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1972 corvette.
Jamb switch problem- driver side.
Project i bought. so unknown how this happened other than neglect.
The courtesy lights work fine when i turn the headlight switch to activate.
When i open the passenger door, the courtesy lights go on.
Driver side is a problem.
I have two driver side switches that function as they should when tested for continuity.
When i install them nothing happens. Actually nothing happens when i touch the two wires together.
I thought, this may be the problem, that the jamb switch, when the door is open, creates continuity from one wire through the switch to the other wire which turns on the light.
What did happen, and i dont want to try this until someone helps me because i dont want to blow a fuse, i noticed when i pulled the wires out of the car to test, one of them hit a ground(i assume) and the lights lit. I dont want to do that again.
Advice?
Last edited by Benbuilder; Jun 12, 2024 at 12:08 PM.
The other wire, the one that didn't spark, is open. Meaning there is a break in that wire. Probe that wire, with a test light, back to it's junction point at various point along the way. The wire should be Negative so clip the test light to a positive and check.
Use a multimeter to determine which one is hot. The other is ground and an ohm reading should tell you if it is bad.
The jamb Sw. just completes the circuit when you open the door. You can't have a Pos. and Neg. wire at the jamb Sw., it would be a direct short when the door opens.
What did happen, and i dont want to try this until someone helps me because i dont want to blow a fuse, i noticed when i pulled the wires out of the car to test, one of them hit a ground(i assume) and the lights lit. I dont want to do that again.
The A-pillar that the switch screws into provides the ground through the body of the switch. The wires are secured in the white plastic cylinder with just the tips of the terminals exposed. When the door is opened, the tips contact the washer looking part of the main body and complete the ground connection. The problem happens when the tiny clip on the terminal becomes loose and doesn't keep the tip of the terminal exposed. A new switch won't fix the issue, but you can buy new terminals. I got mine on eBay because the mailing costs were much less than regular vendors.
When you touched the wires to the A-pillar, as you pulled them out, you completed the circuit the same way the switch does. You didn't and won't harm anything.
Last edited by barkingrats; Jun 12, 2024 at 09:12 PM.
Jamb switch
