Lighting woes

cdxhizors · Jan 20, 2016

So I got to drive my 97 4wd 5 speed in the snow today.. First time I've drove the truck since buying it 2 months ago. I love it. Interior needs cleaned but there's some lighting stuff I can't figure out. The interior light doesn't work with the door in any position. It also doesn't turn on unless the truck is running.. But still isn't affected by the door. How does this light work? How about the cab light on the third brake light? How does it work? Thanks!

CajunPwnStar · Jan 20, 2016

You'll need to get the wiring diagram for the interior/exterior lights and see what circuit these lights run on. I'm having similar issues with my cab light, but haven't gotten around to digging at it yet. By third brake, I'm assuming you mean the cargo lamp? Again, just need the diagram to see what circuit it's running on to begin troubleshooting.

If no one has supplied the diagram by the time I get off, I'll post you a copy of it and try to help you figure it out. I'm at work currently and all of my info is at home.

Sent from my Z812 using Tapatalk

cdxhizors · Jan 20, 2016

CajunPwnStar said:
You'll need to get the wiring diagram for the interior/exterior lights and see what circuit these lights run on. I'm having similar issues with my cab light, but haven't gotten around to digging at it yet. By third brake, I'm assuming you mean the cargo lamp? Again, just need the diagram to see what circuit it's running on to begin troubleshooting.

If no one has supplied the diagram by the time I get off, I'll post you a copy of it and try to help you figure it out. I'm at work currently and all of my info is at home.

Sent from my Z812 using Tapatalk

Yes I meant cargo light.. I would surely appreciate it. What is the normal functions of these lights? My interior some light is missing the cover.. I have no idea which position is which nor do I know how to control the cargo light.

cdxhizors · Jan 20, 2016

The dome light worked today briefly until I shut the door and then wouldn't come back on. Where exactly is the door switch? I also noticed my park brake light doesn't work anymore. Not a big deal just weird that it stopped working. Any ideas on either?

Kealel · Jan 20, 2016

cdxhizors said:
The dome light worked today briefly until I shut the door and then wouldn't come back on. Where exactly is the door switch? I also noticed my park brake light doesn't work anymore. Not a big deal just weird that it stopped working. Any ideas on either?

The door switch is in the door in the latch

CajunPwnStar · Jan 20, 2016

OK

I've attached a .pdf of the lighting circuit.

Here's the location of the interior light door switches...

It's hard to troubleshoot your problem without physically looking at it lol. First, turn your dimmer switch(located next to your light switch) all the way up. This should turn on the dome lamps and cargo lamp. Make sure both come on this way, then just turn it down to where the cargo lamp shuts off.

The dome lamp should be continuously on with the dome switch in the driver's side position.

The middle and passenger side positions will be controlled by the door switches and the power saver relay. One should be the dome lamp and map lamps and one should be just map lamps, I believe. I don't have the dome lamp in, so my map lamps work in both positions. With the truck off, the dome/map lamps should come on when the door is opened and then turn off in 1-2 seconds when the door is closed. If sitting inside, you will hear the raly click when they come on and off.

cdxhizors · Jan 20, 2016

CajunPwnStar said:
OK

I've attached a .pdf of the lighting circuit.

Here's the location of the interior light door switches...

It's hard to troubleshoot your problem without physically looking at it lol. First, turn your dimmer switch(located next to your light switch) all the way up. This should turn on the dome lamps and cargo lamp. Make sure both come on this way, then just turn it down to where the cargo lamp shuts off.

The dome lamp should be continuously on with the dome switch in the driver's side position.

The middle and passenger side positions will be controlled by the door switches and the power saver relay. One should be the dome lamp and map lamps and one should be just map lamps, I believe. I don't have the dome lamp in, so my map lamps work in both positions. With the truck off, the dome/map lamps should come on when the door is opened and then turn off in 1-2 seconds when the door is closed. If sitting inside, you will hear the raly click when they come on and off.

The dimmer switch doesn't feel like it clicks when turned all the way up.. It doesn't affect either of the dome or cargo lights. I honestly don't think it was made to control them(as weird as that sounds). I've used dimmers that do that but this one doesn't feel like it does. If you go up all the way and slowly come down it immediately starts dimming the dash as if it's working normally from top to bottom. The lighting positions don't matter when they work. The middle turns it off.. I got it to work barely today except that the light was on when put to either the left or right and when I opened the door it turned off and wouldn't come back on after. It's also very dim. So something is shorted or it has a weak ground.

cdxhizors · Jan 30, 2016

Ok so I gutted the interior yesterday. Trying to find the unwelcomed house guest who ate my registration over the week. I found out that the light has 3 screws holes which have contacts. Only 2 were in. So I put the third one in and bam. The light worked. But wait. It wouldn't turn off. Switch didn't effect it. Doors didn't effect it. Thumb wheel didn't effect it. So I'll pull my door panels and check out the door switches today and give them a good cleaning.

cdxhizors · Feb 4, 2016

so I've done some investigating and still can't figure it out.. I found out the light didn't have the third screw in. 2 screws are for power and one for ground.. One screw is for the map light power and the other is for the door switch lights. With all 3 in the light won't shut off. I can leave just the ground and map light screw and the light only works with the switch(right turns on right map and left turns on left)

So I've sprayed both latches out with electro contact cleaner and I'm confused. The door ajar light won't come on when the drivers door is opened but the chime activates. Passenger door does nothing. Ideas? Saturday I'll take the latches out. But is this even the issue? The chime activates when the door is opened on the drivers as it should but the door ajar light doesn't work. I'm lost.

ratdude747 · Feb 5, 2016

I recently found a free source of mitchel wiring diagrams for 1997:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165475

Given that the lights are high-side switched, you probably have a switch issue. There are two switches in the door latch; one is used for the door adjar light (closed when door is open), the other is for the dome lights (closed when outside door handle is pulled). I can confirm that the WD-40 trick on the latter switch does work as they stick like crazy (my 1995 had this when I bought it, it drove me NUTS figuring it out). Your issue is with the latter switch. They're a PITA to get to though, and the WD-40 trick only works if you remove the switch and spray/work the switch directly.

85_Ranger4x4 · Feb 5, 2016

cdxhizors said:
Ok so I gutted the interior yesterday. Trying to find the unwelcomed house guest who ate my registration over the week. I found out that the light has 3 screws holes which have contacts. Only 2 were in. So I put the third one in and bam. The light worked. But wait. It wouldn't turn off. Switch didn't effect it. Doors didn't effect it. Thumb wheel didn't effect it. So I'll pull my door panels and check out the door switches today and give them a good cleaning.

On that note my truck has had mice eat the switch wiring behind the parking brake assembly, it shorts out, sparks and pops the fuse. Surprisingly efficient to see the problem since you are right there with the door open when you insert the fuse.

Sometime I need to pull that assembly out and fix the wiring...

cdxhizors · Feb 5, 2016

The lights have been fixed. Turns out that the drivers door has 2 contact switches.. The one I cleaned turned out to be the one for the door ajar and chime. The bottom one is the light one which was stuck. The light now works with both doors but the power saver feature doesn't. Left the doors open for almost an hour and the light never turned off. Not a big deal just makes me wonder why. I consider this issues solved and figured I'd share my discoveries!

Lighting woes

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