I've got a Honda Civic 1.4i from -98.

Yesterday, after transporting a bicycle in the trunk I realized that the trunk light indicator wouldn't come off when closing the trunk door. This seems like an easy thing to fix by myself but I can't seem to find where the problem lies...
I mean, what is it, in the trunk, that tells the indicator to come on? Some ordinary or magnetic "switch"? I've looked everywhere in the exterior of the trunk but found nothing...
Could cold and damp weather have made it like this?

Please help me, all input is welcome.

Sincerely, F.

 

IN most modern cars, there is a button somewhere that tells the light in the trunk, and the light on your dash not to come on and turn itself off when closed. I have a 2002 CR-V and it still has this type of switch. A small little plastic plug which is springloaded pushes itself into the rear door, and when the door opens, the spring pushes it outward completing the connection for the switch to turn the lights on.

These buttons are usualy located very close to the trunk or hatch latch, and in some cases may be inside the mechanisim that latches the door, but I have not seen many cases as such.

If you were hauling a bike around, I know from experience its easy to rip those little buttons off, or perhaps bend them in such a way that they are not correctly comming into contact with the trunk lid. In most cases its an easy fix by doing some trial and error movement of the little pin, if the pin is where it looks like it should be and you can't seem to get the light off, hold it in by hand and make sure that the switch is not broken inside somewhere. Pressing it with your finger will tell you right away if the light will go off and on.

You can always tape a little chunk of paper or cardboard to the place on the trunk where the pin is hitting, to force more downward movement of the pressure switch, and hopefully cause it to go off, OR I have found it easy to run to your local hardware store, and pick up some of those little felt pads, or rubber pads for furniture and etc, and slap one of those on there.

If you can't figure it out, post again and we will do what we can!

 

If you open the trunk, and look up at the latch that's on the trunk lid itself you'll see the wireloom going into it. There's a connection right there. Check to see if maybe it got knocked loose or a wire pulled out by the bike.

 

Thanks alot guys, I'm going to check into it right away!
I'll get back to you with results!

 

It seems the problem lies WITHIN the lock mechanism itself... I disconnected a power cord going into the lock and the indicator went black... Next step is for me to hopefully dismantle the lock, without ruining it... And see if there is anything in there that looks out of place, and hopefully fix it.
I'll keep you posted.

 

Sounds to me like the switch inside your trunk lock is broken. Best bet would be to hit a junk yard and get a replacement, they're $25 at the dealer.
This is the part I'm talking about:

 

Ok, great advice!

If I can't find it in some junkyard do you think a reparation attempt can be successfully made by me then?
(I know which end goes where on a screwdriver for instance).

 

You don't know until you try, now do you. [8D] Go for it, worst you can do is have to replace it, right?