neon domes in trunk?

[marshmallow15]

i've noticed that my dome light doesn't turn on when the trunk opens, but i want to do this so i can wire two blue neon tubes to my dome light and have them mounted under the rear speakers...i want the dome to activate when i lift my trunk so the neon will light up rather than wire those neons to the switch light in the trunk. i also want to do this so whenever i open my doors, my neon in the trunk as well as in my car will light up. how can i do this?

[Maddbuck]

dude the trunk light works on a switch as well as a pin. If you leave the switch in the on position the light should go off when you close the trunk. Take the hatch cover off and test it. If it works then connect up your neons to the appropriate wires and they should come on when you open the trunk.

[marshmallow15]

well sorrrryyyy for asking. heh just kiddin. thanks maddbuck. mine's been in the off position this whole time.

[eunosads]

i have this problem.. but my switch is in the ON positon.. and my bulb is fine.. <p>what is the best way to go about checking to see if the wiring/switch is OK?<p>I am not very familiar with electronics so be gentle..

[marshmallow15]

thanks for searching eunosads...what you can do is pop out the dome light (very easy) and check if any of the wiring was disconnected or if its grounded incorrectly. it might also be a blown fuse or the bulb might've burnt out.

[eunosads]

anytime marshmallow.. <p>the bulb is fine.. I have replaced that.. twice..
there isn't a single fuse for the rear luggage area is there? There are no other lights out, so I don't think it's the fuse..
Where does that switch ground to?
If I was to use a multimeter, is there any way I could check something with that?
I think, for some reason, the wires are dead.. <p>Once again.. I am very simple when it comes to electronics.. I don't know what wires do what or anything.. <p>I am willing to learn though.. and I will use any info you give me here.. to assist in installing a new dome light for the rear passengers of my MX-3 and *maybe* a few neons here and there.. <p>thanks again marshmallow..

[marshmallow15]

im not sure (someone else help for this) but i know the fuse for the rear dome isn't for that single light alone...i think that its something like the rear dome, rear defroster, and front dome would share the same fuse or something like that....just how the gauge cluster and rear taillamps share the same fuse. my first step would be to check ALL of my fuses in the fusebox (located under the dash) and its very simple to do.<p>just pop off the cover, use the little needle thing provided behind the cover, and pull out each colored fuse and look to see if any of them burnt out or anything. then if you find some just replace them with your extra fuses (located in the fusebox cover)....if you dont have extra fuses, borrow some from friends or buy from radioshack (usually a dollar or two for a pack of 5)

[Shades]

Have you checked the switch that works for when you close your trunk... maybe it's stuck in... that's if there is one.

[eunosads]

i'll check my fuses.. that'll rule that out.. but hopefully find the prob.. <p>and yea.. I was thinkin that Shades... but I don't know where/if there is a switch.. <p>marshmallow.. do you know of a switch?

[marshmallow15]

yea the switch is on the domelight itself. that may be the solution.

[eunosads]

nah.. not that switch.. the one that is activated when the boot lid is opened/closed.. is there a seperate switch for that? (similar to the one that activates the front dome lights when the doors are opened)

[marshmallow15]

thats the only switch that controls that dome. if its not that, its got to be a fuse or some wiring problem.

[eunosads]

hmm.. i thought you might say that.. <p>but how does the light know to turn off/on when the boot is closed/opened?

[marshmallow15]

there must be some type of pushbutton switch in the hatch lock.

[MX-3 Ricer]

Get a test light, pull out the hatch ligh and check the wires one will be ground and the other posative. Connect the test lights ground to one wire and press the needle into the other wire if it doesn't light up there may be a short in your wires.