Replacing the "door ajar" switch
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 89,144
Likes: 3
From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
Replacing the "door ajar" switch
That's the pin switch on the door that shuts off your interior courtesy lights when you shut the door.
My driver's side switch doesn't work. It leaves my interior lights on.
So I did a quick check of the Helm's manual on this repair. Seems that you have to take most of the door apart to get to that switch. Thanks GM.
Anyone know a short cut for this job or am I really destined for 2-4 hours worth of work to replace this $12 switch?
My driver's side switch doesn't work. It leaves my interior lights on.
So I did a quick check of the Helm's manual on this repair. Seems that you have to take most of the door apart to get to that switch. Thanks GM.
Anyone know a short cut for this job or am I really destined for 2-4 hours worth of work to replace this $12 switch?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Yes I do and it worked for me.
After noticing that the tip of the plunger looked a little worn, I applied a little JB Weld Quick Set to the tip, filed it so the depth just increased the effective plunger length a little and no more problem with the "door ajar" light.
If interior lights are staying on it's likely a similar problem with the switch on the door frame. There you can use the same cure or stick a thin piece of metal on the front of the door where the plunger makes contact. Try the latter approach to see if it cures the problem; if so, you may want to use the JB Weld instead of the metal strip as a permenant cure.
After noticing that the tip of the plunger looked a little worn, I applied a little JB Weld Quick Set to the tip, filed it so the depth just increased the effective plunger length a little and no more problem with the "door ajar" light.
If interior lights are staying on it's likely a similar problem with the switch on the door frame. There you can use the same cure or stick a thin piece of metal on the front of the door where the plunger makes contact. Try the latter approach to see if it cures the problem; if so, you may want to use the JB Weld instead of the metal strip as a permenant cure.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 89,144
Likes: 3
From: Life's tough, wear a helmet.
Interesting and I'll definitely check it out.
Maybe I have my name wrong. The switch I think it is is the one that's on the door very near to the hatch release switch that's on the door.
Anyway, I think that's the problem because when I open the passenger side door and manually depress that plunger switch the interior lights go off. When I do that on the driver's side the lights do not go off.
Maybe I have my name wrong. The switch I think it is is the one that's on the door very near to the hatch release switch that's on the door.
Anyway, I think that's the problem because when I open the passenger side door and manually depress that plunger switch the interior lights go off. When I do that on the driver's side the lights do not go off.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 446
Likes: 13
From: Nine Mile Falls WA
Really a common problem with these flexible cars - especially the verts. The button / door frame gap just gets a little wider over time or when flexing over bumps and it doesn't hold the button in far enough to open the switch contact. It is a relatively quick fix to put a home-made gasket (rubber, gasket material, etc.) behind the "ears" that keep the switch from falling into the door. No need to remove the door panel. I got this off the forum some time ago.
The only difficulty is if you remove both screws at the same time it can be difficult re-aligning the inside-the-door bezel the screws thread into. So . . . replace one of the screws (I did the top) holding the switch in the door with a longer screw temporarily - leaving it a little loose. Then remove the short screw, slide the new gasket halfway in place and restart the short screw. Remove the long screw, complete placement of gasket, reinstall original short screw and tighten both. Worked like a charm on my '93 vert. You've always got one screw holding the interior bezel in place so it doesn't get away from you.
Good luck, and always look to the CF for the easiest, fastest way to cure C4 blues. There's a lot of experience on board.
The only difficulty is if you remove both screws at the same time it can be difficult re-aligning the inside-the-door bezel the screws thread into. So . . . replace one of the screws (I did the top) holding the switch in the door with a longer screw temporarily - leaving it a little loose. Then remove the short screw, slide the new gasket halfway in place and restart the short screw. Remove the long screw, complete placement of gasket, reinstall original short screw and tighten both. Worked like a charm on my '93 vert. You've always got one screw holding the interior bezel in place so it doesn't get away from you.
Good luck, and always look to the CF for the easiest, fastest way to cure C4 blues. There's a lot of experience on board.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
Originally Posted by Scoob
when I open the passenger side door and manually depress that plunger switch the interior lights go off. When I do that on the driver's side the lights do not go off.
Yep, sounds like a bad switch.
I've taken my switch off without removing the panel, but be forewarned: it's easy to drop the nut plate behind the switch down into the bowels of the door and you'll end up taking the panel off anyway if that happens.
Larry
code5coupe
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
What year Vette? Your profile notes a 90 zr1, is that correct?
Not sure if they changed the door switch that much from 90 to 94 (ours), however, in our FSM/Helm manual, there is a whole procedure for replacing the switch right through it's hole, all without having to take the door apart of loosing the backing plate.
There was even a post about this just a few weeks ago...
Regardless, in the 94 Helm, page 'Doors 10-6-7) it says:
Remove or disconnect the following:
1. lower screw. replace with longer screw started into retainer to hold retaioner from drooping into door.
2. upper screw.
3. pull switch outward and roated switch to expose upper screw hole
4. reinstall upper screw to hold retainer
5. remove lower screw
6. pull switch outward and depress harness lock tab to allow passage of switch and harness throught opening.
7. switch from harness.
basically reverse to reinstall...
One final thought -- I had to replace the switch a couple of times as GM's vendor sucks in QA, poor assembly and/or sticky... so double-check the part before you take it home to install...
Not sure if they changed the door switch that much from 90 to 94 (ours), however, in our FSM/Helm manual, there is a whole procedure for replacing the switch right through it's hole, all without having to take the door apart of loosing the backing plate.
There was even a post about this just a few weeks ago...
Regardless, in the 94 Helm, page 'Doors 10-6-7) it says:
Remove or disconnect the following:
1. lower screw. replace with longer screw started into retainer to hold retaioner from drooping into door.
2. upper screw.
3. pull switch outward and roated switch to expose upper screw hole
4. reinstall upper screw to hold retainer
5. remove lower screw
6. pull switch outward and depress harness lock tab to allow passage of switch and harness throught opening.
7. switch from harness.
basically reverse to reinstall...
One final thought -- I had to replace the switch a couple of times as GM's vendor sucks in QA, poor assembly and/or sticky... so double-check the part before you take it home to install...
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
