Glovebox light not working
 

I noticed that the glove box light wasn't working last week, tried a lamp that i have to checked to be in working order and that didn't want to work either in the glove box either.

As i had some spare time on my hand i removed the glovebox and checked at the connecter (think it's about 6 pin) for a 12v supply to the glovebox switch. No 12v supply at all.

The fuse is in the drivers footwell and that is all in order. I wondered if anyone had any ideas on what the issue could be

I doubt the glovebox light will ever be needed but it almost kills me knowing its not working :mad:

Slight disgression I know but I have a problem with my glovebox light and don't know how to remove the glovebox to get at it - what's the method?

Screws .........the metal variety hidden inside and underneath ;)

Thanks, so empty the glovebox and hunt for the usual well-disguised screw heads covered in furry stuff? How many roughly and are any difficult or easy to messup/lose?

ELSAWIN told me to do it as follows (pics are for a left hander but it all seemed the same), i literally dropped the glovebox as opposed to removing the lock cylinder etc as listed also below

Storage compartments/covers
Removing and installing glove compartment
1. Lock cylinder
o ◆ For glove compartment
o ◆ Removing and installing
=>Page 68-5
2. Opening mechanism
o ◆ For glove compartment
o ◆ Removing and installing
=>Page 68-5
3. Hexagon socket-head bolt
o ◆ 2 off
4. Bowden cable
o ◆ For glove compartment lock
o ◆ Disengaging from opening mechanism=>Page 68-5.



5. Nut
o ◆ Self-locking
o ◆ 2 off
6. Lock
o ◆ For glove compartment
7. Bracket
o ◆ For dash panel
o ◆ With speed nut
8. Glove compartment
9. Hexagon socket-head bolt - 2.5Nm
10. Hexagon socket-head bolt - 2.5Nm
Removing
• ‒ Open glove box.


• ‒ → Unscrew glove compartment frame -arrows-.
• ‒ Pull glove compartment frame backwards out of guides.
• ‒ Detach connectors and lay aside glove compartment in passenger's footwell.


• ‒ → Unscrew glove compartment lock from glove compartment -arrows-.
Installing
Installation is carried out in the reverse order; note the following:
• ‒ If glove compartment will not close or if there is play adjust glove compartment lock by moving it in slots -arrows-.


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/7...77a12051_c.jpg

Ah right, so you took the whole thing out including the "roof" where the light is mounted?
Thanks for that, a job for another day methinks. +++

Yep, all pretty simple to take out. I was hoping i would find a loose connection and it would be a easy fix... but sadly not!

fuses
 

Do a continuity test across all your fuses in the fuse box....It might be a not so obvious fuse....Failling that I would check the wiring diagrams in elsawin and see if you can trace the wire back....not an easy task at all....

good luck

ps taking the glove box off is easy really...just three bolts as shown above...putting it back now I have to say it is the one job I absolutely hate on this car....lining up the holes, holding the glove box up and getting the bolts in....such an awkward job hate it every time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I take it that means pulling the fuses one by one and testing or is there a quicker method

Using a Mulitmeter set to the beeper alarm just touch each visible end of the fuse while it's in position, it should beep: no beep = duff fuse/connection.

Don't hold it on for long as, depending on type of meter, you may complete the circuit and have current going through the meter.

As you are checking a small part within a circuit there will be no shorting or problem caused elsewhere :)

I've tested all the fuses and they all had continuity across them. I checked for wiring diagrams in elsawin but couldn't find anything.

Has anyone got any wiring diagrams associated with the glovebox light wiring?

Something just occurred to me so I went out to my car to check....

You need at least the side lights on before the Glovebox one will work :p

That's that one sorted then!! I just assumed it would work all the time as did the one in my previous car

Well, I "finally" got round to doing that today.
Not really difficult, just 3 bolts, but with my big arthritic hands a real swine to get at, especially the innermost one. :mad:

Here's a tip: Loosen all 3 bolts a turn or so first, then take the innermost bolt (near the release catch) off, then the outermost (low down) and finally the "central" one, that way it's relatively stable while doing the trickiest ones.
Reinstall in reverse order and don't fully tighten until all bolts are engaged in the threads as you might need a bit of "wiggle room" to get them all in.

My problem was that my glovebox light cover was broken (usually rubbish retaining catches) and I wanted to install an LED bulb too. All fine now, though there's a fair bit of duct tape on the glovebox "roof" now holding everything in place. :o
(if that bulb blows it's everything out again to replace it :-( )

Sauce,

What bulb is in there so I can have one ready for the job...+++

It's a little bayonet sort of thing, I'll look up what I bought on eBay and update here.....

Edit: BA9s I think. (Maybe also known as T11?)

Can't recall if the polarity is right for LED's or not; if it isn't you'll need to swap the 2 little spade terminals around on the bulbholder.

And if that happens I'll dispense with the cover and everything and just use one of those small "panels" of LED's held in place with double-sided tape, though that will need a bit of "splicing" on the wiring.

Thanks for that. I've got a couple of them so may do that this weekend if the bliddy rain stops +++

I think my final observation on this is that, as has been noted elsewhere, the glovebox light unit has very fragile mounting clips and is difficult to access.
Not only that, but I found the wiring to it had little or no slack, making access even just to change the bulb very tricky. (well, I totally failed and broke the thing :mad: )

On that basis I would definitely recommend removing the glovebox unit as a whole ("just" 3 hex-head bolts - 8mm I think) to get at the light.

Roger that.

FYI a T11 bulb is the fog light size so it'll be the B9 I think +++