Dome Light Issue - They Go On With Door Locks (Remote) But Not When Door is Opened...

BoardRider · 08-27-2010, 05:54 PM

Wiring question here...

I installed some puddle lights on my car (97 Legacy GT with the factory alarm module) last weekend and I tapped into the dome light loop on my alarm module. Right before wrapping the wires I inadvertently touched the wires together and it sparked a little and smelled, but the lights still work and my fuses look good.

After putting everything back together and testing it out everything seemed to work fine. The lights (dome and puddle) come on when I unlock the doors with the remote or turn the engine off, and the lights go off when I lock the doors with the remote or turn the engine on. But then I noticed that after the alarm module times out, the lights (dome and puddle) go off, even if a door is open. And they don't come on when the car is running and the door is opened either.

So basically, everything works when the ground is triggered by the alarm module, but not when the module times out and it's back to "normal" mode. It seems like some ground might be missing now for the normal operation mode for the dome light. I'm pretty sure it happened when I sparked the wires, but I don't know what to check.

Any ideas? Thanks!

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Dobes · 08-31-2010, 04:40 PM

Is it possible you fried the little trigger switch that is activated when you open/close the doors?

I remember when I bought my car, the dome light wouldn't come on when the driver's door was open. I ended up taking apart the momentary switch in the driver's door sill. There was a little tiny copper/brass contact that was bent up so it wasn't contacting correctly when the spring expanded when a door was opened. I simply bent it back into place and it's been working ever since. Maybe you melted the contact??? I have no idea if that would even work but it would be easy enough to check if the switch was working with a meter.

JD

BoardRider · 08-31-2010, 04:51 PM

Thanks DJ. I don't think that would be it, but it's easy enough to check so I'll look.

Does anyone know if there's a relay somewhere in-line for the dome light door switch door switch?

BoardRider · 11-27-2012, 07:48 PM

I still have this issue. Does anyone have experience with this system?

08-27-2010, 05:54 PM	#1
BoardRider Scooby Newbie Member#: 32059 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Vehicle: 1997 Legacy GT sedan CBR600, WR400, Z50R	Dome Light Issue - They Go On With Door Locks (Remote) But Not When Door is Opened... Wiring question here... I installed some puddle lights on my car (97 Legacy GT with the factory alarm module) last weekend and I tapped into the dome light loop on my alarm module. Right before wrapping the wires I inadvertently touched the wires together and it sparked a little and smelled, but the lights still work and my fuses look good. After putting everything back together and testing it out everything seemed to work fine. The lights (dome and puddle) come on when I unlock the doors with the remote or turn the engine off, and the lights go off when I lock the doors with the remote or turn the engine on. But then I noticed that after the alarm module times out, the lights (dome and puddle) go off, even if a door is open. And they don't come on when the car is running and the door is opened either. So basically, everything works when the ground is triggered by the alarm module, but not when the module times out and it's back to "normal" mode. It seems like some ground might be missing now for the normal operation mode for the dome light. I'm pretty sure it happened when I sparked the wires, but I don't know what to check. Any ideas? Thanks! * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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08-31-2010, 04:40 PM	#2
Dobes Scooby Specialist Member#: 164 Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Philly suburbs Vehicle: 1997 Legacy GT-T	Is it possible you fried the little trigger switch that is activated when you open/close the doors? I remember when I bought my car, the dome light wouldn't come on when the driver's door was open. I ended up taking apart the momentary switch in the driver's door sill. There was a little tiny copper/brass contact that was bent up so it wasn't contacting correctly when the spring expanded when a door was opened. I simply bent it back into place and it's been working ever since. Maybe you melted the contact??? I have no idea if that would even work but it would be easy enough to check if the switch was working with a meter. JD

08-31-2010, 04:51 PM	#3
BoardRider Scooby Newbie Member#: 32059 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Vehicle: 1997 Legacy GT sedan CBR600, WR400, Z50R	Thanks DJ. I don't think that would be it, but it's easy enough to check so I'll look. Does anyone know if there's a relay somewhere in-line for the dome light door switch door switch?

11-27-2012, 07:48 PM	#4
BoardRider Scooby Newbie Member#: 32059 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Vehicle: 1997 Legacy GT sedan CBR600, WR400, Z50R	I still have this issue. Does anyone have experience with this system?