jimcabc

I must be lucky to worry about this... Last weekend I discovered that both the front and rear (engine) compartment lights were not working. The front was easy, just cleaned the contacts for the lightbulb inside the fixture. The rear is still dead. Current is getting to the fixture and the bulb is good, so the problem must be in the fixture itself. Problem is, while it is a nice heavy Germanic piece, it seems to have no obvious way to disassemble it. A new fixture is $47.60 at the local P-car dealer, so I would really like to see if it could be taken apart for cleaning. I have an idea the little sliding cover over the light that acts as a switch is the problem. Anyone have any idea how to get this thing apart?

Jim
'87 911 Cabrio blk/blk/blk

dyerkes

I had a similar problem with my engine light and was successful in repairing it this last weekend. The light unit is made up of two components - an outer shield and an inner body that houses the wiring and bulb. The outer shield is "sprung" in place. There are two spring metal posts that are spread outward to hold the outer shield in place. Use a small bladed screwdriver to pry off the outer shield. If your problem is the same as mine, you will find that the upside-down v-shaped piece of copper on the right-hand side of the unit is bent and no longer makes contact with the rotating cylinder that hosts the light bulb. If that is the case you will just need to spread the "V" further apart so that contact is made.

Good luck,
David

Teutonics

One thing you may want to check (ask me how I know! ) is to turn your headlights on and then try the light. Some times it's the simple things......

Tom F

The light only goes on if the parking lights or headlights are on.

By the way, my 1958 Mercedes had the same light, only it was all chrome and inside the passenger compartment.

jimcabc

Wow, that had to be the easiest repair ever on this car. Thanks David, for the tip on how to get the outer shield off - it was of course easy when you knew how it came apart. I think the problem was pretty similar to yours; I bent the "v" contact out a bit and cleaned up the brass. Works fine now. And yep, checking the owner's manual to see how these gadgets work is always a good idea. I once was sure the headlight washers were dead, until I checked the manual and found the headlights had to be on for them to work! - Jim