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My trunk light turns off when the trunk lid is about half way closed. If I reopen the lid the light does not come back on unless I wiggle the bulb in the socket. There is obviously something wrong with the socket but is the light supposed to shut off as the lid closes? There is no switch to do this like in the door jambs. What is the proper operation of the trunk light? Thanks.

I believe the transition started around 1951 so by 54 I suspect all had a rolling ball switch just behind the socket. Earlier lights used a mercury switch. The light is supposed to turn off before the lid closes and turns on as the lid goes up. I don't know if there is a precise point it should be on but Packard issued a bulletin instructing mechanics to ensure the light goes out well before the lid closes. They were to bend the light mounting bracket assy to reposition the angle of the light if needed.

If yours is intermittent most likely the ball or the contacts at the switch assy have oxidized or corroded. The mercury type can deposit some sort of oxide on the contacts but was sealed in a glass vial so not serviceable. The balls were probably crimped in a similar sized enclosure but I've never had occasion to see if those switches can be disassembled and cleaned.

Here is a photo borrowed from another post showing what the earlier mercury switch version looked like. The later complete assys look a bit different but electrically should have a similar layout.

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I had a problem with the trunk light staying on - battery died. So I removed the socket and read how it was supposed to work. The ball was not rolling in the chamber and I didn't want to open the container and ruin it so I shook it as hard as I could till I could hear the ball rolling easily and that worked for me. I've done that a couple of times over the years - been driving the car since '92,

Thanks guys. I will try the shake repair before purchasing a new switch.

I believe the switch and socket are the same unit. Or at least, that is how it is on my '54.

The problem I had is that it stay on when parked on the grade in my driveway. So I unhooked it for now.

The trunk light switch in my 50 Packard Deluxe 8 is not turning on when the trunk lid is opened. The fixture looks very much like the one in your picture, but I don't know if it has a rolling ball or mercury. If shaking the fixture doesn't get it working again, is it safe to assume the unit is made to be disassembled without damaging it? BigKev's post would lead me to believe it is not.

I have a 47 Super Clipper touring sedan-the trunk light is just hanging with a switch to turn it on off. Is this correct? If possible I would love a picture of a super clipper trunk and light as it is suppose to be

thks

David

It is unknown -at least by me- if they started the transition from mercury to the rolling ball with 23rd or until a later series.. I suspect the 23 is still mercury if it looks like the one above. As O_D said, 23 series and earlier were powered from the tail light circuit so only work when lights are on. Later ones were powered all the time but if it was installed by a dealer the light could well have been powered differently than Packard suggested. All generally turn on with lid about half way up and off well before the lid is closed. Don't think there is any specific or precise point. The later 24-56 series can be adjusted slightly by bending the mounting bracket to change the tilt of the light assy.

Here are a few photos of the 21st series Super and Custom light mounted on the lid and also one with it disassembled. The cap is pressed onto the body of the socket but using a gentle grip so as not to bend or crush the cap and some twisting with channel lock pliers it came off without difficulty. I don't know if the 24th and later assemblies without the domed hood cover piece come off as easily.

If you cannot shake the mercury to dislodge the oxide coating which frequently forms on contacts after prolonged exposure to mercury and make the switch work properly, new switches can be adapted. Here is an alarm tilt switch I have been looking at which should work. To adapt, it would involve removing the old mercury type and add a couple of new socket pieces to connect one wire of the new switch directly to the bulb socket contact and the other to the power lead. Switch could be hidden above the assy and is a modern ball type rated for 3 amps. New socket contact and insulating pieces are available from RI Wiring and others or just buy a universal aftermarket socket and take the guts out of that.

There are other real mercury switches still available in electronic stores but those generally are in bare glass capsules with exposed bare wires. They would not fit inside the socket as the original did and would have to be mounted in some way, insulated and then protected from external damage. Others are covered or protected better but an issue is the modern mercury types are generally used with solid state sensing circuits and most are only rated for less than 1/2 amp.

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Thanks for the help.