Interior Lighting not working properly. I need to fix it!

[hawkman71]

Hi everyone, I touched on this in a multi-question thread last year which was more about running boards always reverting to auto and got a few responses but the main discussion was the running boards. I need to address this issue. We are so used to it, we just deal with it...

2011 Expy EL Ltd. Basically stated: The interior lighting does not come on the way it should.

The only way I can get it to come on is if I use the brightness dial for the dash lights and turn it up all the way to force all the interior lights to come on at once. And even then, they don't just come on, but they have to be turned on by pressing them. In other words, then they behave "properly" when the dimmer dial is not turned up all the way. When the dimmer wheel is returned to being a dimmer, the interior lights go off.

As you can imagine, we'd like to fix it!

 

[stamp11127]

You are dealing with electronic control of that lighting circuit now. First thing to check are the fuses - F9 and F10 in the smart junction box behind the right kick panel. Use a test light or meter on both test points. Both are hot at all times.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Similar issue here. Watching with interest


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[hawkman71]

Thanks, Stamp. Wife is away with the vehicle today, so I'll check it when I get back.

As far as testing the fuse. You mean to pull the fuse and bridge the connection with the two leads on the multimeter? I don't know if I've ever used a mm at a fire panel.

 

[stamp11127]

See fuse testing 101 in the electrical section for a quick method of testing and checking if power is present.

 

[hawkman71]

See fuse testing 101 in the electrical section for a quick method of testing and checking if power is present.

Nice job and thanks.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Another data point. I had installed LED bulbs on all the interior light sockets. When I did this for some reason I lost the ability to turn my interior lights on and off individually. I could still turn all of them on or off using the dimmer toggle on the dash, but not each individual push button light. I finally traced it to the 10amp fuse number 4 in the passenger footwell fuse panel. It was blown. Replaced it and now all is well again.


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[hawkman71]

...I finally traced it to the 10amp fuse number 4 in the passenger footwell fuse panel. It was blown. Replaced it and now all is well again.

Whoa. I got excited for a minute there. But my F4 fuse is in place and not blown. However, it is a 30A fuse there. I wonder if someone had worked on this before.

 

[hawkman71]

You are dealing with electronic control of that lighting circuit now. First thing to check are the fuses - F9 and F10 in the smart junction box behind the right kick panel. Use a test light or meter on both test points. Both are hot at all times.

I tried what you said on F9 and F10, as well as F4 per the poster above and have 14.8 ish volts on all, both sides. Door open, which means the interior lights were on. Some of them. I forgot to mention that the lights that have been "switched on", will come on when the door opens, but won't come on until the dimmer is turned on all the way.

I did not try this with the door closed. I will.

 

[Trainmaster]

Remember when life, and circuits, was simple? A door switch and a bulb and maybe a fuse if it was a good car. Otherwise the dimmer rheostat behaved as a fuse.