Dome Light Issue

[MurphinDC]

Hi Everyone

 

I finally got around to trying to fix my dome light issue of and I have read through all the postings and haven’t seen a solution to my problem.

 

Issue:  My dome light only works when the ignition is on, when using either the On switch or the Door switch.  Neither works with the ignition off.  This can’t be the normal way it works!

 

Car Details: Car is an early Pre Model 71 with a 6 fuse box.

 

Background: The car came to me with only the dome light working when the ignition switch was on.  The dome light didn’t work at all when the light switch was positioned for the Door, either with the ignition switch on or off.  I cleaned both door switches thinking that was the cause of the light not working when the door was open and noticed a second wire (brown w/green stripe) connected to the drivers side switch.  Looking at the electrical diagram I noticed this wire went to the key/door buzzer, which has been removed by the PO.  I removed that wire and this solved the problem of the lights not coming on when the light switch was positioned to Door.  I still have the overall issue with the dome light only working with the ignition on!  

 

Light Switch Wiring: I have a brown with black stripe wire running from the dome light ground - terminal to the drivers door and a second brown with black stripe wire attached to the same fastener going to the passenger switch. A red wire is attached to the positive + side of the light fixture.  See picture.

 

Somehow the power being provided to the dome light is “switched on power” and not “always on”.  I’m not sure where to start to address this issue so any direction would be appreciated.  Electrical is not something I enjoy working with....thus the long delay in tackling this issue.

 

Hope this makes sense.  Thanks for your help!

Murph

[Mike Self]

On a six fuse car, the dome light power comes from fuse 4--the same fuse tat powers the lighter hazard flashers and the clock (if you had one--you have a tach in its stead).

 

Someone has swapped the feed to the dome light to either fuse 5 or 6, both of which are switched (hot only with the ignition on). 

 

Best way to fix is to carefully unscrew the fuse box and lift it away from the body, being careful not to ground any of the hot wires on the fuse box underside.  Look for a red wire attached to the output side of the fuse box on either fuse 5 or 6.  Disconnect it, then use an ohmmeter to determine if that red wire is in fact the + feed to your dome light.  Connect one ohmmeter lead to the wire at the fuse, the other to the (disconnected) wire at the dome light.  If you have continuity, you've found the proper wire, so just connect it to a terminal under fuse 4.  

 

mike

[MurphinDC]

Thanks Mike! @Mike Self.  I'll dive into it tomorrow and report back.

 

Murph

[MurphinDC]

@Mike Self Found the right wire and sure enough it was on #5 so moving it to #4 solved the problem.

 

Thanks

Brian