rear lift gate latch switch (1 Viewer)

[Taz]

I am trying to install a dome light in my rear lift gate. I was going to splice into the wires coming from the stock latch which turns the stock rear dome light on when "unlatched" (lift gate open). The problem I am having is the voltage at the switch is very weird?
-With the latch OPEN, both red and blue wires coming from the latch are dead...0volts
-With the latch CLOSED the red is hot (12 volts) and the blue is dead
What is up with the switch? How is it killing the hot leg? How does the stock set up work?

 

[Rich]

Best to get the electrical wiring diagram, review how the existing dome lights work, and go from there.

If you would rather futz around, then search for a wire in the tailgate that has continuity to ground ONLY when the rear hatch is open, and look for another wire in the tail gate that is always hot.

To the best of my recollection, the existing domes lights are switched on the ground side, not the hot side.

 

[Taz]

I looked up the diagram in my Haynes Manual. It actually shows a third interior dome in the "Luggage Compartment". Mine does not have this light. Has anybody seen this on a US cruiser?

 

[loquito]

I looked up the diagram in my Haynes Manual. It actually shows a third interior dome in the "Luggage Compartment". Mine does not have this light. Has anybody seen this on a US cruiser?

Its a light you need to put in yourself, the wiring is there for the light ,up behind the headliner.

 

[Rich]

Sorry, but the wiring is not there for a third dome light on in a US 1997 cruiser. I know that it is there for some earlier models.

One could always extend the wiring from the second row dome light or augment what wiring does exist in the rear driver's panel and the harness that runs up the rear most driver's side piller with the missing bits.

 

[Heffenoche]

Best to get the electrical wiring diagram, review how the existing dome lights work, and go from there.

If you would rather futz around, then search for a wire in the tailgate that has continuity to ground ONLY when the rear hatch is open, and look for another wire in the tail gate that is always hot.

To the best of my recollection, the existing domes lights are switched on the ground side, not the hot side.

When I installed one a few months ago this is what I remember too.

 

[RavenTai]

Most of the electrical systems in the 80 are switched on the ground side witch is unconventional. I don’t know for sure what was going through the head of the engineer but I think it is because it reduces total wire run length and also is safer as the total length of exposed "hot" wires is reduced, for instance if those wires you are looking at short to ground worst than can happen is the light comes on, not a fuse blowing short

 

[97 FZJ80]

Jim has done a excellent writeup on his cargo light installation in this thread

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=43073&highlight=rear+cargo+light