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I purchased a 1973 Coupe with a 350 engine a few months ago( I am handy and had a 74MGB before but I am new to Corvettes.) The passenger and driver's side courtesy light work fine. I placed a new bulb in the rear courtesy light but still no light. I figured it was the ground. I ran a wire from the light and connected to a negative batter terminal and it worked. I figured I would just find a ground behind the carpet that was behind the light. I removed the carpet and insulation but could not locate any wire or grounding point. Directly behind the light is a metal bracket but even after clearing a corner of the bracket of adhesive and connecting the same wire I connected to the battery terminal the light still did not work. I ran the wire to the screw that attaches the front "footman loop" (for attaching the storage strap) and the light worked. Was hoping to not run a wire to serve as the ground to that location. Any suggestions where there might be a place to connect a ground wire closer to the rear courtesy light. Thank you.
Hello,
Here's all I have on the courtesy lamp wiring.
Maybe you can spot something.
Is it possible the ground is completed at one or both of the switches in the lock pillar?
Regards....
A new ground wire will work fine if you want the light on all the time. The interior lights are hot all the time and are switched on by grounding.
I agree -- it's only when the door plungers extend that they contact the ground in the circuit. The rear light gets it's signal from the plungers where the ground has already been established. Check the integrity of the wires at the socket back to where they tie into the other courtesy lights. For '72 one of these wires is orange and the other is white.
Thank you to everyone for their reply. Very helpful. My car also has an orange wire and a white wire going to the rear courtesy light. I will pull the kick panels to see the wires connecting to the door plungers. f everything looks good, I'll trace the wires leading from the rear courtesy light to see if they are broken/damaged somewhere. Is there a general location where the wires from the passenger and driver's side door plungers connect so I can see if that is correct? Similarly, is there a general location where the wires to the various courtesy lights connect? Anything else I can check? BTW, I don't know if it makes a difference but with the doors closed and all courtesy lights off, if I turn the headlight switch the floor courtesy lights operate but the rear courtesy light does not.
BTW, I don't know if it makes a difference but with the doors closed and all courtesy lights off, if I turn the headlight switch the floor courtesy lights operate but the rear courtesy light does not.
I had forgotten about the switch activating the courtesy lights; it must ground the circuit the same way as the door plungers. What you describe for the light switch sounds exactly like your door open/closed situation, so tracks with me.
The rear light wiring is part of the rear harness, which is tied to the dash harness with a multi-wire plug under the dash by the driver's hinge pillar. The courtesy plungers are at the front of each door jamb while the alarm/door ajar plungers are at the rear. Alan's pics show the blue and black wires for the passenger alarm/door ajar. The courtesy wiring travels under the driver's door sill -- Alan's pics show the wrapped wires. Locate the white and orange wires at the harness connector and check continuity to the socket -- I think the orange carries power while the white is the neutral return.
Does your glove box light work? It uses the same orange wire but has its own black ground wire.
So if the headlight switch also grounds the circuit but turnung it on does nit light 5he rear courtesy light wouldn't bthat indicate a break/bad connection in the white wire leading to the rear courtesy light? Yes my glove box light works.
And yes, I have a wiring diagram. However, as you know that shows the wires, but not where the wires were. Their connections are located. Thanks again to everyone
So if the headlight switch also grounds the circuit but turnung it on does nit light 5he rear courtesy light wouldn't bthat indicate a break/bad connection in the white wire leading to the rear courtesy light? Yes my glove box light works.
That's what I'm thinking. The rear light and glove box share the orange wire but not the white... that's where I'd first look for continuity.
Barkingrats, The copper line is a vacuum line to operate the "Astro Ventilation" doors that open to let cabin air out through the back grills. 68's just had a rubber flap.
The automotive parts plant that I worked in maintenance for 34 years, made the two ribbed metal birdcage panels in Alan's pictures. Lou.
Barkingrats, The copper line is a vacuum line to operate the "Astro Ventilation" doors that open to let cabin air out through the back grills. 68's just had a rubber flap.
The automotive parts plant that I worked in maintenance for 34 years, made the two ribbed metal birdcage panels in Alan's pictures. Lou.
Rear Courtesy light
