Just purchased a 1999 XK8 June 25th, the trunk lights don't seem to work, are they fuse protected ?

 

My 99 did that too. If I ignored it a few minutes, the lights would come on as if by magic! After 15 years, the little microswitch down in the latching mechanism gets gunked up or otherwise gives up the ghost. You can try hosing it down with wd40.

 

Story Time!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a customer car in for a brake switch fault (P1571) so I ordered a replacement.
The part came in and I forced my head and shoulders under the dash to get at the switch.

I heard the 'chime' for VALET MODE and realized my left shoulder hit the VALET switch.

I finished the brake switch install and figured I would open the boot lid to disable VALET MODE. The boot lights were INOP. The car would NOT disable VALET MODE.

I pulled the lower latch trim and unplugged the boot lid latch switch to momentarily 'jumper' the connector. The car was now out of VALET MODE but if it ever happened again, the customer would not be able to duplicate my 'FIX'.

The car was supposed to be picked up later that day so no time to order a new switch. I pulled the old switch out and took it apart. The microswitch inside looked like one of the switches in the brake switch assy so I unsoldered one of the old switches from the brake switch circuit board and between the 2 switches I made a workable boot lid latch switch.

I charged the customer an extra half hour (no parts because it was his old switch anyway) and he was very happy to have it working properly again.

Sometimes there are options (be a mechanic and not just a 'parts-changer').

bob gauff

 

Good story

 

Bob,

Fixing parts! You must be as old as me.

Graham