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Interior Lights Staying on , Will not turn off .

Started by Bill Balkie 24172, August 13, 2012, 09:44:13 PM

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Bill Balkie 24172

Hello ,
I noticed tonight when i was driving my car that  my interior lights were on and they would not turn off .  As soon as the car has battery power even with the ignition switch off the interior lights are always on . I have a feeling the problem might be  in the headlight switch . i also noticed my dash lights are bright  work fine , however the dimmer does not work any more . Has anyone else had this problem ? Could it be something other then the headlight switch ?

   Thanks,
        Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

The Tassie Devil(le)

Sounds a lot like the switch is bung.

The interior lights will come on when the headlight switch knob is rotated around to its' fullest extent, and as you say the dimmer isn't working, that could be part of the problem.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Bill Balkie 24172

Bruce ,
  Everything worked yesterday , I always open my door just to see if i left the power on in the car and the interior lights would come on if i left the power on . It was a convenient way to see if i left the power on . Now they are always on and  rotating the headlight switch  does not turn them off . Just another thing for me to think about .

  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Glen

Generally the interior lights have power to them all the time.  The lights are turned on by grounding the other side of the light.  So the place to start is looking at the door switches etc.  Also look for pinched wires and insulation worn through and touching the body. 


Glen Houlton CLC #727 
CLCMRC benefactor #104

Quentin Hall

Yes it does sound like a stuck or broken door switch. 
53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

Steve Passmore

Ill second that, door switches with all the associated water around them are always the first to go. Take each one out in turn and disconnect the wire or hold them off the metal to see if your light gos out, as Glen said the lights have power all the time and are grounded to the body through these switches, chances are ones stuck in.
Steve

Present
1937 60 convertible coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe
1941 62 coupe

Previous
1936 70 Sport coupe
1937 85 series V12 sedan
1938 60 coupe
1938 50 coupe
1939 60S
1940 62 coupe
1941 62 convertible coupe x2
1941 61 coupe
1941 61 sedan x2
1941 62 sedan x2
1947 62 sedan
1959 62 coupe

Bill Balkie 24172

got up today 5:00 am , Before i went to work removed both door switches , naturally lost one wire in the body of the car . After about 5 minutes fished it back out . Gave each switch a shot of WD 40  set the switches back in the sockets and the lights are working fine . I really did not want to get involved with the light switch at this time . that involves removing the the dash pad again . I am just really happy they work now . so far this day started out OK .

Thanks,
      Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Bill Balkie 24172

Hello ,
  Today i am back to the same problem interior light on all the time . I removed both door switches and the wires are free standing  not touching anything and the interior lights stay on . Map light , seatlight , and the lights in the back . It is like i turned the headlight switch to the right to override the door switches . I have checked the door switches with a voltmeter and they are working fine . Thinking the problem might be in the headlight switch . Looks like the dash pad is coming off . Any other opinions on this .

  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

David King (kz78hy)

Bill,

The Brougham head lamp switch is accessed through the upper hinge pillar.  Not a fun job as getting the connectors off is almost impossible, but that was the plan on how to repair according to the repair manual.

David
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

Bill Balkie 24172

Hello David ,
    i think it might be easier to remove the padded  dash cap  . that exposes everything and you have easy access to the headlight switch . All indication that is my problem ,  things like this drive me nuts ,  but i have to get to the bottom of this problem .
those lights should not be on with the door switches removed from the car and the connecting wires hanging out in the open not touching anything if i understand it correctly .
  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Hankk17

Doubtful this is the issue but I know on my '76 that I blew a fuse for the radio/accessories and strangely enough THAT made the interior lights stay on perpetually.  once I replaced that fuse it was fine.

just a thought.
Wherever you go... There you are

76eldo

Check all fuses, especially anything marked "body" fuse.

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

David King (kz78hy)

Quote from: Bill Balkie 24172 on August 16, 2012, 08:08:38 AM
Hello David ,
    i think it might be easier to remove the padded  dash cap  . that exposes everything and you have easy access to the headlight switch . All indication that is my problem ,  things like this drive me nuts ,  but i have to get to the bottom of this problem .
those lights should not be on with the door switches removed from the car and the connecting wires hanging out in the open not touching anything if i understand it correctly .
  Bill

Pulling out the gauge cluster would be easier than pulling the top pad in my opinion to gain access to that area for the switch.  No matter.  Hard work ahead and lots of opportunity to mess up something else.  AHH the joy of doing your own work. 

