A few months back the interior lights (dome lights, map lights, truck light etc.) stopped working, some days they would work and other days they would not. I noticed that if I slammed the door hard enough the lights would come on, but now there is nothing at all. They dont come on no matter what I do, whether I use the dimmer switch or lock the doors with the keyless entry they do not come on. I wanted to see if anyone else has had the same problem and if you ever found out what was causing it. The dash lights still work fine and the dimmer switch works to control the brightness of them so I doubt it is the switch. I figure maybe bad ground or power wire somewhere, but really I have no idea where to start looking for it. Any help would be great, thanks.
Sounds like a door switch, maybe try replacing the one on the door you mentioned "slamming" to make them work previously. GM door switches operate on a make/break the ground. You may also look at the ground wire from the door switches to the chassis. Should be around the bottom of the dash, right next to the foot covers.
Don
So if a the switch is bad or a wire is disconnected on the switch it would be enough to cause the lights to no longer work? I will try to look and see what I come up with. It was the passenger door that seemed to make the lights go on when it was closed hard. Thanks for the info, if you have any more ideas please let me know. Thanks Don.
Brendon
Yes both is true. Without a ground the lights will not work. I had a truck a few years ago that the drivers door switch corroded and the ground broke off, thus no dome/interior lights but the dash stuff was ok. The door switches are really simple little things, when the plunger is out the metal on the plunger hits the metal on the "nut-extension" and makes the ground, lights on. When the plunger is in, no connect - no lights. Check the wires, bet the ground is off somewhere. I think it's only 1 wire on the pass, 2 on the drivers side. (or reverse, can't remember). The wire goes to a ground lug that's bolted to a strut under the dash or on the kick panel by the feet. Follow it and i'll bet you'll find your problem.
Don
Ok Don, I will try to get to it this weekend. Thanks for the info, much appreciated.
Brendon
