enjoytheride

As the title says, both my interior lights above the doors won't turn off on their own when the doors close. The "door-closed" switches seem to be working on both sides because the dash starts beeping if you open either door while the motor is running.

Any ideas where to start looking? I'd have a better idea where to look if I had the wiring diagrams handy….

Thanks

hoggel

The latch switch in the front hood also turns on the interior lights.

nile13

1. Make sure the front hood is properly latched.

2. Do lights go off when you start the car?

3. Are you sure the lights are in correct position and not in "constantly on" position?

cgfen

do you know that the illuminated lamp portion is also a 3 position functional switch?
push it one way = always off
push it the other way = always on
middle position = on when door is open.

that is alll

Craig

JPP

... AND .. that has been true since the very first 901 rolled off the line

nile13

In a cab the middle position is OFF. The other two are always ON and door-open ON. My point #3 above

Bruce SEA 993

What year is your car? It always helps to list details...

Many moons ago, I had this issue with the lights staying on even though the switch was in the door open mode. Turned out to be the imobilizer computer...only on 1996+ cars.

Cheers!

hoggel

As you point out, simple things are not always simple. The hood latch switch in the front switches a ground logic to the alarm control unit and in response the CU applies a ground to the same wire connection as the cabin door switches. I don't remember for sure but the button on the remote may apply the same CU ground?

enjoytheride

Ahhh, the hood switch! I'll check that out. And yes I'm aware of the 3 positions of the lights, I have to leave it in the Off position to keep the battery from dying. It's a '96, so I'm hoping it doesn't pertain to some higher level logic portion of the Immobilizer that may have failed.

enjoytheride

What is the "CU" ? Control Unit?

nine9six

Sombody correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't the cabin lights on some sort of a timed delay? If I open my door to pop the trunk or engine bay cover, the cabin lights stay on for a period of time and then go out.

Point being if its not the timed delay being observed, its more than likely the micro-switch in the trunk has become mis-aligned
(nudged down) so that it no longer becomes switched when the truhk decklid is closed. (and the cabin lights stay on)

More rare, it is a case with the immobilizer. So first things, first.

nile13

Again - do lights go off when you start the car (if the switches were in the "Door" position)?

hoggel

Yes. I was referring to the alarm control unit.

You can take the connector off the hood latch switch (cabin doors closed) and see if your interior lights go out after the time delay.

enjoytheride

The lights never turn off unless the housings are explicitly in the 'Off' position, or the battery has been completely killed by the lights...

nile13

Ok, do this, please:

1. Turn the lights into "Door" position. Please make sure of that.
2. Swap door switches between left and right door.
3. Start the car.
4. Report the result, please.