HELP! How do I disconnect power to interior lighting?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 3
From: Citrus Heights California
HELP! How do I disconnect power to interior lighting?
My interior lights will not shut off. I've tried everything. I pulled all the bulbs but the battery still went dead. I replaced the relay timer and the lights stayed on. I pulled the relay timer and the lights stayed on. I tried jumping and bypassing the timer and the lights stayed on. I pulled the door buttons and they look fine. The light switch looks OK.
I can't figure it out. The only way I can drive the Vette is to keep pulling the fuse every time I park. At this point I'm guessing I should just cut the live wire that feeds that circuit.
Can anyone show me how to do this? I figure I should cut it near the fuse box. I don't have a clue which wire to cut. I drive a 88 convertible. Anyone have a wiring diagram? HELP!
I can't figure it out. The only way I can drive the Vette is to keep pulling the fuse every time I park. At this point I'm guessing I should just cut the live wire that feeds that circuit.
Can anyone show me how to do this? I figure I should cut it near the fuse box. I don't have a clue which wire to cut. I drive a 88 convertible. Anyone have a wiring diagram? HELP!
Last edited by Kool88vette; May 22, 2009 at 10:52 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
Did you physically disconnect the light switch?
Something is grounding one of the white wires before the Delay Timer.
You said you disconnected all of the courtesy lamp bulbs. Did you disconnect the one for the spare tire carrier?
Something is grounding one of the white wires before the Delay Timer.
You said you disconnected all of the courtesy lamp bulbs. Did you disconnect the one for the spare tire carrier?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 3
From: Citrus Heights California
I didn't know there was a spare light for the 88 convertible. I removed my spare and jack over a year ago. I didn't notice any light there. I do have a cargo light and that one turns on and off with the light switch turned all the way to the right.
I would rather fix the problem than cut the live wire but I can't figure this thing out.
Last edited by Kool88vette; May 22, 2009 at 02:16 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
When everything was working normally didn't turning the headlight **** all the way to the left, turn on the interior foot well and door lights? When you rotate the **** to the left you should feel it stop then if you turn it further feel a click which turns on the interior lights.
The schematics are from the 89 Helms manual for a Vert. I would think the 88 is the same. It shows a spare tire lamp in the schematics.
The schematic also shows two white wires going to the Bow Release Door Switches.
I've underlined the White wires that some how are being shorted to ground which is causing the lights to be on all the time.
I've also circled the splice connection S215 which is where 7 of the White wires from the bulbs are soldered/spliced together. S215 is located Instrument Panel harness, behind RH side of instrument panel. (About impossible to get to).
The schematics are from the 89 Helms manual for a Vert. I would think the 88 is the same. It shows a spare tire lamp in the schematics.
The schematic also shows two white wires going to the Bow Release Door Switches.
I've underlined the White wires that some how are being shorted to ground which is causing the lights to be on all the time.
I've also circled the splice connection S215 which is where 7 of the White wires from the bulbs are soldered/spliced together. S215 is located Instrument Panel harness, behind RH side of instrument panel. (About impossible to get to).
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 3
From: Citrus Heights California
I'll check the light switch as soon as I get off work. I do remember the interior lights turning on when I turned the switch to the left.
The lights don't click on or off now when I turn it to the left now. I don't think there's any click at all now. That was the first thing I checked. That could be the problem. Is the switch hard to replace?
The lights don't click on or off now when I turn it to the left now. I don't think there's any click at all now. That was the first thing I checked. That could be the problem. Is the switch hard to replace?
Last edited by Kool88vette; May 22, 2009 at 06:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 3
From: Citrus Heights California
When everything was working normally didn't turning the headlight **** all the way to the left, turn on the interior foot well and door lights? When you rotate the **** to the left you should feel it stop then if you turn it further feel a click which turns on the interior lights.
The schematics are from the 89 Helms manual for a Vert. I would think the 88 is the same. It shows a spare tire lamp in the schematics.
The schematic also shows two white wires going to the Bow Release Door Switches.
I've underlined the White wires that some how are being shorted to ground which is causing the lights to be on all the time.
I've also circled the splice connection S215 which is where 7 of the White wires from the bulbs are soldered/spliced together. S215 is located Instrument Panel harness, behind RH side of instrument panel. (About impossible to get to).
The schematics are from the 89 Helms manual for a Vert. I would think the 88 is the same. It shows a spare tire lamp in the schematics.
The schematic also shows two white wires going to the Bow Release Door Switches.
I've underlined the White wires that some how are being shorted to ground which is causing the lights to be on all the time.
I've also circled the splice connection S215 which is where 7 of the White wires from the bulbs are soldered/spliced together. S215 is located Instrument Panel harness, behind RH side of instrument panel. (About impossible to get to).
Thanks very much for the advice and the wiring diagrams. I'm gonna save them.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 42
From: Baltimore, MD USA
I've never replaced one.
First disconnect the negative battery cable.
The manual says to remove the top dash pad to gain access to the headlight switch and wiring. There is a shaft that the **** is attached to. Not sure if that shaft will come out when you remove the old switch or if there is a release button to release the shaft from the old headlight switch. The manual makes no mention about having to remove the shaft when installing a new headlight switch.
The top dash pad is held in place by some phillips screws along the bottom front edge and a couple screws in the top center of the dash pad for the windshield defrost vent.
To get to some of the screws on the front bottom edge of the dash pad may require you remove some of the front dash cluster bezels. If you get all of the screws out, the dash pad will pull straight out.
First disconnect the negative battery cable.
The manual says to remove the top dash pad to gain access to the headlight switch and wiring. There is a shaft that the **** is attached to. Not sure if that shaft will come out when you remove the old switch or if there is a release button to release the shaft from the old headlight switch. The manual makes no mention about having to remove the shaft when installing a new headlight switch.
The top dash pad is held in place by some phillips screws along the bottom front edge and a couple screws in the top center of the dash pad for the windshield defrost vent.
To get to some of the screws on the front bottom edge of the dash pad may require you remove some of the front dash cluster bezels. If you get all of the screws out, the dash pad will pull straight out.
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