Dome light issue (1 Viewer)

[FloridaCruiser22]

The rear dome light works fine (the one over the 2nd row seats), the map light works fine (the one to the very front), but the front dome light has some weird issue. When you set the front dome light to ON, it comes on, no problem. The problem is when you set it to door, the light comes on extremely dim. I'm not sure where to look or what to do. I've pulled the dome light down, no corrosion any where, and have also tried jiggling the switch back and forth but still nothing.

I can post pic of it later once it's dark.

 

[mct75]

Have you tried the courtesy switches on the actual doors? Mine get wet and make the light come on by itself.

 

[FloridaCruiser22]

Have you tried the courtesy switches on the actual doors? Mine get wet and make the light come on by itself.

All the door lights work fine, the dome light comes on when the front doors are open liked it's supposed to. There's power going to the switch when it's set to ON and DOOR except there seems to be a lack of power going to it when it's set to DOOR.

 

[mct75]

The power for "ON" is the same for "DOOR", the switch just controls what grounds out the circuit. "ON" grounds it to a screw hole on the dome light, "DOOR" connects the ground of the bulb to the courtesy switches to connect to ground when the doors are open. The FSM has a great diagram for how it is all set up.

 

[flintknapper]

If you have a regular incandescent bulb in the fixture, replace it with an LED. It will be brighter and will run on reduced amperage. You likely have resistance somewhere in the circuit, could also be a bad bulb.

 

[FloridaCruiser22]

I have the LED's from Pfrans.

Here is the light when set to ON

Here is the light when set to DOOR, honestly this was the first time all of the lights actually came on when set to DOOR, although they were flickering. They usually come on MUCH more dim than this

 

[flintknapper]

I'd replace the door switch(s) that control it. Contact(s) inside each one are probably corroded.

Definitely a big difference there, you are right about that.

 

[Marine7]

I'd say it's a ground problem for sure. These lights have constant 12 volts, the ground is what turns them on and off. I would pull the "plunger" switches inside each door jamb, and clean them up. Probably have corrosion preventing 1 from getting a good ground.... therefore dim light. Good luck!

 

[FloridaCruiser22]

Thanks, I'll try cleaning them tomorrow, hopefully that works

 

[flintknapper]

Thanks, I'll try cleaning them tomorrow, hopefully that works

On my '97 I couldn't take the switch apart (not made to be serviced). The best I could do was to spray electrical contact cleaner into it, work the plunger a bunch of times, blow it dry with compressed air and repeat. It will knock of any carbon deposits....but it won't clean up corrosion.

Hopefully, that will work for you, didn't for me. They are less than $20.00 at most auto parts stores.

Only reason I mention it is: IF cleaning (assuming you can't open the switch) does not solve your problem you might be inclined to look other places (wiring) for the problem...(when you never really removed the corrosion/scaling on the contact). Don't want you to spend time running down rabbit holes that are not the cause of your problem.

An easy way to check that switch would be to just bypass it. Take a jumper wire to a known to be good ground. If your light becomes bright again, you've found your problem (door switch).

Good luck with it. I know electrical gremlins can be frustrating.

Flint.

 

[Marine7]

On my '97 I couldn't take the switch apart (not made to be serviced). The best I could do was to spray electrical contact cleaner into it, work the plunger a bunch of times, blow it dry with compressed air and repeat. It will knock of any carbon deposits....but it won't clean up corrosion.

Hopefully, that will work for you, didn't for me. They are less than $20.00 at most auto parts stores.

Only reason I mention it is: IF cleaning (assuming you can't open the switch) does not solve your problem you might be inclined to look other places (wiring) for the problem...(when you never really removed the corrosion/scaling on the contact). Don't want you to spend time running down rabbit holes that are not the cause of your problem.

An easy way to check that switch would be to just bypass it. Take a jumper wire to a known to be good ground. If your light becomes bright again, you've found your problem (door switch).

Good luck with it. I know electrical gremlins can be frustrating.

Flint.

Work a TINY piece of Emory cloth down in there to "scrape" whatever corrosion you can...... then spray

 

[Tedward]

Try switching the dome lights possitions.
Maybe the problem moves with the light you move.

 

[Dave 2000]

IIRC the is a small box of tricks under the dash that controls the light? It is tied in with the alarm, you press the unlock and it sends a live up to the lamp, after a short while it goes out. This is also possibly tied in with the light surrounding the ignition switch, start looking around under the dash.


regards

Dave