HDJ81 Spare Tire Carrier Switch?

[MobySlick]

Hey folks! New owner of a 1995 HDJ81 here

I was trying to diagnose a parasitic drain (turns out I need to slam the top hatch on the back door otherwise courtesy lights will stay on on the rear doors), and in the process was checking all of the courtesy lights switches. I discovered that the back door's switch was part of the latch mechanism, but that there was a push switch just like on the doors, except it seems to be lined up for the tire carrier:

Except, the tire carrier's back plate doesn't go back far enough to actuate it

(Sorry for the dark images, phone flash hates reflective surfaces)

I pulled it out, and there is a wire going to it like every other door. However, leaving the tire carrier open doesn't seem to activate any lights or the "door open" light on the dash :/

Does anyone know what this is for/supposed to do? The only electrical manuals I have are for the North American style back doors, which have the middle license plate and no swing-out spare tire carrier

Thanks!

 

[ikarus]

Hey folks! New owner of a 1995 HDJ81 here

I was trying to diagnose a parasitic drain (turns out I need to slam the top hatch on the back door otherwise courtesy lights will stay on on the rear doors), and in the process was checking all of the courtesy lights switches. I discovered that the back door's switch was part of the latch mechanism, but that there was a push switch just like on the doors, except it seems to be lined up for the tire carrier:
View attachment 4019088

Except, the tire carrier's back plate doesn't go back far enough to actuate it
View attachment 4019089
(Sorry for the dark images, phone flash hates reflective surfaces)

I pulled it out, and there is a wire going to it like every other door. However, leaving the tire carrier open doesn't seem to activate any lights or the "door open" light on the dash :/

Does anyone know what this is for/supposed to do? The only electrical manuals I have are for the North American style back doors, which have the middle license plate and no swing-out spare tire carrier

Thanks!

That's weird that it doesn't contact the switch. I wonder if your tire carrier got bent and the previous owner got tired of the light so they pulled the bulb in the cluster, or it burned out. There should be a light on the cluster that come on when you leave the tire carrier open.

This is what mine looks like:

 

[MobySlick]

That's weird that it doesn't contact the switch. I wonder if your tire carrier got bent and the previous owner got tired of the light so they pulled the bulb in the cluster, or it burned out. There should be a light on the cluster that come on when you leave the tire carrier open.

This is what mine looks like:

View attachment 4019122

Interesting! Thank you for the info and photo!

That's very strange though, I know that my door open bulb does work (unless it's a different bulb for the tire carrier than the doors?).

Do you know how these ground out? There seems to be one wire going into them and no secondary connection other than maybe the bolt that keeps them in place (is that it?)

 

[StuCruiser]

It’s a different bulb.
The switch just grounds out to illuminate it.

 

[MobySlick]

It’s a different bulb.
The switch just grounds out to illuminate it.

View attachment 4019162

Thank you , that's very good to know. Just checked out the Japanese manual and found where the light is supposed to be! that could definitely be another drain (however small it may be) depending on how the bulbs burn out