themoodman

I have an 87 convert that is dark inside! The lights dont come on when the doors open (they used to) and the hatch release buttons on the doors dont work either. both problems just started,
The power windows and locks work OK, but it's a pain to get the top up or down when the button in the console is the only to pop the hatch. Help somebody!

-js-

Yep thats the way it will work when the lights fail to turn on. You could have something as easy a door jam switch or the dreaded delay timer issue.
Try a search for delay timer and you will probably find all the information you need maybe even a schematic in pdf form from the factory service manual on the interior lighting.
Let us know how you make out

themoodman

Thanks JS
I'll look for delay timer data. BTW, could both sides door jam switches crap out at the same time? Oh yeah this entire problem has occured before and magically fixed itself temporarily.

-js-

Here is a link to some info from member Stingraynut.
http://www.users.bigpond.com/mpheale...mer/Dimmer.htm
This has very good information on repairing delay timers.

MrRenoman

The infor below is from a coupe FSM, I'm hoping the vert is similar...

First off, try turning on your interior lights using the headlight switch and then try opening the rear hatch with your door hatch switches. If it works, read on.

From the '85 FSM the door hatch switch ground path and the interior lights ground path go thru the dome light relay timer. This path is normally open when the doors are closed. When the door is opened the door jam pin switches ground out which in turn causes the delay timer to operate creating a path to ground for the door hatch switches in the doors and the interior lights. If you don't have power to the delay timer, both hatch release switches in the doors won't work. The reason why they may work when you turn the interior lights on is the headlight switch is manually creating a ground and bypassing the delay timer. The hatch release switch in the console is on a separate somewhat parallel ground path and doesn't rely on the delay timer. That's probably why it's working. The delay timer relies on the ctsy/clk fuse and the gages fuse to function. If your radio and antenna are working and the gages are functioning properly then I would expect you are getting power to the delay timer. If the delay timer is bad then I believe you would be experiencing the symtoms you mentioned. Finding and working on the delay timer is time consuming and frustrating for some members because of it's location. An easier way to bypass a bad timer is to drop the RH passenger hush panel down and locate the white wire going to the light. If you connect this white wire temporarily to ground all the interior lights should come on and the both door's hatch release switches should work. This is what the relay does to the white wires in the circuit, it grounds them. The door jam pin switchs cause the delay timer to close and ground the white wires. So if you can get to the door pin switch white wire and connect it to the hush panel light's white wire then every time you open the door the interior lights will go on. This also means there is no delay timer and when you close the door the light will immediately go off. So what, who needs the delay timer? If you bypass the delay timer your door hatch switches should also work because both the interior lights and the door hatch switches now have a path to ground. Hope this helps.

Art