Hey,
I have a 71 vette that i bought about a week ago and ever since i've had it, the door ajar light has been on. I took a look at it today and i saw that there are two door switches. Ones in the front door jam where the hinges are, and the other is back where the door latches on. What is each one for? and the one on the passenger side in the front by the hinges was missing the tab that touches the door. So i took a small screwdriver and pushed it in thinking that this would make the light go off. It ended up going all the way thru. So when i took that tab out, theres no wires or anything hooked up to it just a hole going thru the metal tube.

Help! i appreciate any help i can get.

 

mine does the same thing.
i am interested in the answer

 

The plunger closest to the rear tires is the "door ajar" trigger while the other plunger operates the interior lights. You can reach the "doorajar" light switch (wires) through a panel in the wheel well. Any auto parts store can sell you a new plunger and all one does is screw it in; unless the wiring needs to be reattached and hence the panel. Hope this helps

 

I have been chasing a grimlin on my courtesy lights yesterday and today, Forum members solved this for me.

But last winter I had the interior out an fixed my door ajar lights while there. Once I installed a good buld , it stayed on for me as well.

So if your light is staying on then I suggest this.

1st. the switch at the front is for the courtesy light / key buzzer

the rear switches below door latch assy. are the door ajar switches.


turn the key switch on and get the bulb burning. then open 1 of the doors and push the plunger by hand. If light goes out then that door is not hitting the plunger and pushing it in enough to break the circuit. If nothing happens close that door and do the same on the other side. If light still stays on. Then get a helper and do both manually by hand at the same time. If the light goes out the both switches need adjusting.


If none of the above helps , you might have a short where the wires attach under the trim panel.


there are 2 wires attached to terminals on the inside of the switch. There is a plastic blade extending outward between the 2 wires / terminals to prevent them from touching each other. When the door is opened and the plunger allowed to move outward , contact is made to allow the current that is inbound on 1 of the wires to flow back out to the bulb on the other wire.



As for the front switch you just pushed in. That is easierer to access.

remove the door sill plate and then the kick panel. Then any speaker if one is there. You can reach in and un plug the single white wire .

The switch is about 10.00 to 12.00. But it does not come with the terminal that the wire attaches to. You need to order that as well.


As always , disconnect power to car before removing any switches.


Hope this helps,

David

 

Thanks for all the info! One problem though, and i should've probably of mentioned this before. When i open either doors, the interior lights do not come on and there is no key buzzer. The interior lights DO work when i turn up the dimmer switch on the headlights.

Thanks again!!

 

There should also be a small foam rubber pad glued on the door that cushions the spring loaded plunger on the door ajar switch.

 

That was the problem with mine. Installed the pads and problem solved. You can get them at paragon.

 

You need to replace the courtesy light switches. There should be a white wire somewhere in that cavity behind the hinge pillar for the switch. It completes the circuit to turn the lights on when the door is opened and the plunger is released.

The circuit can be completed at any one of three points. Each door and the light switch.

cc

 

Pull the wires one switch per time short them out and when the door ajar light goes you found the one you need to change. Paragon sells them.

 

One final item.... Local auto parts stores will have some replacement door jamb switches, but they are unlikely to be correct for your car. There are hundreds of those switches...different lengths, etc. You need the correct switches for each position on the car. Places like lectriclimited.com have the correct switches, and I would highly recommend that you get them instead of a 'generic' door jamb switch.

 

Good info 7T1vette

I called the local Chevrolet dealer this morning and the chevy part # was still available. They had to order from the zone supply hub.

I should have tomorrow.

Part # was 3929804 $19.95



David

 

Here's a picture of the switch AND the new connectors you NEED to have in order to install a new switch or repair a used one.
Regards,
Alan

This is the switch in the lock pillar not the hinge pillar.