Map Light Stays On

[Ross Wooldridge]

Just a thought - does (do) your glove box and ash trays have lights? While the glove box lights are typically controlled by a switch at the door, I believe both they come off the "yellow" circuit. Another place to look for a pinch/short/ground issue...

 

[mr. fix it]

Just a thought - does (do) your glove box and ash trays have lights? While the glove box lights are typically controlled by a switch at the door, I believe both they come off the "yellow" circuit. Another place to look for a pinch/short/ground issue...

Good point Ross
Forgot about the glove box

 

[cbarge]

Nobody asked,so I will..
Does your map light assembly include power antennae??
Not sure on an Imp,but on a 66 Chrysler they both piggy back on the same circuit than can get mixed up since the antennae's switch circuit is live or hot all the time

 

[Mick]

Take a minute to disconnect all the door light pin switches

it may help if the map light stays off

Back door driver's side pin switch was just a little loose. That problem solved, thank you!
Now on to (now) no taillights! I am thinking the headlight switch itself maybe.

 

[Mick]

Nobody asked,so I will..
Does your map light assembly include power antennae??
Not sure on an Imp,but on a 66 Chrysler they both piggy back on the same circuit than can get mixed up since the antennae's switch circuit is live or hot all the time

They are physically separated, but that issue now solved - loose door pin switch.

 

[Mick]

Just a thought - does (do) your glove box and ash trays have lights? While the glove box lights are typically controlled by a switch at the door, I believe both they come off the "yellow" circuit. Another place to look for a pinch/short/ground issue...

Yes, and thanks again. Onto no taillights.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

No tail lights - typically a fuse, and (believe it or not) will result in dome lights coming on when brake pedal depressed. Classic tail lamp fuse symptom, along with no dash gauge illumination. I can't believe we didn't ask about this (tail, stop, dome fuse) before. This is a design feature which tells the driver to check the fuse.

Perhaps with the loose door light pin this was/is a link in chain of searching for the cause...

 

[Mick]

No tail lights - typically a fuse, and (believe it or not) will result in dome lights coming on when brake pedal depressed. Classic tail lamp fuse symptom, along with no dash gauge illumination. I can't believe we didn't ask about this (tail, stop, dome fuse) before. This is a design feature which tells the driver to check the fuse.

Perhaps with the loose door light pin this was/is a link in chain of searching for the cause...

Well, I have checked and rechecked those fuses. But yeah, no gauge lights now either. The gauge lights and taillights are new from yesterday.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

This indicates a short in that circuit somewhere... check for pinches/breaks in the wiring from the fuse box to the brake pedal switch, and if there's nothing, disconnect the wiring to the tail lights from the switch, leaving the wiring from the fuse box side connected. Replace the fuse and see if it blows. If it does, then the issue lies in the wiring BEFORE the pedal switch. If it doesn't blow, the the issue is definitely in the tail light circuit post-pedal.

It's not unusual to find stop/taillight circuit issues in older cars - grounds, pinches, etc from back seats being removed and reinstalled, stuff rattling around in the trunk, yadda yadda.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I just edited above -

 

[mr. fix it]

Back door driver's side pin switch was just a little loose. That problem solved, thank you!
Now on to (now) no taillights! I am thinking the headlight switch itself maybe.

Wow! I was right for once!
Can’t wait to tell my wife

 

[Mick]

Yep!
Thank you everyone for pulling me through this electrical nightmare!
1. Headlight switch connector repaired.
2. Door pin switch grounded.
3. Re-repaired battery feed into fusebox!

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Are things functioning properly now? No more random dome lights?

 

[Mick]

Yes. Back in business. Loose connections wreaked havoc.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

Awesome!