Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Overhead light cluster on LSD

Hey guys/gals, got a unique problem with my overhead light cluster on my '95 GL. A couple of months ago the lights ceased to function...properly. They only work when either of the two courtesy mirrors are opened and even then they don't work according to their respective switches. If they were capable I'd say they're on drugs . Anyone ever experience this before? I thought it might indicate a blown bulb, similar to a signal light going, but all the bulbs function at a fraction of their normal brightness. Thanks.

I almost sounds like a bad ground. When you open up the courtesy mirrors to turn on the overheads, do those bulbs light up? If not, I would suspect that the overheads are using the wires for those lamps to ground. You may want to try removing the overhead lamp assembly. Find which wire is hot (so you don't blow a fuse) and connect a makeshift ground to the other. If the lamp lights up, you will now be chasing a wiring gremlin. You *might* be able to provide a new ground for the lamps by using the front roof support? The overhead lamp assembly screws into it.

The only other grounds I can think about for the dash/overhead lamps is behind the passenger side kick panel near the door.

Thanks Jon,

I just went down to the car and did some testing, it appears I was wrong in saying that all the lights work to one degree or another. I tried various combinations of switches on/mirrors open and it happens that the right-directional light in the cluster never turns on in any situation. Could this be a way of it telling me it has blown? I know I could just go down and open it up but I'd like to get an idea of what to expect before taking things appart. Your input is appreciated.

I would just pop it open. Its not hard and nothing comes flying out (unless your little maplights are -too- easy to spin) If they do pop out, you would be looking for two little black squares.

My passenger side light is on the fritz, I need to pop it open, but have just been lazy.