Hi all - I just recently bought a 2000 V70 XC AWD and so far I love it. However, I got stopped the other day and given a warning that my license plate lights were out.I bought new bulbs andtried to replace them, but in the process saw that they were both on. In experimenting with this, I've found that the license plate lightsdo not come on when the lights are turned on and the back door is closed. However, they come at the same time asthe interior lights in the back come on when I lift the back door.Obviously the bulbs are fine and there's some kind of switch problem, but I don't have a clue where to start with this. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

The wire in the harness where it run next to the hinge is broke.
I have seen this before.
The wires run from inside the tailgate along the hinge and inside the car.

 

I took a look at that, and there is absolutely no wear visible on any of the wires under the plastic cover at the hinge or under the plastic coveron the inside of the tailgate, Let alone being frayed or broken. I guess my next step is to take off the interior panel from the tailgate and check from there to the lights themselves, and if that appears to be okay I'll have to try to trace it inside the body. For someone whohasn't really done his own car work before, this is pretty daunting.

 

I will bet it is closer to the inside.
If you can trace the harness and put an ohm meter on each end testing the wires opening and closing the gate some till you isolate the wire/wires that are bad.