How to fix problem w/ ceiling light off when door is open.
07-22-2008, 12:00 AM
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How to fix problem w/ ceiling light off when door is open.
This often occurs when a generic security alarm is used. The alarm door trigger wire is tapped into the door open light wire. The alarm has so much draw it shorts the circuit burning the delicate gauge cluster PCB. It is really expensive to replace a whole instrument cluster and not too many ppl out there want to pay for another. So here is a method that could be used if the damage is an isolated case.
symptoms:
1. ceiling light wont turn on when a door is open, but courtesy light on door is on.
2. gauge door open indicator passes self check for all doors but the one door thats open doesn't display on the gauge when key ON.
solution:
examine instrument cluster PCB to identify the level of damage, then proceed with repair if possible.
1. removed the instrument cluster from the dash, then turn it over to the other side. now removed the 2 screws for the cover on the backside.
http://img247.imageshack.us/im...2.jpg
2. now look on the PCB and identify any burnt areas you cant miss it. its burn because it cant handle the current draw.
http://img329.imageshack.us/im...4.jpg
3. take your digital multimeter - set it to test continuity and now follow the paths and make sure there are no open in any part of each circuit. In my cluster the circuit with the red and blue tested fine. the circuit with the yellow mark is the one affected so that one did not have continuity (open circuit, infinite resistance, the culprit).
http://img133.imageshack.us/im...4.jpg
http://img133.imageshack.us/im...0.jpg
4. now you know which one is the cause of the light not turning on when the door is open. on to the repair. take a strand of small gauge wire, snip a little of the insulation on the end, take your soldering iron and dab a little solder on to the tip, then coat each end of the terminal with the solder on the tip of the iron to make the connection. You have now repaired it and closed the path that was broken. make sure the solder or the end of the wire doesn't touch other terminals. always double check your work.
tested it again for continuity at the 2 points and make sure the there are no continuity on the points next to the one you soldered. when you put everything back the light should turn on again when you open your door.
http://img521.imageshack.us/im...0.jpg
symptoms:
1. ceiling light wont turn on when a door is open, but courtesy light on door is on.
2. gauge door open indicator passes self check for all doors but the one door thats open doesn't display on the gauge when key ON.
solution:
examine instrument cluster PCB to identify the level of damage, then proceed with repair if possible.
1. removed the instrument cluster from the dash, then turn it over to the other side. now removed the 2 screws for the cover on the backside.
http://img247.imageshack.us/im...2.jpg
2. now look on the PCB and identify any burnt areas you cant miss it. its burn because it cant handle the current draw.
http://img329.imageshack.us/im...4.jpg
3. take your digital multimeter - set it to test continuity and now follow the paths and make sure there are no open in any part of each circuit. In my cluster the circuit with the red and blue tested fine. the circuit with the yellow mark is the one affected so that one did not have continuity (open circuit, infinite resistance, the culprit).
http://img133.imageshack.us/im...4.jpg
http://img133.imageshack.us/im...0.jpg
4. now you know which one is the cause of the light not turning on when the door is open. on to the repair. take a strand of small gauge wire, snip a little of the insulation on the end, take your soldering iron and dab a little solder on to the tip, then coat each end of the terminal with the solder on the tip of the iron to make the connection. You have now repaired it and closed the path that was broken. make sure the solder or the end of the wire doesn't touch other terminals. always double check your work.
tested it again for continuity at the 2 points and make sure the there are no continuity on the points next to the one you soldered. when you put everything back the light should turn on again when you open your door.
http://img521.imageshack.us/im...0.jpg
07-23-2008, 11:13 AM
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Re: How to fix problem w/ ceiling light off when door is open. (aasaa666)
Nice. This may be what is affecting my girls car. Took a few years for it to finally burn out though. 
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