No trunk light in 190E 2.3
 

Our recently purchased 1993 190E does not have a trunk light. There is the button switch and there are three wires running to it but there is no light fixture or bulb assembly.

Is it possible that the trunk light is an option on the 190? Can someone assure me that the light is standard equipment and supposed to be there? If so where in the trunk should the actual light/bulb be located?

There should be a trunk light, my 190D had one. If you look closely around the location of the switch on the trunk lid you should see the bulb, it's on that part of the trunk lid but I don't remember which side. There's no cover or anything to pry off, it's just two flat metal posts sticking out which hold the light bulb. It takes the same bulb as the interior dome lights.

Hope this helps

Chris

I found a picture. The bulb is located directly behind the switch on the left side of the trunk lid.

http://carad.ebayimg.com/i19/02/a/02/e3/4a/0d_4.JPG


Chris

Thanks Chris your info is a big help. I will look at it again. There is a flat post that protrudes from the inside of the switch. Maybe that has something to do with where the bulb attaches. Does the bulb look something like a glass encased fuse with pointed ends? I'll have to pull off a dome light cover and have a look see.

Again thanks.

Yes, about an inch and a half long.

Looks like this
http://img.eautopartscatalog.com/live/4B10052049OSR.JPG



If the post has a hole in one end it does (the bulb fits in the holes). I think one of the posts is visible and the other is hidden slightly by the switch assembly and/or trunk lid.

Chris

Chris,
You can go to sleep tonight knowing you are a hero. The second post is an elongated snap on clip that goes to the ground wire... so that the bulb uses the stainless steel post for spring tension and the bulb is held in place between the steel post and the ground wire connector.

I rummaged through my spare bulb supply and found the right bulb... one that I probably took out of an junked Saab or a BMW.

:)

Chris,

That one really threw me. I feel like a simpleton. And I pride myself on being able to fix anything. But the set up is unique. I was looking for a way for a standard bulb to fit the configuation. If there had been two steel posts then I would have immediately seen that the design required an elongated snap-in bulb but there was only one post. So I figured the single post had something to do with a standard bulb socket snapping onto it. I had taken the assembly completely apart and even noticed the brass extension connected to the wire clip but I figured it was there to allow the connetor to protrude through the switch housing so that the wire could be more easily attached or removed. It never dawned on me that it was designed to be the second post.

Again thanks. Your pictures were most helpful. :hair:

Shall we tell him where the instrument cluster dimmer switch is next? :D