# Trunk light option



## fairlanephantom (Feb 3, 2010)

Anyone have the trunk light in their 87 Sentra? I want to add one to mine, but I don't really know what the switch for one of these looks like.


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## 19sentra88 (Oct 24, 2009)

well on more modern cars it's built into the latch but for cars like our you can just use a door jamb switch. it's called a normally-closed switch. when the button is depressed it opens the circuit and vice versa. you'd have to come up with a custom mounting setup. but you could wire it to the radio-constant power so it would turn on whether the car was on or not and you could just ground it to the body. i was actually thinking of the same thing today


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## fairlanephantom (Feb 3, 2010)

Yeah, a momentary switch. A wiring diagram I saw showed the wiring already leading back from the trunk, so it may just need a switch and light. It looks like there's already a mounting hole for the light on the passenger side. Not sure if the diagram only referred to hatchback, though I think both were pictured.


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## TOOQIKK (Jul 11, 2009)

use a door switch (like for the front doors, the one mounted on body lower left side when you open the door) and it is basic wiring....tap into a power wire and ground throw in a fuse or link to the fuse block...could also tap battery power so you could get light when the ignition is off....

19sentra88 has the idea....was thinking of making one for the hood too! its awfully dark under there on the side of the road!...lol


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## fairlanephantom (Feb 3, 2010)

Considered a hood light, but not sure how much effort it would be worth. I go months sometimes not having to go under my hood.


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## TOOQIKK (Jul 11, 2009)

its a simple switch, light and running wires hell you could wire it directly from the battery put in an inline fuse and call it a day!
i have contemplated putting in some LEDs under mine(i have a bunch left over from a project from my accent..full dash LED conversion with Bled LEDs).
it is nice to have the extra light when you do have to get under there.....


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## fairlanephantom (Feb 3, 2010)

Haven't done much for electrical projects on my car, last was just getting rid of my third brake light. My original crumbled to bits, took months to find another, then the new one formed the same initial cracks. Cut carpet to fit over the top, then just two 25w resistors so I don't get a warning light. Haven't gotten around to just fitting a big 50w resistor in yet.


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## TOOQIKK (Jul 11, 2009)

i like my third brake lights usually "customize" them ....with like nissan or nismo cut outs....lol


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## fairlanephantom (Feb 3, 2010)

There's still a smokey square where the light used to be in my window. For the first twenty years of the car, there were two university stickers on the back window. I took them off and it looked cleaned, but when the windows fog up, you can clearly see the original shape and letters of the old stickers. I keep forgetting to try to do something about it.


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## 19sentra88 (Oct 24, 2009)

spray a little wd-40 on the area where the stickers were, let it sit for a minute then scrape the area with a razor but be careful around the defroster grid. then wash the window with windex, problem solved.


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## TOOQIKK (Jul 11, 2009)

then use rain-x anti fog! hehe


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## fairlanephantom (Feb 3, 2010)

19sentra88 said:


> spray a little wd-40 on the area where the stickers were, let it sit for a minute then scrape the area with a razor but be careful around the defroster grid. then wash the window with windex, problem solved.


Haven't thought about using WD-40, Invisible Glass is better though, I don't think Windex is made to work for tempered glass. May look foggy after anyway.


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## TOOQIKK (Jul 11, 2009)

windex works i like eagle glass cleaner better though.and dont forget a good dose of elbow grease! lol


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## 19sentra88 (Oct 24, 2009)

fairlanephantom said:


> Haven't thought about using WD-40, Invisible Glass is better though, I don't think Windex is made to work for tempered glass. May look foggy after anyway.


yea, the wd-40 (any penetrating oil really) will break down the adhesive making it MUCH easier to scrape


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

some of the Sentra's came with a small round light in the trunk, it clips into the pass. side metal panel, even rarer is the plastic trunk liner which also has the light. The switch for the light is a mercury type tilt switch and mounts right on the pass. side trunk hinge, if you look under the rear deck there is also a plug already there to plug the switch into. On the topic of plugs already there, on my 90 sentra 2 door only the drivers door had the door switch for the dome light but if you pick up another switch for the pass. door the wire is also already there to plug into.

pics of the rare plastic trunk liner with light that I found at a junkyard and have in my 90 sentra below:

rear panel with light covers:









drivers side panel:









pass. side panel with light:


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## bob89sentra (Sep 15, 2005)

It is way easier than everyone has said yet.
Go to the wrecker and look for the mid 80's stanza.
They have the right switch and light, and the sentra allready has the wires there. 
If you still have the cardboard trim pieces on the sides you will need to remove the one on the passenger side and cut a hole for the light.
I have had the trunk light for the past 5-6 years, and forgot that it was not a standard feature!


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