JD Z
Veteran Member
The dome light stopped working. I ran a ground wire to the light and it comes on. Where do I go from here to track down the ground problem? Thanks!
Dome light 80Z
- Thread starter JD Z
- Start date
The ground for the dome light comes from the door open switches. Start there to make sure the wire is still connected to the switch.
You've got power to the light... That's a good first step! (Power gets to the dome light via the orange wire in the trunk.)
The white wires from the dome light run to the connector in the trunk, drivers side.
The switches (doors and headlight) activate the dome light by grounding.
It's highly doubtful all three switches are bad so it's probably the connection in the trunk which leads back to the switches. (white wire)
The white wires from the dome light run to the connector in the trunk, drivers side.
The switches (doors and headlight) activate the dome light by grounding.
It's highly doubtful all three switches are bad so it's probably the connection in the trunk which leads back to the switches. (white wire)
JD Z
Veteran Member
Twisted, it appears both door switches are working because the other interior under dash lights come on when either door is opened.
I’ll look for the trunk connection and clean it up.
I’ll look for the trunk connection and clean it up.
JD Z
Veteran Member
I pulled the plugs apart in the trunk and they are clean. I pressed all the brass clips together to get a good connection when I clipped them back together. And I took the dome light down and there are two good connections there (both white wires interestingly). There is power to one line and again when I manually ground the other wire the light comes on.
Any additional thoughts?
Any additional thoughts?
Jim Streib
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/albums
At the dome light, you are showing power on the side of the bulb that connects to the orange wire and then when you ground the other side which connects to the white wire at the dome light and then dome light comes on tells me that you then need to take this test ground off of the dome light and then try grounding the white wire in the plug in the trunk.
If the light does not come on in the trunk by grounding the white dome light wire then there is an issue is between this point and up to the dome light. If the lights does come on, then you have to work further on down the white wire and eventually end up where the underdash lights white wire connects with the door pin switches and headlight switch.
I would think there is another multi connector in the area of the driver's kick panel off of the wiring loom going down the driver's rocker sill area and to the trunk. The issue may be there.
Jim
If the light does not come on in the trunk by grounding the white dome light wire then there is an issue is between this point and up to the dome light. If the lights does come on, then you have to work further on down the white wire and eventually end up where the underdash lights white wire connects with the door pin switches and headlight switch.
I would think there is another multi connector in the area of the driver's kick panel off of the wiring loom going down the driver's rocker sill area and to the trunk. The issue may be there.
Jim
JD Z
Veteran Member
I grounded the white wire in the trunk and no light. The light knob doesn’t activate the light either. You suggest then, the problem is between the trunk and the dome. Hmmm. More thinking.
Jim Streib
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/albums
I don't know how it is on your year but on my 70's Nova's the dome light wires between the trunk and roof are solid single wires and possibly the crimped on terminal ends are corroded or possibly a break in the wire itself ?.
Most of the terminals crimped onto wires in a car are done to where the connection it tight and solid but sometimes corrosion occurs preventing things from working and sometimes too expansion and contraction due to heating and cooling creates loose connections.
One could take a sharp small straight pin to pierce through the white wires insulation to be able to then connect a test ground between it and the body of the car and this might expose something like a poorly crimped on terminal end either at the dome light area or then by moving the test point back the trunk be able to see if the white wire is unbroken.
Jim
Most of the terminals crimped onto wires in a car are done to where the connection it tight and solid but sometimes corrosion occurs preventing things from working and sometimes too expansion and contraction due to heating and cooling creates loose connections.
One could take a sharp small straight pin to pierce through the white wires insulation to be able to then connect a test ground between it and the body of the car and this might expose something like a poorly crimped on terminal end either at the dome light area or then by moving the test point back the trunk be able to see if the white wire is unbroken.
Jim
JD Z
Veteran Member
To test the ground between the dome light and the trunk, my son hooked up a 9V battery at the dome light and I tested 9V in the trunk. The ground from the dome to trunk is all good. Again at the dome, there is 12V at one wire and then the ground. (Both wires are white oddly enough).
Now to find where that white wire from the trunk connects at under the dash. If it’s the drivers kick panel, uhhhgggg. I’ve done that before and not looking forward to it.
Note, the light switch/knob doesn’t activate the light either.
Now to find where that white wire from the trunk connects at under the dash. If it’s the drivers kick panel, uhhhgggg. I’ve done that before and not looking forward to it.
Note, the light switch/knob doesn’t activate the light either.
Jim Streib
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/albums
I don't think they would have buried the connector behind the kick panel but who knows. It may be up high in the area of the cowl side above the plastic of the kick panel. You just have to contend also with the ebrake mechanism. My feeling is if it is behind the plastic kick panel then one just needs to make sure things are right when putting it back together so you don't have any water leaks. The nice things would be is if you do have to remove the kick panel you can get in there to make sure there is no debris build up possibly clogging the water drain into the outer rocker sill cavity.
As far as the light switch/knob not activating the roof dome light but still able to activate the underdash lights makes sense and would work that way if there is a break in a spot somewhere like in the rocker sill or an issue with the taillight harness plug behind the dash.
You're getting there.
Jim
