Interior light issue.

Hey guys, I picked up a 95 Cherokee sport back in October and have been slowly rehabilitating this jeep since. I've finally got around to my interior light issue. The interior lights only work when I turn the headlight knob, not when any door is opened. The push buttons on every door switch are worn away. It seems obvious to change all 4 switches and see what's what, but I was wondering if anyone has had an issue similar to this before. Thanks

Change buttons or carry a flash light

Tacowhip said:

Hey guys, I picked up a 95 Cherokee sport back in October and have been slowly rehabilitating this jeep since. I've finally got around to my interior light issue. The interior lights only work when I turn the headlight knob, not when any door is opened. The push buttons on every door switch are worn away. It seems obvious to change all 4 switches and see what's what, but I was wondering if anyone has had an issue similar to this before. Thanks

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Just change the buttons, they're cheap. Add some dielectric grease to the fittings when you do.

CARGO LAMP, COURTESY LAMPS AND DOME
LAMP
Circuit M1 from the IOD fuse (fuse F9) in the fuse
block supplies power to the cargo, courtesy lamps and
dome lamp. This circuit is HOT at all times. The
ground path for the lamp is provided in three different ways.
One way is through the door jamb switches. Circuit
M2 connects to the door jamb switches from the courtesy and dome lamps. The switches are connected to
ground circuit Z1. When a door is opened, the plunger
in the switch closes, completing a path to ground.
The second way is through the liftgate switch. Circuit M2 connects to circuit M4 at the cargo lamp.
Circuit M4 connects to the liftgate switch. The liftgate switch connects to ground circuit Z1. When the
lift gate opens, the plunger in the switch closes, completing a path to ground.
The third ground path is through the headlamp
switch. Circuit M2 is spliced in with the headlamp
switch. When the operator turns the headlamp switch
to the dome lamp ON position, a ground path is
provided through the switch.

pull a switch out and ground the circuit. see if lights come on. passengers side has 2 wires for switch. drivers side has 3. one is the door open chime. rear doors should also have just 2 wires.

Just learned more about this circuitry than I ever knew - although, til now, have managed to fix any probs. I've had.

One thing that's always beaten me though is how/where to find the liftgate switch.

I will need to investigate this some time because, at the moment, the interior lights only come on when I open the liftgate if the the light switch is "on" - otherwise the tag light illuminate instead. I suspect this must be something to do with the aftermarket security/central locking, which is why I need to find that switch.

the liftgate switch is part of the lock mechanism. if you remove the cover. the switch part is on the passengers side.

OK, no wonder I couldn't find it - thanks.