My '95 XJ6 failed the VA state safety inspection because of an non-working driver's side license plate illumination bulb. The inspection station swapped out the bulb, but they said the connection wasn't getting any power. So I like to take the simple approach to things first, and was wondering where the fuse is to this particular light. I know this car has 5 frickin' fuse boxes, and they seem to be divided front / rear, left / right, so would the fuse for this particular light be under the left side rear passenger seat? If so, do I just remove that screw and pull the board away, and the fuse box is there, or do I have to remove the seat bottom, or? If it's not the fuse, then I'm taking it to an auto electric shop and let them fix it, take it back to the inspection station, show them it's fixed, and they'll pass it and issue me a new sticker.

 

No owners manuals, I presume?

Left side fuse box in engine bay, fuse #5, 10 amp. However, there are 2 or 3 other lamps on this fuse so if the *one* license lamp is the ONLY one that isn't working you can forget about the fuse




Whaddya expect on a fancy car with all sorts of luxury gizmos and do-dads ? :-)






See above although I just realized I checked location for a 1996 car, not 1995. I'm 99.9% sure it'll be the same, though



Yes, if the time ever comes, that's all you do.




Check the wiring bundle at the trunk/boot lid hinge. The wires often break there.

Cheers
DD

 

License plate has to be illuminated by TWO lights??

 

Make sure that the ground is clean and tight.

 

I asked the inspector if both license plate lights had to be working in order to pass inspection, and he said yes. So I pulled the lens covers off both lights, and even though the bulb on the right side was rather "aged", it worked, and the brand new one on the left side didn't. So I swapped bulbs, and the left side definitely wasn't working. I jumped the right side to the left side, and both bulbs worked. I had to jump both wires in order to get the left side to work, so there must be a short or something in both wires somewhere. I'm not going to mess with it, so I just got some wire and spade connectors, jumped the right side to the left side, and made sure both bulbs worked when the light switch was turned on. I'll take the car back to Firestone tomorrow, have them sign off on the left side license plate light, issue me a new inspection sticker, and be done with it.

I might go back to the salvage yard on Sat, and see if the license plate lights are still on the car. If so, I'll remove them for spares, and take another look for anything else I could use for spares. I like how the wood trim for the overhead console looks, kinda breaks up all that fabric color on the ceiling.

 

A beauty she is! Fuse locations in the "toolbox" up front