Number plate light - weird things happening!

[Galaxie390]

Hi Guys,

Just preparing my '98 V70 tdi for its annual NCT (or MoT).

While looking at a false bulb failure warning light, I notice that both number plate lights come on when I open the tailgate regardless of the lights being switched on.

I'm guessing there's some link with the interior light, as when that comes on so do the number plate lights (albeit quite dimly).

When the tailgate is shut, the plate lights don't come on with the headlights as you'd expect.

Any suggestions where to look?

I'm thinking a poor earth, but where?


Cheers,
Rich

[Luxobarge]

I'd be thinking broken/shorted wires in the part of the harness that goes between the body and the tailgate. Pull the rubber sleeve back and have a good poke about in there, and see if the symptom changes.

[Galaxie390]

Hi,

Well I found my problem.

It was indeed a broken wire in the bundle of wires passing from the car body to the tailgate in the left upper corner of the tailgate opening.

The earth wire (black) was a lot thinner that the others and gradually the strands broke one by one with the constant opening & closing of the tailgate.

It's a bit fiddly to get to, but here's a quick run down:

- Make tea
- Remove speaker cover with a thin bladed screwdriver (not necessary, but gives a useful hand hold).
- Remove the torx bolt above the side window that holds the side window surround to the body.
- Carefully prise this plastic panel down & outward. It runs forward to the front edge of the rear side window, but I found there was enough access was gently pulling it down and blocking it with a piece of wood.
- Look at the hinge and gas strut and you'll see the bundle wires for the tailgate inside a protective cover. The wires take on a sort of 'S' shape around the hinge, and if you move the tailgate you can how much the bundle flexes.
- Lever the bundle of wires from their retaining clip, which is pushed into a hole in the body.
- Remove the plastic cover that holds the the loom to the hinge as it passes through the body opening.
- Drink now cold tea and pull at wires individually to see which is broken. Mine was completely parted, but if your wire if broken but the insulation is intact you'll need either wiggle each wire with the power on or break out the multi-meter. Needless to say I used the scientific 'wiggle' option.
- Carefully remove very very oily-sticky insulation tape and cut back the loom surround.
- I repaired my wire by splicing in a new section and then using heat shrink to re-insulate.
- re-assemble and job done and make tea

Think I've made the job sound a lot worse than it actually is. I took me about an hour, with a good chunk of that being trying to undo the plastic panels without breaking too many clips and refixing the loom which was just fiddly. But on the bright side, it was to be able to do a job without having to lie on the floor! I really should've spliced in new wires for the entire loom ,but I didn' have the time.


Cheers,
Rich

[Luxobarge]

Originally Posted by Galaxie390

It was indeed a broken wire in the bundle of wires passing from the car body to the tailgate in the left upper corner of the tailgate opening.

Yay! I got one right....

Well done mate - good fix and good explanation. Cheers!

[Galaxie390]

Originally Posted by Luxobarge

Yay! I got one right....

Well done mate - good fix and good explanation. Cheers!

Lol....choccy biscuits to that man!

R