1987 Vanagon - hatchback courtesy light switch power

[torpedo51]

Hi,
My rear hatchback operates a courtesy light... except that the PO removed the wiring, the switch, the striker and the light when it was converted to a Westy.

I have a dome light over the driver seat, and another over the rear bench seat. Both are powered from a harness coming from the driver side A-pillar. Both are switched from the driver door, pass door, and sliding door. I have the headliner out and can see all of this factory wiring.

Does the hatch switch operate the same two dome lights (above), or is there a 3rd dome light that illuminates the cargo area in the back?

If there's a 3rd dome light, where is the factory power wire coming from? The AC harness in the rear pillar?

Not seeing this in the Bentley manual.

Thanks!

[ZsZ]

It operates the same lights through the same wiring (grounds the light)

IIRC the original wiring is coming from the driver side rear light across the roof besides the C pillar crossmember behind the sliding door to the passenger side rear light. Then goes back to the D pillar, goes down into the engine bay and out to the switch
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Zoltan
1.9 MTdi 2wd Multivan (ex Caravelle)
Van since 2006, engine since 2008

[do.dah]

The hatch switch controls the other courtesy lights in the same manner as the doors and sliders. Iirc, the hatch switch wiring comes down the passenger D pillar and across and under the engine hatch lip, to the actual swich located jut to the driver side of the hatch latch pin.

There isn't/wasn't a standalone courtesy light for the rear engine hatch area as far as I know.

My van has/had, 3 factory courtesy lights. One over the driver seat, and a light on both driver and pass side of the rear bench.

Since you have the headliner out, now is the time to add any lights you want.
There should be a cutout in the same general location as the driver side front, on the pass front. There may be a plastic or metal plate covering it. You can remover it, and install the same kind of light there as the driver side has.

Several people here on the Samba have added some kind of light just above the slider, and some have installed a light into the rear hatch door. And, several have scavenged a jetta(?) center dome light and installed it between the front seats.
The world is your oyster......

[torpedo51]

[ALIKA T3]

You don't need a power wire unless you're adding a light?
Tap into the junction box in the engine bay, black wire. That's the only one I know. You also have a B+ stud in there.
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[Red Ryder]

Late to the party here, but there was never a factory courtesy light for the rear cargo area. It sounds like you are hoping to install one. If you want to restore the functionality of the original liftgate switch illuminating all courtesy lights (plus an additional one for the rear) it wouldn’t be difficult. However, I installed a rechargeable LED low profile under-cabinet light that works well for this purpose. 30-seconds to install, no wiring involved, and is reachable overhead when waking up in a dark van.
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“Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed I am not quite all there myself.” — Cheshire Cat, Adventures of Alice in Wonderland

“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition (Tornado Red)
“Nigel” — 1999 Jaguar XK8 convertible (Alpine Green Metallic)