Underhood light plug?

So, I haven't been here in ages. Last time I was, the transmission was acting up a bit. Well it's completely ruined itself now, but to add more injury to injury, I crashed the Riv. Total cost to fix it will be more than it's worth on the market, and so I put it up for sale and bought a Honda - long story short, driving it has made me realise how much I miss the boat. Thank goodness I slacked off and never actually got rid of the Riv. Now the Honda is going back for sale, I've got a new hood for the Riv and I want to send the Buick into the transmission shop for a replacement rebuilt transmission this weekend. Just need to get the new hood on, but I can't figure out where the underhod lights wire's lead to in the engine bay, or if I'll need to cut and splice. If I can get away with it, only the hood end needs to be disconnected, and I'll remove the mat if I need to, but if there's nothing under there and I need to cut and splice, I'd like to save myself the time. For anyone who's replaced or removed their hood, I appreciate the help.

If for some reason you pulled the old one without noticing the wiring, don't wig out. All you have to do is tap the underhood light into the circuit for the parking lights. The underhood light has a mercury switch in it already but if you just wire it hot all the time then it will come on when parked on a steep hill.)

Do you think the easiest thing would be to look at the old one? There's no other wiring going onto the hood. And removing the mat is a piece of cake, just remove the plastic 'christmas trees' with a trim tool and it falls right off. You need to remove the mat to check the light's wiring.

I haven't pulled any hood yet, the junkyard hood was already pulled from the donor car when I got to the yard, they cut the wire to that hood but if there's some sort of disconnect up inside the hood under the mat I'll pull it off. I did look at the old hood, but I can't see any connection, so I was asking it was soldered in place or otherwise hard-wired in, such that the only way to remove the hood was to cut the wires. You seem to indicate that their should be a way to pull the wire's without cutting them If I take the mat off, so I'll do that.

Cam wrote:

I haven't pulled any hood yet, the junkyard hood was already pulled from the donor car when I got to the yard, they cut the wire to that hood but if there's some sort of disconnect up inside the hood under the mat I'll pull it off. I did look at the old hood, but I can't see any connection, so I was asking it was soldered in place or otherwise hard-wired in, such that the only way to remove the hood was to cut the wires. You seem to indicate that their should be a way to pull the wire's without cutting them If I take the mat off, so I'll do that.

I get it. Thanks for the details, I needed those details to give an answer but did not know to ask for them.

That said - I'd just pull the mat off. IIRC the light housing unplugs from the harness. If not just splice the wires at a convenient spot. If any of those 'christmas trees' break you can get replacements at any reasonable auto parts store.

I could have sworn I saw a write-up on how to pull the mat off on here before, but I can't seem to find it. Not wanting to break anything, do I just pry on the plastic clips or is there a technique to it?

Cam wrote:

I could have sworn I saw a write-up on how to pull the mat off on here before, but I can't seem to find it. Not wanting to break anything, do I just pry on the plastic clips or is there a technique to it?

Use a trim tool such as this:

(LINK)

to get under the plastic fastener and remove it. Usually the fastener can be reused, sometimes not. Replacement fasteners are sold in packs at auto parts stores.

I think my brother's got one of those. Thanks!