'97 Civic coupe.

Where is the trunk light switch? I'm convinced it's bad or disconnected.

The trunk light bulb housing has 12V always, on one side. But no ground ever, on the other side of the bulb holder. Bulb lit up fine when I ran a jumper to ground. So I figure the circuit must be switched in the ground path and the switch isn't enabling ground.

Where is the switch?

Thx.

 

I have the same problem, mine works when it wants to.

 

it's in the trunk latch

 

Is there is a way to test it?

 

If you have a multitester or even just a simple "Light on = power present" type tester, run a +12V wire to tester, and the ground side of the tester to the + side of the switch and see if it shows as alive when the switch is in the "trunk open" position. With switch in "trunk closed" position the ground should be "broken" so you won't have 12V showing.

I still have to get out there and look in the trunk to find the switch by the latch. Hopefully this a.m.

 

I looked at a diagram for the car and looked at the latch and did not see a switch for the trunk light, is it in the latch itself?

If it needs to be replaced do you replace the latch? This is where I am confused?

 

There is no switch on the light itself in coupes and sedans (hatches only). I suspect it's a bad wire connection, and not a bad "switch". It wouldn't be a "switch" in the traditional sense anyway since all that's happening is the latch is connecting the wire to ground (through the cluster indicator light) when it's open, and breaks that connection when the trunk is closed.

 

So there is a physical wire going into the latch area?

 

I'm pretty sure I saw a wire going to the latch assembly when I looked at it last.

HOWEVER it looks like since it apparently grounds via the instrument cluster light - if the bulb is dead the trunk light would not light? I've never noticed a "trunk open" indicator on my dash so I suspect my indicator bulb is dead thus no trunk light.

Kind of a silly way to wire a circuit, if I understand it correctly. The small current passed by the tiny indicator bulb is all that's available to illuminate the trunk. More sensible (and likely) to wire them in parallel, each bulb having a wire to the latch "switch", and grounding there at the switch.