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Interior/parking lights not working...

J

JeffsJeep04

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Dublin, GA
I searched around, and found a few threads on this...but none were ever resolved. Here's what's going on:

When I pull the switch a quarter of the way out (halfway between off and the first detent), I can get my instrument lights to come on, as well as the parking lights. Any further then that and nada. Headlights and brake lights all work fine. Turn signals are fine. It is not blowing fuses.

Is this a problem with the headlight switch? It was working perfectly at the beginning of the weekend, and then bam, nothing the next day. The lights (cruise, high beam, turn indicator, etc) all work, just no backlight. Door ding module is functioning as it is supposed to, so I don't think that is the problem.

BTW: 1998 classic aw4/231.
 
Update:

Tried a new headlight switch...no go. Checked all the radio wiring...all good. Are there any under-hood connectors that would cause this? The thing that's stumping me is why does it work when pulled a quarter of the way out? Doesn't seem like a bad connector to me, seems like it points right at a switch...but the new one is exactly the same.
 
Well, for those who run into the problem, I got it fixed.

It was one of the unlabeled fuses in the center chunk of the power distro box under the hood. I believe it was a 20a. I'm not even going to start trying to figure out how they would still work at that magic spot with a blown fuse...but it's fixed now. We'll see if it blows again, or if it was just a fluke.
 
Update:

Problem not fixed. The fuse fixed the running lights, but it was during the day and I didn't notice the interior lights weren't on. So, back to searching. I have an aftermarket stereo, so I went through all the wiring. Nothing appears visually wrong, and it works perfectly fine, as it has for quite some time prior to this. Still, wanted to test it. Removed the radio and all it's wiring and tried it out. Still nada. Pulled the gauge pod out and checked for any issues there. Nothing, everything was tight and clean. I'm completely stumped, and I flat out refuse to pay the dealer to do all the checks I did already.

edit: and the fuse that was blown has been totally fine this whole time, so that seems to have been a fluke...still odd that it all happened at the same time...
 
Have you looked at the ignition switch on the top of the steering column? A bunch of wires run into it and they are known to fry and cause major electrical problems.
 
I just noticed you have a '98. I am not sure if it is the same setup, but it is easy to look at. Well, you have to lay where your feet normally are, but there are some big connectors that plug into it. Pull them out and see if they look melted or burnt.
 
They are just connectors in general? Or are they specifically on something? I'm guessing they are under the column. I'm going back out to pull the cover off the column to check the wiring under there (not looking forwards to that, last time I broke off the tab for my hazard lights...what a PITA)
 
The ignition switch is kind of like a open top box, and a couple of decent-sized, multi-wire block connectors go in it. They only can go in one way, IIRC. The switch is on top of the steering column, about above your knees. Not the easiest access, but not the end of the world.
 
Checked all the wiring around the steering column, as well as the connector behind the drivers headlight. All was ship shape. Next step is to get a multi meter and start checking fuses that way. Wouldn't be the first time I've seen a fuse that blew but didn't look like it.
 
Does anyone have a diagram of the headlights switch? I'm going to start there, but need to know what should be hot and when. From there I can start tracing wires.
 
FINALLY got it fixed. When I was pulling the switch for the first time, the angled pin got bent and didn't make contact. When I replaced the fuse, I got the running lights back but not the interior. What a PITA that was :D

Good to have night lights again, whew!
 
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