In an effort to remedy the aspect of not having a way of opening the trunk with its own button on my 98, I have installled a new chrome finisher from a 2003 that includes said button. After having wired as indicated by an earlier post with one end going to ground, and one to the grey and orange wire on the dash switch, the OHM'S Law gods have chosen to mock my efforts. Now, the only way the trunk will open is with the key FOB. Neither the dash switch nor the button on the new chrome finisher will open the trunk(operate the actuator)...However if I unplug the pigtail from the trunk latch, all operates as normal...including the newly installed button...except the trunk will not latch. In an effort to try and understand the system and rectify the problem, I have unhooked the the newly installed button, and have made the following observations:
1) Dash switch does not open trunk with trunk latch pigtail plugged in. It will open with pigtail UNplugged.
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
3) Key FOB will unlock whether trunk latch is plugged in or not...EXCEPT with car running. FOB will not open trunk with car running.
4) With car running, latch PLUGGED in, and trunk open, I get dash warning of boot open.
5) With car running, latch UNPLUGGED, and trunk open, I get no dash warning.
It would seem to me that the circuit involving the valet switch would provide a similar scenario, however I must conceed my ignorance. I have used the key FOB to lock and unlock the car as I think that is the way to disable the valet switch, however at this point the onlt thing I'm certain of is that a significant dent will be made in my 12 year old single malt scotch..very significant. Any ideas from my esteemed XK8 colleagues would be greatly appreciated ((typed on bended knee)
Have included a picture of recent treatment on badge removal and tinting of tail and brakelights. Thanks All!

 

hmmm, that's electrical...i should pass on offering any advice from my keyboard

 

Why don't you PM WhiteXKR for his advice?

 

OK, looking at the schematic I see two ways to open the trunk electrically. You could either apply +12 volts directly to the trunk release solenoid, or you could apply a ground to the pin on the body processor module. That pin goes to the trunk release switch in the dash. Pushing on the trunk release switch just shorts the pin to ground, and then the BPM does its magic and opens the trunk. The wire between the trunk release switch on the dash and the BPM is colored slate with an orange stripe. Is that the wire you tapped into?

I wonder if the switch you installed is normally open or normally closed. It should be normally open. If it's a normally closed switch, then you are applying a ground to pin 5 all of the time. The BPM is probably recognizing the fault and disabling the function of the dash button to prevent the trunk from remaining continuously unlatched. Do you have a meter that you can put on the switch to see if it is N/O or N/C?

I just re-read your original post, and it sounds like you hooked the switch to the correct wire. One side of the switch should go to ground, and the other to the slate (gray) and orange wire. I bet the switch you have is normally closed.

 

This makes sense assuming the new switch you installed is a normally closed switch. Let's say you hook it up with the trunk open. It's going to immediately short pin 5 to ground. After a certain amount of time the BPM thinks the switch on the dash is stuck and it disables the trunk release function from the switch. You co back to the trunk and close it, and it latches. But then when you push either switch they don't do anything because the BPM is detecting the short to ground.

This one makes no sense to me.

My fob doesn't open the trunk with the engine running, either, so this is normal.

That makes sense. If the trunk is open you'll get the warning.

That's weird. You're saying that when you put the circuit back to its normal condition, where the new latch is completely disconnected from the circuit, you don't get a warning when the trunk is open?

I think the valet switch is completely unrelated to this issue. All it does is momentarily short a pin to ground on the BPM to tell the BPM to activate valet mode.

Right now the most logical thing is to test the switch to see if it's a normally open or normally closed switch. My guess is that it's a normally closed switch, and it's causing everything to get screwed up when you attach it. Either that, or you have a short to ground in the wire somewhere between the switch at the trunk and the switch on the dashboard. Now that I think about it, that's a GOOD possibility. Just use a meter to measure between the wire that you pulled to the dash and a ground point. If it's shorted, you know it's either the switch or the wire. Then take the wire off of the switch on the other end and measure it to ground. If it's shorted to ground on both ends then you know you need to re-pull the wire. If not, then it's probably the switch.

 

Here's the door locking schematic for your car. This might help you figure it out.

 

When I bought my car the dash button wasn't working at all neither the remote and the only way to open the trunk (boot) was with the key. It was always showing a message of "boot open" although the trunk was well closed. I posted the problem here and Rev. Sam suggested it may be a micro switch. Now, I have to say that as for electrical the most I know is to plug and play. I took a look at the parts catalog and found the trunk micro switch and ordered it from one of our suppliers (don't remember who), it cost around $58. When received, I plug it and ...Voila!!!! It worked!!! The dash button and the remote. Don't know if it is related, just my two cents if it helps in any way.

 

I just thought of something... The Security and Locking Control Module is in the trunk. It looks like the only difference between the 1997 model year and the 2003 model year is that in 2003 there's a wire that goes into that module on pin 6 of connector BT41. BT41 is a black 26 pin connector that plugs into the Security and Locking Control Module. On the 2003 MY cars, shorting that pin to ground opens the trunk. I wonder if that feature is already enabled in the 1997 cars. I'm not sure what year the button on the trunk was added. Maybe the feature is already there, and rather than running the wire all the way to the front you could have simply ran a wire into pin 6 on that module.

