Dome light Doh!

[garment]

I finally got around to installing the dome light on my '83 SC Targa. I worked from the passenger seat side (important point here) to wire in new spade connectors, the old ones looked crispy. All wired up, reinstalled the fuse, and success! Frunk light ok, glove box light ok, and dome light on! I shut the passenger door, and the dome light goes off! Used the rocker on the dome light, works as it should! Success! Until...

I worked my way around to the drivers side...the dome light doesn't work when the door is open. Buzz kill.

Any idea why this would be? Nothing popped up in my board search. I have new door switches and associated parts, but I'd like to not remove the old until I exhaust other solutions.

Thanks, Pelicans!

[Bob Kontak]

Should be a piece of cake.

The door thingie on your driver's door surround is more than likely not making ground when you open the door.

Take it out but leave it connected. Ground out the back wire to the car and see if the light works. Before doing this push the little plunger in and out to free up any crud. Maybe some WD40 to kill the poisons?

Leave it connected as if the wire falls in the hole it can be a pain to get it back out.

If that does not work, focus on the continuity of the wire that leads over to the driver's door. An easy test is to take the lead at the light for the left front door wire contact and jumper a short wire to the ground lug up by the dome light when it's in the "automatic" position.

[garment]

Will try after a wash. Thanks Bob, electrical ain't my thang!

[Michael T]

The switch in the door is a ground switch, no need to disconnect the battery. Just peel off the round rubber soround and take out the switch. Make sure the wire does not fall into the fender. I used hemostats to hold the wire from falling in. The switch and rubber suround parts are very inexpensive and sold by our host. I would do both given the cost. Second one will be learning curve fast.

[Algernon]

Actually its possible to wire one light up wrongly, and its only apparent with the second side! The lamp units have 3 spade connectors.
One is at the bulb end alone, and should be always hot. The other end of the bulb is connected to the switch on the lamp.
Tipping the individual lamp switches in forward direction, connects it to a ground wire and that bulb turns on, for ever!
With the switch tilted in the center position, connection is made to the other lamp unit switch and to both the door switches. This will turn on only those lamps so tilted, and will do so regardless of which door is opened! (So drivers-side lamp may come on even if passenger-side door is opened!)
If either side lamp-switch is in the rear position, that one will never come on.
If you have plugged one or more wires into the wrong spade connectors you will get odd effects, varying from both lamps lighting dimly, one not coming on, or even a fuse blowing. If any lamp unit switch position causes an effect to change with door position, then it is likely the door switch is NOT the problem - check you connector orientation first!
Hope this helps, BTDT.

[RSBob]

If you have a bad door pin switch, use hemostats or needle nose vice grips to secure the wire in the door during dis/reassembly.

[garment]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Should be a piece of cake.

The door thingie on your driver's door surround is more than likely not making ground when you open the door.

Take it out but leave it connected. Ground out the back wire to the car and see if the light works. Before doing this push the little plunger in and out to free up any crud. Maybe some WD40 to kill the poisons?

Leave it connected as if the wire falls in the hole it can be a pain to get it back out.

If that does not work, focus on the continuity of the wire that leads over to the driver's door. An easy test is to take the lead at the light for the left front door wire contact and jumper a short wire to the ground lug up by the dome light when it's in the "automatic" position.

Bob - you are correct! I noticed this weekend that upon opening the driver's door, the light came on! Tapping a bit on the rubber that surrounds the door switch made the light flicker. So, maybe the ultra-crispy rubber is preventing the proper contact. In any case, I'll replace it soon and I predict I will have a properly-functioning dome light. Thanks for your input, you've been very helpful over the past 4 years I've owned the car!