interior lamp question

[930lover]

Thanks in advance for your help. I am now working on fixing the little things on my 1986 930. The interior lamps will not light. I have seen photos of the wiring but now cannot locate them. The black (hot) wires are not hot. When I run a wire directly to the lamp they work. The problem seems to be getting power to them. From the passenger side (right-US) the black wire seems to run forward. How do I trace that wire and re-connect it to power? At least then the passenger side will work. The glove box light and front hood light work properly. I don't have a clock, I have a full size turbo boost gauge instead. If I can get the power to the light then I can work on getting the door switches (ground) to work, but for now, manually switching it is okay. Thanks again for having a great forum!

[mark houghton]

Originally Posted by 930lover

Thanks in advance for your help. I am now working on fixing the little things on my 1986 930. The interior lamps will not light. I have seen photos of the wiring but now cannot locate them. The black (hot) wires are not hot. When I run a wire directly to the lamp they work. The problem seems to be getting power to them. From the passenger side (right-US) the black wire seems to run forward. How do I trace that wire and re-connect it to power? At least then the passenger side will work. The glove box light and front hood light work properly. I don't have a clock, I have a full size turbo boost gauge instead. If I can get the power to the light then I can work on getting the door switches (ground) to work, but for now, manually switching it is okay. Thanks again for having a great forum!

This probably won't be of much help, but I believe there is also a relay that activates when you shut off the ignition, and as soon as you open the doors the lights will come on. Close the doors and the relay de-energizes.

Now for the twisted part: Sitting in your car, doors closed, engine running....you shut her off and the relay energizes. Then, when you open the door if you have a bad door switch and the light does not come on...and you then close the door....the relay will stay energized since it never got the signal that the door was opened (due to the bad door switch). This has been reported as one source of phantom battery drain. So it pays to check that your lights came on when you open the door, to assure that the relay will be de-energized when you close the door.

Sorry, kinda deviated from the intent of your post. Just thought I would mention the relay thing....got that from someone else that posted it as a battery drain scenario.

[Norm K]

This might be of even less help (and please don't think I'm being condescending) but be aware that, even though the lights look fixed-in-place, they (the clear covers themselves) are actually large rocker switches and, like on other cars, these switches can be placed in three positions; off all the time, on all the time, on only with the door open.

Are you sure your lights/switches aren't in the "Off" position?

[930lover]

Thanks. Yes. In fact when I run a hot wire to the lamp I can turn the light on and off with the rocker switch. But there is no juice to the light via the black wire wether the door is open or closed but the ignition switch is on. Thanks for trying! Not a huge deal. Just working on the little things now.