soprano64

Have a strange problem with my 73 all the interior lights only work when you open either door. Already tried 3 headlight switches. The first time this happened the interior lights were staying on all the time. Change the headlight switch then everything was working fine. Now the other day interior lights went on While I was driving. Change the headlight switch again now the interior lights won't go on when you rotate the head light ****. The instrument cluster lights dim and get brighter as you rotate but no interior lights come on. The only way to get the interior lights on is to open driver or passenger door. Every other function of the headlight switch is working fine. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated thank you.

Revi

It may be a loose or open wire that goes to the headlight switch. You'll need a wiring diagram, see which interior light wire goes to the headlight switch. With everything connected and the headlight switch rotated counter clockwise (to turn on the interior lights) start moving/jiggling the wire that goes to the interior light circuit. See if the lights flash or come on. Other wise, it's a VOM and wire by wire trouble shooting.

65GGvert

The only thing the switch does to turn on the interior lights is supply a ground to the same circuit that the door switch does. You need to find where the connection is lost from the switch to the ground, or from the wire to the switch.

soprano64

Do u know which wire on the headlight switch supplies power to the ground? Because I thought it's the white wire that supplies power when u rotate the **** to turn on Interior lights.

soprano64

I was thinking of running a new wire from the white lead on the headlight switch right to the door jamb does anyone know if that will work? Like I said before interior lights come on when you open eithet door but they don't come on when you rotate the headlight switch.

Peterbuilt

Yes! The WHITE wire is the courtesy lamp circuit.
When you spin the **** all the way to the left the finger on the switch becomes grounded to the metal switch bracket (see number 7 in view 'B')

soprano64

Hard for me to see the pic you posted . So if I understand you right the white wire actually is a ground. And if I run a wire straight from that white wire lead to the driver side door jamb pin white wire. I should be able to turn the interior lights on when I rotate the **** just like the way it's supposed to work.

soprano64

And now that I was able to open the picture that you sent me I realize that that metal bracket number 7 is broken in my Dash. So I guess what's happening is it can't make a ground. Don't know if I can order that part or try to fix it. Or figure out a different way to ground switch.

V4motorsports

Yup, you can buy just the strap:

http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50g&ukey=27778

Hope this helps

Russ

soprano64

[I]Took the dash apart today and i realized i never put the ground strap on the headlight switch. looks like the bolt that was attaching the ground strap to the speedometer was missing. I found the strap at the bottom of the dash pad. I attached it and now when you rotate the headlight **** the interior lights go on as they are supposed to. Problem solved thanks to all that helped.