can this be removed?? mine doesnt seem to work ive replaced the bulbs and it still wont come on. need some help here

 

Are you talking about the cargo area light or the rear brake light?

 

rear brake light

 

I'm not sure if yours is like mine that has the contacts in the rear trim panel but check for power at the bulb and if there is power then check for ground. If either is not what it should be then start checking down stream so to speak. If yours has the contacts in the rear trim panel, check for power there, with the brake applied of course.

 

I'm about to tackle the same problem in mine. What I found is there is a separate brake switch that operates that high mount brake light. take the switch out and do a post test with a meter. put the multimeter on the Audible Continuity symbol. Put both of your contacts on each post and push the button in, if it beeps only as your switch is pressed in then its good. Next item in the system is in the trunk area. There are 3 items to checkout. the soldered wires that run along the glass. Make sure they don't have breaks in them. Now on the underside of the trunk lid under the spoiler. unscrew the plastic and check the power cable that runs to the little black box that touches the metal contacts when the hatch is closed. I connected a power drill battery with some lead wires to give the hatch power at the box isolating it from the rest of the system. If it powers the brake when you touch the leads on the black box then that leaves the bottom contact patch left. On my 86 the problem is the power wire on the bottom contact patch is not getting 12v. so I'm just gonna splice into the rear brake light 12v wire. instead of trying to chase where the wire is broken along the maze of wires in these 3rd gens. Sorry so long but hope this helps.

 

Mine is working either, but I am missing the braided wire on one side of the glass. Do you know where this can be purchased or how can I just run regular elctrical wire?

 

Not sure if it can be purchased? Since it's pretty much soldered to the glass. Although a wire could be used but it would probably look tacky and rigged. Just my $.02 do you have a local pick and pull? Maybe you can score a whole hatch window for cheap? But if your good with fabbing and modifing then give it a wirl. post some pics. Remember the right side of the hatch is ground and the left is a switched hot via the brake light.

 

The part that's on the hatch itself,their's a spring that puts tension on the contacts,pull down on that a little and put a piece of cardboard behind it and see if that works 1st,(the spring may have gotten weak over time), before you start tearing everything apart.

 

Mantaguy, I am just missing the wire that runs up the glass on the right side. AJ thanks for the info. I am looking for another hatch also, but this is something year specific. I am going to work on it this weekend. I'll post pics if I get it working. lol

 

Why in the world would anyone remove that? This is the part I was referring to.

Every once in a while I have to open the spring up,I even moved it to the top of the plastic cover.

 

I don't know if someone removed it or it just fell off. When I bought the car last November it had been sitting for 12 years. Just trying to finish up the simple stuff to get her inspected and on the road.