So, im not sure for how long it has been like this, but i was pulled over the other day for my license plate lights being out. I got away with a warning, went home, and did some inspection. Bulbs looked good but changed them out anyway, opened up the owners manual to find R3 in the trunk to be the relay but that didn't do anything, and then i checked the wiring loom along the trunk hinge and they were all fine.

I opened up the fabric cover on the trunk and checked the connectors and they were fine too. Been searching for a while, havn't found any info. Has anyone had this same problem before? There should be a fuse somewhere but according to my owners manual, there is only one relay that controls this.

Any help is much appreciated.
thanks

 

similar problem, I went back to the wiring loom, and cut through the material tape carefully right back to where it meets the boot loom, needless to say an earth cable had neatly split. I soldered it back together, and shrink wrapped it, all good since.

 

Almost always a broken wire at the harness as it bends by the trunk hinge. The wire will break inside the plastic insulator and often will show no visible signs of failure.

Test each wire by hand by flexing at the bend. You'll feel slight resistance until you reach the broken one. It will not have the same resistance.

 

Ditto on the boot hinge wiring. I had this problem.

 

has anyone repaired the interior trunk lights? if so any idea what wire I'm looking for? they are color coded, and I've searched and searched, but still in the dark. one of my plate lights went out, but came back on by itself. i love these cars sooo much, but could do without these little elevtrical hassles.
99 XJR