Dome light problem.

[David Nettleton]

1994 F-150. Passenger door open lights the dome light. Driver's door open and the light will NOT go on. What could be the problem? A door jam switch?

 

[ceeblue]

Yeah, or a wire came loose. I used to take the dome bulb out. Hm, never thought of jamming that button on purpose. It's probably jammed with dirt. A good spray of WD40 and pushing it a few times should loosen it up if it's not a loose wire.

Is the door still on tight and not dented by that little pushy button? Are all your other fuse dependent things working all right?

 

[David Nettleton]

Thanks ceeblue. I'll clean out the switch before I run down to get a new one. Door is tight so the problem must be in the switch or wiring.

 

[Big Bob]

There is one wire to the switch. It connects the wire to ground to turn the light on. To test it unscrew the switch and put the wire to a chassie ground. If things are normal the bulb should light. These switches can get gummed up with dirt.

 

[intothatgoodnight]

Ditto to above advice -- likely door pin switch has become intermittent and is not connecting the single power lead to a good solid ground connection, once the door is opened and the switch is released.

Pull the switch out of the door jamb, and scrape on the areas:

1) around the two metal surfaces that contact once the switch is released, when door is opened,

2) around the outer "shell" of switch where it contacts the steel body of the door jamb,

3) as well as the door jamb steel around the hole that the switch fits into -- sandpaper or the sharp edge of a flat-blade screwdriver will work.

May wish to spray with some electronic contact etcher/cleaner as a final step.


intothegoodnight