Relay switch for courtesy light

[rickprice]

Dear Santa,

I would dearly love an interior light in my Chimaera that comes on when the doors are open, and not just when I turn the switch on. My doors lock OK, and the alarm works, but I cannot see when I get out at night.

What could it be, and where do I get a new part from?

Yours,

Richard
Age 21 and 240 months

[spend]

Wiggle the big yellow (or is it the big black?) 'relay' in the fusebox, one of them is the timer delay unit for the lights. Do make sure that the light/bulb is working first by switching it on manually (centre position is automatic mode IIRC).

[Hoover.]

its the yellow one

its a ford part from the scorpio/escort.... I think the same was fitted to all fords of the era which had a delay switch..... got my replacement 2nd hand from ebay circa a £5 IIRC

I had a dodgy one that never switched off properly, so when all the lights were off it was still drawing current, so if the car was left for 3 weeks the battery was killed (7 batteries in 1 year).

It may be the actual switches at the door that are knackered/ not working

Edited by Hoover. on Wednesday 29th October 20:15

[paulathome]

Richard,
Have a look on your sill for the little pin switch which sticks out of the sill near the door lock end and is spring loaded. When you close the door the switch is pushed in which makes the switch open circuit. It is held in the sill with a single self tapping screw, undo this and have a look how c**p it is. You may find that it's rusted to bits or just needs a bit of emery cloth to clean the switch contact area.
The alarm will still work if the switch is faulty because when the door is closed the switch is open circuit, but if the switch is knackered it will also be open circuit whether the door is closed or not.

Later cars also link the alarm to the light so when you unlock the car the interior light comes on for a set period even before you open the door. (mine has this on a 98 model)
If yours has this feature and the light still does not come on then the relay may be faulty as above posts or you may have a dodgy earth or connector at the hinge point of the hood.
Cheers.
Paul.

[rickprice]

OK, cleaned the door contacts - working.

Checked the light - working ('on' position only)

Changed the relay - no change in function; no light upon opening doors but works when switched to 'on' position.

Any other ideas, anybody?

Cheers,

Rick

[spend]

door contacts should make the timer 'click', make sure the fusebox itself has not got 'cacky' these people who wiggle things about can do ham in the lomg run

Unlike a beautiful woman you can't have a nip/tuck done on the plug hole...

[V8 Animal]

And how many of us have parked the car in the garage and not shut the door properly.
Next time you use the car flat battery.
Happened to me this week well i guess it was that been ok before and after.
I think the light useless and ive switched mine off.

[mikal83]

Thought I'd bump this up as my interior/courtesy light doesnt work, (never has since I bought it).
Horn works, so theres power somewhere in that curcuit. Checked out the door switches and they are clean. No power at the actual light..guess there should be?
Is it the relay?????

[Trevor450]

Mine doesn't work either. I have changed the bulb, tested the door switches and changed the relay all to no avail.

There is simply no power getting to the wires in the space behind the passenger door lock. I suspect that the alarm box/central locking relay isn't sending the unlock signal to the relay.

TBH, I have only missed the courtesy light on a couple of occasions and I keep a torch in the door pocket in any case.

[mikal83]

Hi Trev
So what do you think is the next step. I have no juice at the actual light or the door plungers/switches. Was thinking it "must" be the MO 383 relay.........bugger!

mike

[Trevor450]

I would try a relay if you haven't already. If that doesn't work then you are at the same stage I am at and I am not sure where to look from there.

[Julesprivate]

Hopefully you noted that the wiring to the bulb holder is "reversed" from what you'd normally expect when testing.. i.e. the body of the bulb as 12V and the "contact" is the earth.

It would be simple enough to miss that when testing..

Also - LED bulbs won't work in there (for that very reason)..

[zed4]

My interior light works, but doesn't switch off with the doors. I will check the contacts and switches, but what relay is it I need, if it turns out to be that?

Is there a part number for it?

Thanks,

Dan

[jojackson4]

[mikal83]

Is that the offending relay? Guess its above/behind the battery?

[jojackson4]

Yep
Top right I think

[SILICONEKID343HP]

You can find them at the scrap yard ,loads around .Or you could pay TVR tax

http://www.racetechdirect.co.uk/tvr-car-part-m7009...

[mikal83]

Interior Lamp Time Delay relay ( was M0346 )

£67.07 ex VAT

Holy capazoneee batman 67 effing quid....WHAT!
Also says "was MO346". heath book says itsa MO383......?

[SILICONEKID343HP]

There in loads of Fords ,picked mine up for 50p.

[Trevor450]

Julesprivate said:

Hopefully you noted that the wiring to the bulb holder is "reversed" from what you'd normally expect when testing.. i.e. the body of the bulb as 12V and the "contact" is the earth.

It would be simple enough to miss that when testing..

Also - LED bulbs won't work in there (for that very reason)..

I saw that from the wiring diagram in the bible. I suspect my problem is that the yellow relay isn't getting its switched supply from the alarm. The earth wire has continuity at the light so this is the only explanation I can come up with.