Electrical Dome Light Will Not Shut Off When Door Closed

[GoldenEagle91]

Hi guys,

I just installed a new bulb in the dome light socket today because there previously wasnt one and I shut my door and look in the car and the light remained on for more than 30 seconds. Because I didn't want to go and try to start a car that had a dead battery tomorrow I opted to pull the bulb out so that it didn't sit on all night. I know that there is a switch that lets the dome light know when to be on versus when to be off. I suspect this could be my problem but wanted to see what you guys might know. Please drop me a line so I can move towards figuring this out.

Thanks
Andrew

 

[89oem]

Ive experienced this, it may be simple; the dimmer dial on the lower dash has an always on setting I believe if you roll it all the way to right it has a slight click which is always on try rolling it the other direction if its not that you may have a short somewhere...

 

[GoldenEagle91]

Ive experienced this, it may be simple; the dimmer dial on the lower dash has an always on setting I believe if you roll it all the way to right it has a slight click which is always on try rolling it the other direction if its not that you may have a short somewhere...

I checked that and it still remained on after I turned it all the way to the right. The switch on the bottom in the door frame seems shot to me. Would replacing that be a good place to start and how often do those fail? Mind you this is a 79 that did have some saggy doors prior to me owning it so I don't know if that could have damaged it.

 

[2000xp8]

I've had the plunger switch fail on the hatch, so i see no reason it wouldn't fail on the door.
Disconnect it and find out.

 

[89oem]

I think right turns it on... set it in the muddle.... try depressing each door switch with your finger may even be both... so try one at a time then wedge one depressed and press down the other one. once you find which make sure its
contacting the door "plate" right... after that its multi meter time... someone on here should have a wiring schematic they can share...

 

[rbohm]

definitely check the door switch, like anything mechanical they fail from time to time. also check the dome light fixture for a switch that might be in the wrong position. for instance my taurus the switch has three positions, on, off, and door.

 

[GoldenEagle91]

I think right turns it on... set it in the muddle.... try depressing each door switch with your finger may even be both... so try one at a time then wedge one depressed and press down the other one. once you find which make sure its
contacting the door "plate" right... after that its multi meter time... someone on here should have a wiring schematic they can share...

Good point, I will definitely give that a go.

definitely check the door switch, like anything mechanical they fail from time to time. also check the dome light fixture for a switch that might be in the wrong position. for instance my taurus the switch has three positions, on, off, and door.

And I didn't even think of that to be honest. Thank you for pointing that out. I will check all of these things when I have some good light tomorrow.

Thanks again guys!

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

Yup all the way right is ON for the light. When all the way right just turn it left until you feel the slight click, then the lighting is only keeping the dash lights on the highest setting.

 

[GoldenEagle91]

Yup all the way right is ON for the light. When all the way right just turn it left until you feel the slight click, then the lighting is only keeping the dash lights on the highest setting.

You mean all the way to the left is ON for the light right?

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

You mean all the way to the left is ON for the light right?

No all the way left turns the dash lights off. All the way right after the click turns the dome on. So for best brightness of dash lights, turn it all the way right and turn the dome on. Then barely turn it left after the click it will turn the dome off and your dash will be at the highest setting. My car is a '90 lx btw.

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

Is is possible someone installed your dimmer switch upside down? I've never changed or replaced mine so it's as stock for '90 lx.

 

[GoldenEagle91]

No all the way left turns the dash lights off. All the way right after the click turns the dome on. So for best brightness of dash lights, turn it all the way right and turn the dome on. Then barely turn it left after the click it will turn the dome off and your dash will be at the highest setting. My car is a '90 lx btw.

Is is possible someone installed your dimmer switch upside down? I've never changed or replaced mine so it's as stock for '90 lx.

That is very possible and I believe that is the case. The prior owner of this car had some things Jerry rigged and I still have yet to completely reverse engineer some of the goofy things such as the rats nest of wires underneath the hood among other things. But I do believe that as you have mentioned that that is in fact what has happened.

 

[Grabbin' Asphalt]

Well wherever the small click is that's to the dome light.

 

[GoldenEagle91]

Okay, I have a feeling it is one of the switches in either the door or the trunk. I noticed a bottle cap with some tape over it on the hatch so that leads me to believe that something is off in there lol

 

[89oem]

LOL are you sure its not a budweiser cap... (no knock on bud)....
You gotta figure that hatch switch is most likely the cause then.... for the dimmer put it in the middle posn somewhere and you know the ON option wont be switched on....

 

[GoldenEagle91]

LOL are you sure its not a budweiser cap... (no knock on bud)....
You gotta figure that hatch switch is most likely the cause then.... for the dimmer put it in the middle posn somewhere and you know the ON option wont be switched on....

Yeahhhh lol. Its either that one, the driver door, or both because they both appear to be in pretty rough condition haha.

 

[RangerJoe]

Try spraying them with some WD40 and let them soak for a bit, then work the door open and shut. I've had it work on other cars in the past, not every time, but it has worked.

Joe

 

[GoldenEagle91]

Try spraying them with some WD40 and let them soak for a bit, then work the door open and shut. I've had it work on other cars in the past, not every time, but it has worked.

Joe

Will PB Blaster work as well or must it be WD40? I can give this a shot as well. Thanks for the idea.

 

[RangerJoe]

I imagine so. I think the idea behind it is it helps loosen any corroded and stuck components, so its not guaranteed work, it just depends on what the problem is.

Joe

 

[GoldenEagle91]

I imagine so. I think the idea behind it is it helps loosen any corroded and stuck components, so its not guaranteed work, it just depends on what the problem is.

Joe

Got ya. Thats what I assumed the objective was.

Thanks again