Technical Boot light

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Technical Boot light

Just need to check that the back and green cable doesn’t have a break and a clean path to earth

With the multi meter set to ohms the black and green cable from the latch should 0 ohms to the chassis body

It’s more than likely just the switch.

But we do have a fair few problems with the earth return in the rear light clusters
Yes, 0 ohms on the black/green
 
Great 👍

should just be the micro switch in the latch

You could short the switch out and see it light but at the end of the day it still needs fixing


Remember latches from the active look the same. Same electrical connector. But will not work.
Yes, searching by the part number from the actual latch doesn’t seem to throw up many options at the minute. But will find one eventually. Thanks again for all your help, it’s been invaluable 👍🏻
 
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A quick update and a massive thank you for all your help in tracing the fault and helping resolve it! I managed to find a good used catch from another 4x4 which was about 18 months younger. Interestingly it came with an additional piece of loom with the correct plug on it and all wire colours matched. So fitted and i now can confirm that i have a working boot light and a warning on the dash if the tailgate is left open.

I happened to mention the fix to an acquaintance who’s got a 500 Abarth and he said that there had been a modified latch for his car which had a slightly different loom/connector and it had been replaced under warranty for exactly the same issue. Given the amount of shared parts between models, i wonder if the one i was sent is one of the modified latches 🤷‍♂️

Anyway, thanks again for all the help
 
Ok so I've got a 2004 Dynamic, the warning light works on the dash if the tailgate is open. But I have to use the key to open it. Is this the only way or is there something wrong with the release handle.
My next question is I have the connector behind the carpet for the boot light and it's live. If I was to get the light unit from a breakers or Fiat and fit it the light should work. But how is the light extinguished when the tailgate is closed as I tried it with a test lamp and it stayed lit.
 
You need to fix opening and closing first

The light will come on end of with the hatch opening

There’s more than one switch in the boot

Do you have the same colour wires in post 14 this thread
 
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I've just thought of something. When I tested the connector I used the car body as an earth and the probe in the live side of the connector. Maybe I should have probed both sides of the connector for the light to extinguish when I closed the tailgate.
 
If I was to fit a bulb holder and use say a indicator light bulb 12v 21w would it do any harm to the particular wiring circuitry e.g. to much current draw The reason I ask is because if I fitted a Fiat unit l've read they are not very bright.
 
If I was to fit a bulb holder and use say a indicator light bulb 12v 21w would it do any harm to the particular wiring circuitry e.g. to much current draw The reason I ask is because if I fitted a Fiat unit l've read they are not very bright.
I wouldn’t risk it original 5w switch by the body computer. Even they get pretty hot being in a small space

A LED would be around 2w and twice the brightness and less than half the heat

Punto holders are plug and play
 
Are all LED bulbs of a lower wattage, as I've been looking online and there are bulbs with the same connector base as a normal one but with a LED head.
I don’t know if all

Most will be

The one I fitted had no wattage on the packaging. I measured it under 2w the original measures just over 4w and it was noticeably cooler and brighter. I might have made up twice as bright as I have no way to measure it but I was a lot brighter


First one I look at on eBay

The description

Energy Saving:power: 1.44W. Low power consumption, low temperature, longer lifespan, faster light response, environment-friendly and safe to use.
 
Would a normal bulb of 10w rating be detrimental to the circuitry. The extra heat won't be a problem as the unit I'll be fitting is larger than the Fiat one.
Otherwise I'll go down the LED rout.
 
Would a normal bulb of 10w rating be detrimental to the circuitry. The extra heat won't be a problem as the unit I'll be fitting is larger than the Fiat one.
Otherwise I'll go down the LED rout.
I wouldn’t risk it

It’s switched on and off by a transistor in the body computer there’s no way of telling how much current it can handle

If it goes it will probably be more than the value of the car to replace and reprogram

There will be some leeway on the wires but you are talking about pushing twice the current through them. You could measure the cross section but then again will the connectors be correctly rated

5W should be plenty I have a Cree 5W torch from Aldi it will just about shine across Bala lake which I believe is 1 mile wide

Up to 5W as an LED should give plenty of options

Never really bothers me for getting things in and out of the boot

If I was using the boot for say setting up a fishing rod I might think about installing a 5W COB strip light maybe
 
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