possible positions where to stick light strip at, personally I decided on running in just below the bottom boot lid edge (where the metal bodywork is exposed). Here its possible to run light strip along almost the entire boot length, with LEDs pointing toward front, toward boot contents and away from your eyes. Also this way its quite easy to hide a power wire from connector below the carpet on the left side. If this would be not enough, I always can stick additional short strips on the parcel shelf rests (pointing LEDs them down and to the center of the boot).

That sounds a very neat and effective way of lighting the boot.
As you say, the standard boot light is pretty weak.