 

Sam, thank God for you and the many other knowledgeable people in this forum. My electrical expertise: turn off the switch, unscrew the bulb counter clockwise install new bulb clockwise. Jack

 

Thanks to Rev and all.
Rev,

I did in fact splice into the slate(grey) and orange wire under the dash. I knew it ultimately would involve the security and locking control module in the trunk, but I was unsure where to to tap a wire from there...would have loved to eliminate the wire run from the dash switch to the new trunk switch....which I believe is a normally open switch per my test.
However I have disconnected the ground from the newly installed trunk switch to eliminate that circuit in an effort to troubleshoot the system. No change in response.
I thought possibly that the new wire run had maybe chaffed and shorted, thusly making the system think the switch from the dash was initiated..I took my circuit tester, clipped one end to 12v and the other to the now disconected trunk switch ground....no juice.
Also connected circuit tester to the wire from the dash switch PRIOR to connection to the trunk switch in an effort to see if it had inadvertantly grounded...still no go...????
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
With pigtail unplugged, the solenoid that pops the trunk open, does not allow trunk to latch. Once trunk was attempted to be shut, solenoid immediately pops it and doesn't allow for it to latch.

weird. You're saying that when you put the circuit back to its normal condition, where the new latch is completely disconnected from the circuit, you don't get a warning when the trunk is open? Yes circuit is put back into normal position (new trunk swich disconnected) AND pigtail at trunk latch disconnected...no boot open message is indicated on dash..
Rev and listers really appreciate your continued help. Could this possibly module related? Help Mr. Wizard!
Thanks again
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh
2) Trunk will not stay shut with pigtail unplugged.. Duh

 

The "pigtail" that you keep referring to, is that a new splice that you made? Is it at the front on the gray and orange wire or at the back? And why do you say "duh" that the trunk won't stay shut with it unplugged. I'd think that with things unplugged it would take power off of the solenoid and allow the trunk to latch. Maybe we're getting signals crossed.

 

Here's my advice: disconnect all of the new stuff and see how it works in the "normal" condition. If it's not working correctly, then there are issues other than the new switch that need to be resolved before we can figure out the switch issue. If it IS working correctly, then take a wire and attach it to the tap you make in the gray and orange wire. Touch the other end of the wire to an unpainted screw or other good ground point and see if it pops the trunk. If it does, then just run it on the outside of the car temporarily and attach the other end to one side of your new switch. Leave the other side of the switch unconnected. Does the trunk latch? If not, then the switch has an internal short to ground. If it does latch, then hook the other wire on the switch to ground. Does the trunk no longer stay latched? If so, then the switch is normally closed and it's continuously energizing the solenoid. You need a different switch. If not, then does it pop the trunk when you push the button? If yes, then you most likely have a short to ground in the wire that you originally ran to the front of the car.

 

Rev and all,
Thanks for hanging with me on this. To clarify: All previous work done involving the installation of the new trunk switch has been disconnected and the symptoms remain as described. The pigtail that I previously referred to is the "harness multiplug" that connects the microswitch on the trunk latch. When it is diconnected, the FOB, the dash switch, AND the newly installed trunk switch would activate the trunk actuator. When connected, only the FOB activates the trunk actuator. Again, all aspects of the new switch have now been disconnected and prior to all of this, systems functioned as normal. ????
Thanks again for any ideas and thoughts. Security control module on the fritz??? Say it ain't so.

 

There is another variable here that you need to keep track of when you test this:
- In normal operation, when the ignition is off, if the doors are locked, the dash switch WILL NOT open the trunk.

-In normal operation, when the ignition is off, if the doors are unlocked, the dash switch WILL open the trunk.

-The key fob always opens the trunk whether the door is locked or unlocked.

 

Thanks White XKR. I know you are a soothsayer of the black art of OHM's law. As things stand now, dash switch will not initiate trunk actuator with doors unlocked unless the multi plug harness for the microswitch on the truck latch is disconected. Prior to the start of my modification, the system worked as you describe.
Thanks again

 

I am incredibly confused. I don't understand how the button on the dash can pop the trunk if the latch is disconnected. It's like saying the light switch on the wall only turns on the light if the light bulb is unscrewed.

 

Rev the button on the dash (as well as the previously installed trunk switch), will energise the actuator in the trunk which in turn unlatches the trunk as long as the multiplug harness on the microswitch for the trunk latch is UNplugged. When the harness is plugged in, ONLY the FOB will energise the actuator...which now being connected to the trunk latch, will open the trunk. Clear as mud huh

 

I'm still confused, and it's too late for me to fire up the JTIS to look at the schematic. However, I recommend rebooting everything. Disconnect the red battery cable, turn on the key, then touch the red battery cable to ground. I don't know if it will help, but it makes me feel smart to suggest it.

 

Just adding my 2 cents. Could something be wrong with the valet switch that's messing things up? Jack

 

Platinummaker, I know this is completely off topic, but what have you done to your rear lights?