Electrical problem
08-08-2003, 10:30 AM
#1
Race Car
Thread Starter
Electrical problem
Probably an easy one. I am a new 85/2 944 owner. Everything looks good on the car. 93k miles and it has had good maint. You can see pics at my website on the photo2 page. Like the Jeep? 
Anyway, one of the few problems I have is that my interior lights don't work properly. When you open either door or hatch they come on. When you close everything, they only dim and do not fully go off. Is one of my door switches bad? Also, the underhood light does not come on. I hooked up the bulb and it is good.
-Bart (first post!)
Anyway, one of the few problems I have is that my interior lights don't work properly. When you open either door or hatch they come on. When you close everything, they only dim and do not fully go off. Is one of my door switches bad? Also, the underhood light does not come on. I hooked up the bulb and it is good.
-Bart (first post!)
08-11-2003, 07:16 AM
#2
Nordschleife Master
One of the door switches must not be fully opening, but sort of, leading to very high contact resistance and the dim light. You should probably deal with this sooner rather than later as it is possible to cause quite a bit of heat to build up in such a situation. Not to mention the drain on your battery if you leave it sitting for a few weeks.
Take a look at your underhood bulb socket. If it is about a half inch longer than a normal socket should be then it is a mercury switch socket which is how the light current is connected. The bulb contacts may be corroded so clean them up with sand paper. Also, you do realize that power is only supplied to the socket switch when the parking/running lights are on? (Actually you only need the right hand side parking lights on so you can get power to the underhood light socket by engaging the parking lights when the car is off by flipping on the right turnsignal.)
Take a look at your underhood bulb socket. If it is about a half inch longer than a normal socket should be then it is a mercury switch socket which is how the light current is connected. The bulb contacts may be corroded so clean them up with sand paper. Also, you do realize that power is only supplied to the socket switch when the parking/running lights are on? (Actually you only need the right hand side parking lights on so you can get power to the underhood light socket by engaging the parking lights when the car is off by flipping on the right turnsignal.)
08-14-2003, 01:12 AM
#3
Race Car
Thread Starter
I leave the lights turned off and just deal with the dark. When I get time, I will completely disco each switch one at a time and see what that does.
It is a mercury switch. I did not realize the right blinker had to be on, but that doesn't make the underhood light come on. The first thing I did was pull the bulb out and hooked it straight to the battery - it works. I will see about cleaning it good.
It is a mercury switch. I did not realize the right blinker had to be on, but that doesn't make the underhood light come on. The first thing I did was pull the bulb out and hooked it straight to the battery - it works. I will see about cleaning it good.
08-14-2003, 05:33 AM
#4
Pro
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Deni Durrell tells me the mercury switch is notoriously fragile. Mine is faulty, in fact. Test at the connector in the hood with a voltmeter or test light with parking lights on, being sure you use the hood's ground.