94 XJS taillights in boot lid have no power

XJ-S
1

Troubleshooting a problem with the taillights in the trunk (Boot) lid. All fuses are good and both bulbs have been changed. I just replaced the pigtail that goes to all the lights. When I started working on this the licence lights had been rigged (rather poorly) to operate the two taillights.
The rear fogs will come on but the the taillights in the lid do not and there is no power to that wire.
Any ideas?

2

I think I’d shoot the PO … why in the world did he do that kind of a chop job on the lights? :angry: I’m wondering if the car was in a rear end collision before … :thinking:

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3

First thing I’d do is follow the wiring in the boot as far forward as possible looking for connecters that came loose, wire nuted splices, and abraded/damaged wires.

The second thing I’d do is follow the specific wires from what isn’t working as far forward as possible and verify power was there.

Given that fuses are not blown, and presuming you verified power at each end of the fuses, if there is no power there, the issue is farther forward; and if power is there, you now know that the issue is between there and the light sockets (or the sockets themselves).

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4

The Hi stop light stopped working on my MGTF;

IMG_1385
IMG_13854080Ă—3072 3.41 MB

It was a break in the wiring

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5

Jerry, the connector to the pigtail I recently replaced connects to the harness in the forward part of the passenger rear fender. In true Jaguar fashion not an easy place to access and work in. The good news is the fender taillights and license tag lights are working so I do have running lights.

6

Don’t think it’s been hit. Just neglected until I got her. Neglect can be just as bad. My experience is British cars are a lot like boats. I have had both. You have to use them and keep up with maintenance to make them worthwhile.

7

“My experience is British cars are a lot like boats. I have had both. You have to use them and keep up with maintenance to make them worthwhile.”
And, “a boat is a hole in the water into which you throw money” also applies to British cars.

8

And, my other truism/maxism about Jags … “an issue can go just as suddenly and mysteriously as it arrived” … Very strange thing about the marque … :face_with_diagonal_mouth: