Boot light switch?

Nuneatonrob · Post by **Nuneatonrob** » 28 Aug 2008, 11:52

Hi again, another quick question.....my boot light doesn't work. Same as my old 306. Replaced the bulb, no good.

Next thought is the switch...any ideas where this is? I have no idea at all. Can't see anything that resembles a switch anywhere.

Help!!

Thanks again,

Rob

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 28 Aug 2008, 11:59

It's actually a mercury tilt switch and it is in the tailgate itself. You need to take the trim off the inside of it to get to the switch.

It it is rectangle, rounded at one end and has a tab emerging from the side with the retaining screw and earth lead on it. Hopefully you can see what I mean from that

Ross_K · Post by **Ross_K** » 28 Aug 2008, 12:32

Toby_HDi wrote:It's actually a mercury tilt switch and it is in the tailgate itself. You need to take the trim off the inside of it to get to the switch

What a hopelessly complicated method of turning the boot light on.

What's wrong with a spring-loaded switch which turns the light circuit off when the boot lid is closed?

Post by **CitroJim** » 28 Aug 2008, 12:36

These are notorious.

I went through three before finding one that works most of the time

You can, with care, take them apart. Inside you'll find two ball bearings. A small one and a bigger one. The small one is there to give the bigger one a bit of a helping hand to bridge the contacts.

A clean-up of the balls and contacts often helps although full success is far from guaranteed.

Shame it's not a real mercury tilt switch. Those are totally reliable but somewhat dangerous if they spill the mercury...

Nuneatonrob · Post by **Nuneatonrob** » 28 Aug 2008, 13:23

Thanks very much folks....that's a great help!!! I shall investigate as soon as I can. Any idea how much these are from citroen / gsf or comparable?

Thanks guys.

Rob

Ross_K · Post by **Ross_K** » 28 Aug 2008, 14:02

Number 2 on the diagram below is part number 636637. Should be about £16

[img][img]http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm12 ... 450800.jpg[/img][/img]

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 28 Aug 2008, 16:46

Also check inside the rubber flexi conduits between the car and the boot.
I've had the rear brake light wire snap on one car (think it was Dex), and the rear wiper spray snap on my friend's Corsa, so it's possible that the wire has snapped.
A good gas soldering iron and a lot of patients combined with a second pair of hands helped.

jgra1 · Post by **jgra1** » 28 Aug 2008, 18:13

chaps,

If my boot light goes out, (with boot open) I can turn it back on by pressing the spring loaded plunger where the lock rests, anyone know why I can do this, but have a mecury tilt switch too? (at least I have been told I have a tilt switch)