Interior lights question...
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 67
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From: Yakima WA
Interior lights question...
Got done driving my '84 last night and while I was sitting in the garage talking on my cell, the door and hatch lights would not turn off, even when the car was off. Then about 5 mins later they turned off, flickered, then turned back on. It kept doing this while I was talking so I just removed the fuse. What is causing this?
PS The door lights are the ones that flicker, not the hatch lights. The hatch lights just stay on constantly. :cuss
PS The door lights are the ones that flicker, not the hatch lights. The hatch lights just stay on constantly. :cuss
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego, Ca
Re: Interior lights question... (iamthagreat1)
Hopefully just one of the door jamb switches on the rear of the door. Push each one in manually and after a 30 second delay, the lights should go out. If so, the bad one needs to be adjusted or replaced. For lack of a better description, there is a pin within a pin - pry the inner pin out as far as it will extend. Shut the door and it will automatically adjust; lights should then go out after the delay that is built into the timer.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego, Ca
Re: Interior lights question... (SunCr)
Opps! That's the door ajar idiot light circuit switch I just described - you want the switches at the front of the door - they're not adjustable, but hold each one in and see if the lights go out after 30 seconds.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego, Ca
Re: Interior lights question... (iamthagreat1)
Every shop manual I've read has said to tear into the dash and disconnect the delay timer - if the lights go out replace it. If not, disconnect the light switch. If the lights go out replace it. Do the lights go out when you start it? If so, the timer is at least responding to the ignition signal. I'd try disconnecting the door jamb switches and then with a DVM, see if there's continuity across the terminals (1 & 3) with the plunger depressed. If so the jamb switch is bad. If they're ok, then you're going to have remove the upper pad to access the timer & headlight switch. If it is the timer and you can't find a replacement, you should be able to wire around it by splicing the hot wire from the courtesy clock fuse directly to the hot lead for the door jamb switches.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
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From: San Diego, Ca
Re: Interior lights question... (iamthagreat1)
Also check for continuity from each terminal to ground. The #1 terminal is a jumper, so that when one door is open, both sides light. With the fuse pulled, and the harness connected, there should be no continuity from the #1 terminal to ground with both plungers depressed. You can also check the continuity of the #1 lead to make sure it isn't shorting to ground somewhere in the car without having to take a whole lot apart. Just connect your DVM to each side of the harness. You might try wiggling the wires too to make sure it isn't an intermittent.
