Courtesy Lamp Switch Wires

[Tim Leech]

Ive gone to change a couple of the courtesy light switches on the DTR recently as they appeared not to work, however after removing the switch carefully it looks like the wires have become unattached and have dissappeared inside the A/B posts.

Is there a way to get at the wiring at all?

[Vanny]

I think you'll find there will only be one wire (the 'switch' earths through the body, it is a normally open switch) based on normal car wiring (though not specifically BX wiring).

Because its only one wire it is a little trickier to catch. You can sometimes get it out with a strong magnet and a bit of waving, though normally i opt for a hook at the end of a wire coat hanger to snag with wire, and raise the connector close enough to the hole that i can get my finger in and slide the connector out.

It takes patience, but isn't impossible.

Worst case, i think you can pull it back into the car, and put a fish from the hole the switch goes in, back to the hole into the cabin, and pull the whole wire back through.

[Tim Leech]

OK Thanks Vanny

I guess I will have to strip some of the interior out to get at it.

[mat_fenwick]

A loop of sticky tape at the end of a stiff bit of wire can sometimes be useful, as if you can hook it over the wire it gives a better pull. Not sure if you can get a sufficiently sized tape loop through the hole in the BX door pillars though.

[kiwi]

There is a claw gizmo about a couple feet long that is availbale from all good auto stores! Cheap little gadget I had one in the UK so I know they are available there. Lets put it this way fishing for a little piece of ceramic spark plug inside the engine block was an impossible mission to some short removing the head. With patiance and a little bit of luck I did it. Now finding a wire in an a piller that will be just as much fun.

[mat_fenwick]

I know just the thing you mean, would be ideal for this. The one I have was dead cheap and has 4 springy claws on the end operated by a T handle on the other. I've also got this which is equally useful for anything steel. Not that I drop anything regularly...

[kiwi]

Thats the beasty Mat

Been a life saver and acar saver so the nz$2 investment I made in one out here was well worth it.

[citsncycles]

I lost one of the wires on Timex this way when I tried making the door switch work. I don't know if mine is typical, but there is very little spare wire there - it pulled off while I was trying to withdraw the switch for cleaning.

[Birotor]

Another pain in the butt shortness of wire is to the boot light as in my 1992 Break. Finished up extending them by 2" when replacing broken item.

[Tim Leech]

I lost one of the wires on Timex this way when I tried making the door switch work. I don't know if mine is typical, but there is very little spare wire there - it pulled off while I was trying to withdraw the switch for cleaning.

Same as what happened to me.