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Cargo Light Issue

V

VestaviaPirate

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Charlotte, NC | Auburn, AL
searched, couldn't find much on this.

my cargo light (overhead light near the lift gate) works when I open a door or turn the interior lights on, but doesn't work when only the lift gate is open. ive tried pressing it to see if that turns it on, no go. short of taking it apart, does anyone have any advice, or has this happen to anyone else?

also, to get some more light in there, if I replace the bulb with an LED would it make it brighter? ive seen where ppl have put lights in the tailgate, but not ready to go down that road yet. i hate how the interior lights aren't that bright...
 
The cargo light is constant power with two separate switched grounds, one from the forward cabin circuit, and the other from the hatch. The button on the light acts as an interrupt for the hatch ground, allowing you to disable the cargo ground circuit. Most likely source of your problem is that the button on the light is broken and keeping the circuit open all the time. To verify, use a multimeter to check continuity between the purple/yellow wire and a good chassis ground (screw hole or other exposed metal) with hatch opened and closed.
 
Nickfast said:
check the switch inside the liftgate latch-mine had bent and jammed the mechanism-little straightening fixed it right up.
Click to expand...

where is this located exactly?

ehall said:
The cargo light is constant power with two separate switched grounds, one from the forward cabin circuit, and the other from the hatch. The button on the light acts as an interrupt for the hatch ground, allowing you to disable the cargo ground circuit. Most likely source of your problem is that the button on the light is broken and keeping the circuit open all the time. To verify, use a multimeter to check continuity between the purple/yellow wire and a good chassis ground (screw hole or other exposed metal) with hatch opened and closed.
Click to expand...

this makes perfect sense.

I didn't know how it knew the lift gate was open... checking the conductivity(?) now.
 
I had this same problem on my 98 and while at the dealer recently for the airbag relocation module recall I asked them to check it out. They reported back that everything was hooked up fine so I'd have to pay quite a bit to diagnose it and fix it. I said no and pulled the rear plastic off to find the electrical socket on the latch mechanism missing the wire pigtail flopping around not connected. THEY LIE!!!! Thanks to C4C a trip to the junkyard and $5 and I'm now lit up back there.....wait, really occifer there's no blood in my alcohol system.
 
Depending on year and which cargo light you have, you either squeeze the sides in to release the tabs, or pry the lens off. I switched to LEDs on mine- there are a variety of lights you can use- check some of the LED conversion threads for ideas.
 
FWIW the switch itself is operated by the catch of the liftgate lock.
In the locked position the interrupter is in extended position, breaking the circuit - a multimeter will show you infinite resistance between all three pins in the switch.
In the open position the catch pushes the interrupter switch in, making the circuit - a multimeter will show you continuity between all three pins in the switch.
In my 2000 the switch is vertically integrated into the catch body - eliminating the problem with the tab bending out of alignment.
ftp://arakis.gotdns.com/Jeep/XJ Liftgate Switch.jpg
ftp://arakis.gotdns.com/Jeep/XJ Liftgate Catch.jpg
 
I got the fixture open and took out the plastic board that the bulb mounts too. The plug that presumably came from the hatch had been burned up and the wires were cut. Since that was obviously a problematic design, I mounted a rocker switch in the rear cubby hole yesterday. I'll run wires sometime this week.
 
That bulb generates serious heat and obviously pulls too much current.
I am going to replace it with LED's to cut down on the fire risk.
I found the on/off switch in the housing had melted so I tossed it and jumpered the two
pins - basically the light comes on if the hatch or any door opens. Couldn't think of a practical reason I needed a bypass switch.
 
RoadHog_ZA said:
FWIW the switch itself is operated by the catch of the liftgate lock.
In the locked position the interrupter is in extended position, breaking the circuit - a multimeter will show you infinite resistance between all three pins in the switch.
In the open position the catch pushes the interrupter switch in, making the circuit - a multimeter will show you continuity between all three pins in the switch.
In my 2000 the switch is vertically integrated into the catch body - eliminating the problem with the tab bending out of alignment.
ftp://arakis.gotdns.com/Jeep/XJ Liftgate Switch.jpg
ftp://arakis.gotdns.com/Jeep/XJ Liftgate Catch.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. My 97 will come on with the doors or the dome switch, but not the hatch. The button was broke when I got it, and I replaced it with another dome with a clickable switch. Sadly, that didn't fix my problem. Thanks for the close up's of the switch.

Also, for what it's worth, here's the switch assembly from my 98 XJ.
IMG00121_20091129_1546_800x600.jpg
 
Did you try checking the switch itself with a meter? Since it's a moving part it's the most likely suspect.
The resistance/continuity readings I mentioned above should hold true for your 98 as well.
 
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