Need some dome light help!

[malacarr]

Ok, so I needed to go to pull-a-part to get the dome light wire termination plastic pieces (mine actually disintegrated when I was removing the head liner). So, I think I wired them to the correct wires with the one's from pull-a-part when I spliced in the connectors, wire colors seem to match up. I have run a test light on them and the one that is BLUE (with blue arrow) is powered on when the door is open or you turn the dome light on. The GREEN (with the green arrow) has contant power. I put the BROWN arrow to indicate where the dome light housing gets grounded with a ground screw. So the problem is I don't want to over tighten the screws because of my fear they will break and come apart like my previous connectors. But there isn't any real consistancy as to how the switch works left, right or middle. I mean after hooking the housing up with the switch all the way to the driver's side the left map light will come on when I open the door, but if I close with a little normal force sometimes the dome light will come on and or maybe even the map light. It is just weird, looking for some advice/help... Thanks

 

[SenorNoob]

Does sound like a questionable ground in the housing itself.

 

[franklin2]

Exercise the map light switches back and forth several times, and the headlight switch cluster illumination switch. Exercise it from dome to cluster dimmer several times and make sure the manual dome feature is off.

 

[malacarr]

Ok, starting to rethink this. I purchased a replacement dome lite from Amazon (yeah made in China) and I think the problem is the dome light housing switch or contacts. The reason that I say that is I also replaced the third brake lite at the same time (this one with a CARGO light). Anyway, I had to splice into the BLUE wire so the cargo light would work when turning on the dome light and also when the driver or passenger doors are open. That works fine, so I am thinking that it is a made in China problem. I found a new old stock OEM dome light in eBay and was thinking of going that route. Was looking for any feedback. Thanks...

 

[SenorNoob]

I'm sure it'll have a better switch and sturdier contacts. Go for it.

 

[malacarr]

I'm sure it'll have a better switch and sturdier contacts. Go for it.

Yeah, funny thing is my wife buys a lot of stuff off Amazon, and I end up have to do the returns for her (well at least drop them off anyhow). Well, this time I purchased the item, and she showed me how the return process is done along with the question you have to answer to do the return. One of them was what wasn't working and my reply was "THE LIGHTS". At some point they asked what I thought was wrong with item, to which I said it is probably just because it is a piece of junk from CHINA, maybe we should start building this stuff in the USA. There final response was, thank you for your input....

 

[malacarr]

Ok, hoping for some more feedback guys... I got the NOS Motorcraft dome light housing in and got it installed. Here is the issue I am having and don't know why. The light is always on no matter what if I put the screw into the connection for the constant power (BROWN arrow above). If I remove that one the dome light works for either the left or right map light depending on the location of the switch with either the door open or the dome light switch turned to full on. The center light doesn't work with the switch in any position. Any advice/guidance would be appreciated...

 

[franklin2]

Do you have a meter or a testlight? First thing I would do is take all the truck's wires off the domelight, and put a meter on the wires or better yet, a testlight on each wire.

I am assuming you are working on a 2003 4 cyl ranger. Here is the diagram for that. I see a lightgree/orange and a black/lightblue wire.

Looks like lightgreen/orange is the hot all the time and the black/lightblue is for the dome light.

 

[RobbieD]

The light is always on no matter what

Make sure that the dome light's manual switch is turned OFF. On older trucks like mine, it's on the illumination dimmer control (rotate), part of the main light switch knob (pull).

 

[malacarr]

Do you have a meter or a testlight? First thing I would do is take all the truck's wires off the domelight, and put a meter on the wires or better yet, a testlight on each wire.

I am assuming you are working on a 2003 4 cyl ranger. Here is the diagram for that. I see a lightgree/orange and a black/lightblue wire.

Looks like lightgreen/orange is the hot all the time and the black/lightblue is for the dome light.View attachment 138221

Ok, what I said previously was incorrect as far as the constant power wire. I should have said the green one. What you have said is correct. If I just run the screws in for the ground (BROWN ARROW) and the blue wire, the dome light works as you would expect (but it only works to the left or right map light relative to where the switch is set to (it doesn't work on the center dome light). Hopefully that makes sense. So, it seems as though when I run the screw in for the constant power (GREEN ARROW) everything lights up, and it doesn't shut off when the doors are closed, or the dimmer switch is set below the full-on position. What is the problem. I am thinking it has to be with the housing...

 

[franklin2]

You can see from the diagram above, the switches on the light unit should not affect the domelight whatsoever. I believe you are correct, the domelight itself is still not working right. I would take it down, put it on the bench, get a small battery charger, and power it with that on the bench and with a meter, try to figure out what is going on.

I don't think you have ever got the center light to work yet? I would take it apart and see how that is powered.

 

[malacarr]

You can see from the diagram above, the switches on the light unit should not affect the domelight whatsoever. I believe you are correct, the domelight itself is still not working right. I would take it down, put it on the bench, get a small battery charger, and power it with that on the bench and with a meter, try to figure out what is going on.

I don't think you have ever got the center light to work yet? I would take it apart and see how that is powered.

I will give it a shot, not much on the electrical side but I will let you know what I find. Thanks for the help...