Door panel courtesy light
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 617
Likes: 17
From: Hamilton Ontario
Door panel courtesy light
1986 Coupe
Hello...all of a sudden the courtesy light on my drivers door panel is staying on after i close the door and lock up the car and after the courtesy timer has completed.
All other lights go off with the timer.
This light sometimes stays on when i get in the car to drive....have to manually push the button to close the light in both instances.
The switch seems to work okay...presses in and out with no issues...does not bind....wiring looks good
I have the panel off and the fixture removed from the door panel right now
Any way of testing what is wrong or do i need a new light fixture with switch?
Hello...all of a sudden the courtesy light on my drivers door panel is staying on after i close the door and lock up the car and after the courtesy timer has completed.
All other lights go off with the timer.
This light sometimes stays on when i get in the car to drive....have to manually push the button to close the light in both instances.
The switch seems to work okay...presses in and out with no issues...does not bind....wiring looks good
I have the panel off and the fixture removed from the door panel right now
Any way of testing what is wrong or do i need a new light fixture with switch?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,316
Likes: 246
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Set your meter for Ohms and test continuity at switch connectors, while clicking it off and on.. I haven't opened mine, but I am sure it is a simple switch that may be easily repaired, if you can open it up.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 617
Likes: 17
From: Hamilton Ontario
I have 12v running to the connector in the door panel
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,316
Likes: 246
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Don't test for continuity with power hooked up. Disconnect the light/switch and test the switch. When off, there should be no continuity. The same reading as you get without the probes touching each other. Switch on should give you a low reading, similar to what you would get with the probes touching each other. If you get a low reading on and off, your switch needs to be repaired or replaced.
The switch controls ground and has 2 inputs, one from ground wire and the other from courtesy light timer. Make sure your are testing an input and the output from switch.
The switch controls ground and has 2 inputs, one from ground wire and the other from courtesy light timer. Make sure your are testing an input and the output from switch.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 617
Likes: 17
From: Hamilton Ontario
Don't test for continuity with power hooked up. Disconnect the light/switch and test the switch. When off, there should be no continuity. The same reading as you get without the probes touching each other. Switch on should give you a low reading, similar to what you would get with the probes touching each other. If you get a low reading on and off, your switch needs to be repaired or replaced.
The switch controls ground and has 2 inputs, one from ground wire and the other from courtesy light timer. Make sure your are testing an input and the output from switch.
The switch controls ground and has 2 inputs, one from ground wire and the other from courtesy light timer. Make sure your are testing an input and the output from switch.
I assume this is how it should work?
Im going to clean it all up and reinstall. It might have been that i was slamming the door shut both in and out of the car due to new weatherstripping being recently installed...tight to shut door.
The extra force to slam door shut might have bounced the panel a little and tripped the switch button?
I will continue to monitor that if it is confirmed the switch itself is operating properly.
Ray
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Those little "star" switches are very easy to damage...
get some super glue and take it apart. You will find that the rotating star is loose or floating around maing contact. Your test show this...test for voltage. switch open zero volts..switch closed 12 v.
The push buttom on the switch just causes a rotating piece to roll the star around to the next contact...so its fragile. Disassemble and repair, reassemble and glue tight. Carefully...the push pin cannot bind b ut cannot be sloppy either. I've repaired mine several times BUT I also know that next time I will find a micro switch to mount under the light bar that has a click on/off ability thats far more durable.
get some super glue and take it apart. You will find that the rotating star is loose or floating around maing contact. Your test show this...test for voltage. switch open zero volts..switch closed 12 v.
The push buttom on the switch just causes a rotating piece to roll the star around to the next contact...so its fragile. Disassemble and repair, reassemble and glue tight. Carefully...the push pin cannot bind b ut cannot be sloppy either. I've repaired mine several times BUT I also know that next time I will find a micro switch to mount under the light bar that has a click on/off ability thats far more durable.
