Problem with courtesy lights

[Plunkett]

I have an 86 Chevy silverado k10. My problem is that I noticed today that the dome light was staying on at all times. I got off work tonight and it was dark outside and the light on the outside of the back of the cab wasn't on. I got in the truck and the dome light and the courtesy light on the floor stayed on whether the door was open or shut. Once I got home and shut the door, the light on the back of the cab came on but this light would go off when the door was open. I pulled the bulb out of the dome light and it turned off that light and the one on the back of the cab. Can someone please point me in the right direction of things to look for. Also, when the doors are open the courtesy lights are real bright but dim once the doors are shut.

[81ShrtBox]

Your door pin switches are shot. Try rockauto.com I changed mine out a few months ago. I changed every plug, bulb and lens on my truck... problem is gone.
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[Plunkett]

Originally Posted by 81ShrtBox

Your door pin switches are shot. Try rockauto.com I changed mine out a few months ago. I changed every plug, bulb and lens on my truck... problem is gone.
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I never have had to change the door jam pins. How exactly do you change them? I tried disconnecting them from behind the kick panels, but I couldn't see where to disconnect them at.

[79gmcc15]

Before you go changing your door jamb switches. try spraying some wd40, and push on them some. they can get stuck. They are easy to do, but be warned, fitment sucks so you have to play with them to get them to stay. One last thing, just make sure you did not twist the head light knob all the way to the left, and forgot to turn it back, or whatever.

[motornut]

the wire is white and comes threw with a rubber groment above and left of the e brake pedal(same place on ther side)
unsrew the switch in the jamb pull it out and check for crud
two wires one for the light and one for the buzzer
in mine there is a wire that connects the dome to the under dash lights
it was by the fuse box(all white wires)
in mine the wire ran across just under the lip of the dash to a light by the hump
this might help find your wires/probs

[Plunkett]

A little update. I pulled both door jam switches out and unplugged them both. The courtesy lights are still staying on. I'm going to check for a bare wire and look for a short this weekend.

[glhman222]

without a wiring diagram in hand
try grounding both plugs some of these ground when the door is shut others open

[GMC Guy]

just to rule this out...you don't have the courtesy lights turned on manually by the headlight switch do you? lol

[Plunkett]

Originally Posted by GMC Guy

just to rule this out...you don't have the courtesy lights turned on manually by the headlight switch do you? lol

Yes, I checked the headlight switch about 4 times when I first noticed the ligthts staying on. I went backout to the truck before I went to work this afternoon and messed with the light on the outside of the back of the cab and now the lights don't stay on.

[f.monroe]

Sounds like the wires are shorted somewhere at the back of the cab or you have a shorted bulb. The lights come on when the switch or door pins send a ground signal . My dads 86 had a wire that chafed on the inside of the cab and it was fun to find. I ran a new wire up the driver side of the cab and attached it at the dome light replacing the factory wire . Problem solved. I have also seen bad bulbs allow the 12v signal to seek ground through the bulb . It acted like a resistor and was dim just as yours are. When you opened the door or switched the light switch, it came on bright because of the good ground.
Frank

[Plunkett]

Originally Posted by f.monroe

Sounds like the wires are shorted somewhere at the back of the cab or you have a shorted bulb. The lights come on when the switch or door pins send a ground signal . My dads 86 had a wire that chafed on the inside of the cab and it was fun to find. I ran a new wire up the driver side of the cab and attached it at the dome light replacing the factory wire . Problem solved. I have also seen bad bulbs allow the 12v signal to seek ground through the bulb . It acted like a resistor and was dim just as yours are. When you opened the door or switched the light switch, it came on bright because of the good ground.
Frank

I think it's like you said that I have a chaffed wire on the back of the cab. Here's the weird part, the light on the outside of the cab only worked when the other problems were going on. Now that the lights are off, that light doesn't work.

[81ShrtBox]

Originally Posted by Plunkett

I think it's like you said that I have a chaffed wire on the back of the cab. Here's the weird part, the light on the outside of the cab only worked when the other problems were going on. Now that the lights are off, that light doesn't work.

if your truck has the switch for the exterior light, double check the connections there... I would pull the dome light and exterior light to look for frayed wires... and if you pulled the kick panels-door sills recently you may have pinched a wire under the driver side door sill.

good luck You have more patience than I have... I would have had it all in the trash by now.

[silvereagle07]

Check underneath the door seal plates/trim to see if the wires have rubbed through. I have had it happen on a couple of trucks. The bulbs have power all the time. When the door is open it closes the ground circuit. If the ground wire has rubbed through and is touching a body panel it will complete the circuit causing it to stay on. With all the dirt that comes off of shoes and falls in the floor pan, it acts as sandpaper to the wires and over time they will fray. Good luck.

[Tuff 1986]

Ok so my courtesy light is staying on.. I replaced the bulb the door jamb switches and traced all wires to see if any were fray.. And I also checked and turned the headlight switch with no results.. I did notice that the driver side switch had two wires to it, the passenger side only had one.. Any ideas or am I missing something?

[motornut]

One wire is key buzzer other is light ground

[Tuff 1986]

Thank u sir ..

[Tuff 1986]

I have a ground lead at the cargo light socket to the mounting bolt .. Could this be causing the courtesy light to stay on?

[motornut]

Originally Posted by Tuff 1986

I have a ground lead at the cargo light socket to the mounting bolt .. Could this be causing the courtesy light to stay on?

not sure about the setup.
but is it white? look factory?any pics?
the white wire any short to ground will make it work.
(wire runs across dash and just under the glove box lip).