At least that knowledge is the drug that allows writing big checks later as you understand the effort to have someone else fix the problem correctly. 

I hope someday I get there :)

David
David King
CLC 22014  (life)
1958 Eldorado Brougham 615
1959 Eldorado Brougham 56- sold
1960 Eldorado Brougham 83- sold
1998 Deville d'Elegance
1955 Eldorado #277
1964 Studebaker Commander
2012 Volt
CLCMRC benefactor 197

Director and Founder, Eldorado Brougham Chapter
Past President, Motor City Region

Rare Parts brand suspension parts Retailer via Keep'em Running Automotive

Quentin Hall

Yes , I second David, much easier to remove instrument cluster, (even just put it at 45 deg) so you can get  a hand in there with a test light. You need to remove the lower column cover and  remove the selector needle, and then just the four screws in the cluster. Put a towel over the column though as you'll have to jiggle and curse and cuss. 
All I can think of is that you have shorted/ burned a wire through the big red active .
  Remember; to remove the headlight switch you need to pull lights on and then depress the little spring release button on the rear underside of the switch. Good luck mate. Q
53 Eldo #319
53 Eldo #412.
53 Eldo #433
57 Biarritz
53 series 62 conv
39 Sixty Special Custom
57 Biarritz

Bill Balkie 24172

Hello ,
    Quentin,  Hankk17,   76 Eldo,  And David , Took the car out today to a local cruise one mile from the house all the interior light came on . After about 3 hours trying to enjoy myself at the cruise all i could think about were those damn lights . Started the car and drove home with the interior lights on . I am ready to call a priest .  I stood there and just looked at the car , under the hood then just stared at the interior  and plotted my next step .   i removed the kick panel on the passenger side and in doing so i saw a spark and the interior light went out .  one has easy access to the ground wire inside the door jam with the kick panel out . This is what i found . The wire was attached to the door switch as it should be , but there was a second ground wire with the small hole in the end  just like the other ground wires  have .  it was coming from the back of the car  and just laying there .  I can not believe i found this wire so easily , it was like a needle in a haystack . I would ground the stray wire and the lights went on . Needless to say i taped the stray wire and everything works like it should . Where did this wire come from ? it appeared to be very old with a lot a dirt on it . I am now confident that the interior light problem is fixed and i feel very fortunate that it was so easy to find . How do you suppose that extra wire ended up there . There were no other wires that i could of connected  it to.  I am very , very Happy . Thanks to all who should some concern .

  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

76eldo

The Eldorado Brougham is basically a custom built car.  From the Factory, but a custom build.  It's possible that they used that constant hot wire to power another courtesy light in the rear of the car.

Not that there is any comparison, but I have owned 3 different Hess & Eisenhardt Eldorado convertibles, and they all had slightly different wiring for the rear quarter windows and top.

You found and fixed the problem and that's great!

Brian
Brian Rachlin
Huntingdon Valley, Pa
I prefer email's not PM's rachlin@comcast.net

1960 62 Series Conv with Factory Tri Power
1970 DeVille Conv
1970 Eldo
1970 Caribu (?) "The Cadmino"
1973 Eldorado Conv Pace Car
1976 Eldorado Conv
1980 Eldorado H & E Conv
1993 Allante with Hardtop (X2)
2008 DTS
2012 CTS Coupe
2017 XT
1956 Thunderbird
1966 Olds Toronado

Bill Balkie 24172

Hello Brian,
    My Car is the Biarritz not the Brougham , But Who knows after 55 years . But it certainly looked like it was there for the life of the car . I wonder why it would have two ground wires for the one switch and only one hooked up .  The ground wires have a hole in the end of the terminal to slip into the door switch .  My car might of been plagued with this problem for all it's life .  It makes you feel good when you fix things like this . I call it bonding with your car .

  Bill
Bill Balkie
1970 Coupe DeVille
2009 CTS

Hankk17

woot!  glad you found it Bill!  I hate little things like this.  in my '76 CDV I've got a loose speaker in the front that whenever I go over a bump it rattles, which in turn makes the cone move and amplifies this static-y noise that sets my teeth on edge.  I *just* tore apart my dash and put it all back together last month to tighten everything up but missed this one little thing.  I'm taking it all apart again this coming weekend.

so in short, I completely understand   ;D

-Hank
Wherever you go... There you are