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Dome light doesnt' turn on when door is open

Namrepus221

New CEG'er
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
19
Location
Belle Vernon, PA
OK a couple of days ago something weird happened.

Ever since I owned my car my dome light wouldnt' turn on when I opened my driver's side door...

But it was a morning shift at work...and the dang thing worked!

But I had to move my car a little later and the thing went back to being broke.

I went to a garage and found out a long time ago it was some wiring thing (it handles the security system and a few other things on tthe driver's side of the car)

They told me it would almost $75 to order the part and about $56 to install it.

Looking at what happened a few days ago... it sounds like this could be fixed without the replacement thing.
any ideas?
 
Are you sure it's not the door switch plunger? Mine was canted and worn. Replaced it and my dome lights work fine every time. So I scrounged a dozen from the salvage yard to stock away.
 
Me and my dad took the switch apart ourselves. Tested it with a multimeter. Works just fine.

It was the first thing we through it was cause it looked a little rusted. But for all intents and purposes it "works".
 
1. Identify your vechile.

2. Have you checked the position of the switch on the overhead console? If in the "wrong" position, it disables your interior dome lights when the door is opened. See your owner's manual.

Steve
 
1999 Ford Contour Sport

and what do you mean "over head console"? Cause there are only 2 switches on it, which isn't really a "console" and only turns on the "reading" lights.

Only the drivers door doesn't cause the dome light to go on. The other 3 doors, when opened, have the dome light go on.
 
Only the drivers door doesn't cause the dome light to go on. The other 3 doors, when opened, have the dome light go on.

Try swapping a door switch from a door that does work to the one that doesn't. If it works, it's the switch. But if it doesn't, it's the wiring. Verify by putting the bad switch into a door that used to work.
 
Try swapping a door switch from a door that does work to the one that doesn't. If it works, it's the switch. But if it doesn't, it's the wiring. Verify by putting the bad switch into a door that used to work.
Correct. Most times it is the door plunger switch.
 
1999 Ford Contour Sport

and what do you mean "over head console"? Cause there are only 2 switches on it, which isn't really a "console" and only turns on the "reading" lights.

Only the drivers door doesn't cause the dome light to go on. The other 3 doors, when opened, have the dome light go on.

In my 98, the overhead map light assembly, in addition to the two map lights and their respective switches, has a switch in the center of the assembly that controls the behavior of the dome light.

Since it is now known you have the 99, you likely don't have this feature unless you have a sunroof.

Steve
 
We've tested the plunger using a multimeter, but we can always try it again.

I had a similar problem a while back.
while your there, check that the wire running into the switch is making a good connection and the switch is grounding to the frame properly. not sure if your switch is like mine (pre-98) but my switch worked fine but wouldn't ground properly due to corrosion in the screw threads. a bit of electrical contact cleaner fixed it right up.
 
Well the light worked tonight on the way home from work.

It was about 47 degrees out...and from a cold start. The light worked once.

I have no idea how the heck it being cold could make this thing work.

BTW: Yes we swapped out the switches when we tested it with the multimeter as well... the drivers side switch worked perfectly on the passenger side. The Passenger side switch did not work on the drivers side.
 
...: Yes we swapped out the switches when we tested it with the multimeter as well... the drivers side switch worked perfectly on the passenger side. The Passenger side switch did not work on the drivers side.
It is either the connector or wiring on the driver's side.
 
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