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i got a 1970 corvette. I have a few questions. So this morning I woke up and I saw that my courtesy lights were still on. Before panicking I played with my headlight switch **** and turn it slightly to the right, heard a click, closed the door and the lights turned off. Is that normal? That the **** also acts as the manual switch for the courtesy lights?
Also, my reverse lights will not come on when I put the car in reverse? Any tips there?
Last my ignition key won’t lock my doors. The driver side key hold turns all the way but doesn’t engage the lock at all. The passenger side seems like it’s trying to catch the lock but it won’t turn. Will I need to take off the door panels?
Spray some penetrating oil in the door lock and get them moving ..reverse lights are hooked up to the side of your transmission but there’s a plug under the hood near your master cylinder it’s pink and green plug will give it away see if it’s plugged in
And yes that is how the courtesy lights worked in The “past”. So if you want to look at your map 😏you can turn the courtesy lights on without opening the door. Perfectly normal. Ike
Spray some penetrating oil in the door lock and get them moving ..reverse lights are hooked up to the side of your transmission but there’s a plug under the hood near your master cylinder it’s pink and green plug will give it away see if it’s plugged in
i see some pink and green wire plugged in around the ignition shielding. Is that what you are referring to?
hmm off the round key will lock my glove box but it won’t turn either door lock. The only get rotation with the square key
The square key locks and unlocks the doors and the round key opens the glove compartment and the spare tire lock on my 69. I suspect the 70's worked the same way?
Last edited by Driving69; Apr 21, 2022 at 11:37 AM.
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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Did some research and I stand corrected guys.
'69 to '73 the square key works in the ignition and doors. Round key works in storage compartments & spare tire lock.
From '74 up the square key is ignition only & the round key is doors, storage & spare lock...
I’ll probably end up getting some GM style keys anyway.
But looks like i have my first mini project in tackling these door locks. Secondly, I’m going to have to get under the car somehow to check out the reverse switch. It’s an original car so it could have gone bad with age
before you start tearing into the reverse light switch, check the reverse light sockets and bulbs. they corrode and don't pass electricity. cleaning contacts and the inside of the socket may help. also make sure they are grounded. not just grounded, make sure the piece of metal they ground to is grounded to the actual frame. there are 4 ground points on most things in this car. they ground whatever it is, horn, light, wiper motor, etc to a piece of metal it is mounted in or near. then that piece of metal has a ground wire that goes to the frame.
door locks. pull the door panels and start looking at youtube videos.
before you start tearing into the reverse light switch, check the reverse light sockets and bulbs. they corrode and don't pass electricity. cleaning contacts and the inside of the socket may help. also make sure they are grounded. not just grounded, make sure the piece of metal they ground to is grounded to the actual frame. there are 4 ground points on most things in this car. they ground whatever it is, horn, light, wiper motor, etc to a piece of metal it is mounted in or near. then that piece of metal has a ground wire that goes to the frame.
door locks. pull the door panels and start looking at youtube videos.
i checked the the socket and there isn’t power going to it. Is there a way to remove the housing under the lens so I can check the wiring?
The backup light switch on the driver side of the trans is easy to adjust if you can get your car a few feet in the air. Ignition on, shifter in reverse, turn the switch and see if the backup lights turn on. You can see the adjustment slots.
New Owner ‘70 C3.
