So my questions still stands: Does the transition from the switched trunk light being hot only when the lights are on TO the switched trunk light is always hot correspond to the switch from the old-style tail lights to the new-style tail lights?
Scott,
Fairly correct. This was changed over some time during the production run.
Earlier trunk lights were illuminated by a grey-blue wire, and that indicates in the same way as instruments lighting: only illuminated when (at least) parking lights are switched on.
Later on this was changed to a red wire (with yellow and white marker lines) indicating it was/is powered by constant + without the aid of the parking lights.
I do not exactly know when this change was ... possibly with the change of the taillight design after serial no. 007938 but this does not mandatorily need to be connected to this change.
Parts list says that the main wiring harnesses and the tail lamp harnesses were changed during production (of 250/280) but the list does not indicate the exact serial number ...
I'll look this up in the Engelen.
most German cars had this as standard...even my 1990 VW boot light only came on with the parking lights! Looks like they never changed this thinking...that you only need the light when its dark and you have the lights on...a bit Germanic!!:)
Ahem, no.
Of cause, I understand you making "jokes" about "Germanic"ism or so...
... that's fine
... but I don't think this is just true in this case.
Volkswagen always had some weird "money-saving" issues with this kind of equipment while MB performed that change already some 20 years earlier - and I believe BMW as well.
Achim