Weird courtesy light issue..
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
Weird courtesy light issue..
Anyone ever seen this,
My courtesy lights under the dash keep blowing bulbs, right and left but not the rear compartment light. They don't blow instantly. I can put new bulbs in it and they may work for a week or so, then one day they just won't be on. They are BARELY blowing the filament, hard to tell they are even blown. No blown fuses, all wires look good. I even replaced the driver's side door jamb switch because it was questionable.
Any ideas? If it was a short, why is it not blowing fuses or the rear compartment bulb?
My courtesy lights under the dash keep blowing bulbs, right and left but not the rear compartment light. They don't blow instantly. I can put new bulbs in it and they may work for a week or so, then one day they just won't be on. They are BARELY blowing the filament, hard to tell they are even blown. No blown fuses, all wires look good. I even replaced the driver's side door jamb switch because it was questionable.
Any ideas? If it was a short, why is it not blowing fuses or the rear compartment bulb?
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 223
Likes: 1
From: Kennesaw GA
Have you checked your battery voltage? Should be 12.x volts with the engine off, and about 14v with it running. Might have a bad voltage regulator and its shoving too much juice to the bulbs. The rear ones may be far enough away, and the wires have just enough resistance to drop the voltage not to blow them. It would be worth hooking up a digital volt meter to the battery and watch what it does when you start it up, or turn on accessories, there may be a surge from time to time.
Let us know what you find.
Let us know what you find.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
NO I have never checked the voltage. The factory ammeter usually reads a little to the right of "0" when I first start it and it runs for a while, then after a while it will run right at "0". When the headlights are on and radio is on its a little to the left of "0".. I hate ammeters. The same battery has been in it for a couple of years with the same alternator so I assumed it was charging correctly.
All of the other lights are fine, the dash lights, ac controls etc..
I will check voltage and report back
THANKS
All of the other lights are fine, the dash lights, ac controls etc..
I will check voltage and report back
THANKS
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 223
Likes: 1
From: Kennesaw GA
Yeah, ammeters only show current draw, but it could be for any voltage, and most of them really only show a positive or negative flow. That's usually fine, but maybe not in your case. Better than idiot lights though!
