interior lights relay? (SORTED)

Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:29 pm

Is there any relay that controls interior lights going on/off?
Can someone tell me the location and post pic how it looks like?

Mon Jan 23, 2012 10:34 pm

If you mean the light delay relay, it's mounted behind the speaker in the driverside footwell, next to the C/L relay

Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:08 am

Rav335uk wrote:If you mean the light delay relay, it's mounted behind the speaker in the driverside footwell, next to the C/L relay

no, not that.
It must be some other relay that controls interior lights

Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:37 am

This 'relay' is only fitted to cars where the option was specified, and is the only one in any way associated with the interior lights. The light circuit is very simple: a switched/fused permanent live fed to one end of the bulbs in the lights, the other end of the bulb is used as the common contact of a three position switch, one of the switched contacts is connected to earth, one is unused (off), and the other goes all the door pin switches, and is earthed when a door is open.
The door pin switches also control a relay on models for some markets, that allow the windows and sun roof to work with the ignition off, but this is nothing to do with the interior lights.

Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:09 am

Then I have a problem since I can't figure it out why they don't work when doors are opened.
Bulbs are fine, contacts on lights are cleaned, manual switching works fine, door pins were bought new but still they don't go on

Tue Jan 24, 2012 8:45 am

What happens if you earth the wires that go to the door pins?
I've come across this problem on a couple of occasions, and each time it has been as a result of the interior lights having been removed at some time and then not being reconnected properly. The red/green wire must connect to the end of the bulb that is farthest away from the switch.

Tue Jan 24, 2012 3:41 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:What happens if you earth the wires that go to the door pins?
I've come across this problem on a couple of occasions, and each time it has been as a result of the interior lights having been removed at some time and then not being reconnected properly. The red/green wire must connect to the end of the bulb that is farthest away from the switch.

will report as soon as I get to garage

Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:38 pm

I have excatly the same problem and will look at this the weekend to cure it.

Sun Jan 29, 2012 3:51 pm

I removed the switch and tried to touch ground with wire but nothing happens?

Sun Jan 29, 2012 5:01 pm

Brianmoooore wrote: The red/green wire must connect to the end of the bulb that is farthest away from the switch.

Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:34 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:
Brianmoooore wrote: The red/green wire must connect to the end of the bulb that is farthest away from the switch.

will check that too

thanks mate

Mon Jan 30, 2012 5:28 pm

cro320 wrote:I removed the switch and tried to touch ground with wire but nothing happens?

Does the relay click as i when i did this it would click.

Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:24 pm

If a relay clicks, you are earthing the wrong wire of the two that go to each pin switch.
There is no relay associated with the interior lights.

Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:38 pm

wiring on the bulb holder looks fine, I even change the sides but bloody light won't come on...any other options?

Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:05 am

I had this with mine, it was dirty metal behind the door pin switch. worth a look

Sun May 06, 2012 10:17 pm

bump

still don't work when doors opened

Sun May 06, 2012 10:38 pm

If the lights work on the switch on the lights themselves, the switch is making contact, and you're sure that you don't have a delay module, then there isn't a lot that can be wrong. It's just a wire from each interior light, through a three pin plug and socket at the base of each B pillar, to the pin switches in A pillar. Driver's side only goes through another plug and socket not far from the pin switch.

Sun May 06, 2012 11:11 pm

unbeliveable!
I tried to disconnect the switch from pillar and ground the wire but that doesn't turn them on.
I suppose that main light unit switch needs to be on middle position to work when doors opened?

Sun May 06, 2012 11:34 pm

Middle switch position on the interior lights is 'off'. One way is permanently on, and the other is 'on' by the pin switches.

Mon May 07, 2012 11:20 am

Brianmoooore wrote:Middle switch position on the interior lights is 'off'. One way is permanently on, and the other is 'on' by the pin switches.

on both positions they are ON and when I open/close door they still stay ON

Mon May 07, 2012 12:40 pm

ive got a similar problem except my interior lights wont switch on what ever, if the drivers side bulb makes contact to the door pin ground, a relay behind the glove box clicks and the bulb glows ever so slightly (barely visible) ive tried different bulbs and still the same result.

Mon May 07, 2012 1:19 pm

cro320 wrote:
Brianmoooore wrote:Middle switch position on the interior lights is 'off'. One way is permanently on, and the other is 'on' by the pin switches.
on both positions they are ON and when I open/close door they still stay ON

In the 'off' position there should be no metal physically contacting one end of the bulb, so it should be absolutely impossible for the bulb to be lit.
If you have two 'on' positions, then the wire to the door pin switches is permanently shorted to earth. The pin switches can't switch off a light that is already on.

Mon May 07, 2012 1:47 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:
cro320 wrote:
Brianmoooore wrote:Middle switch position on the interior lights is 'off'. One way is permanently on, and the other is 'on' by the pin switches.
on both positions they are ON and when I open/close door they still stay ON
In the 'off' position there should be no metal physically contacting one end of the bulb, so it should be absolutely impossible for the bulb to be lit.
If you have two 'on' positions, then the wire to the door pin switches is permanently shorted to earth. The pin switches can't switch off a light that is already on.

I just got out interior light to see what is going on in there.
When I put switch in middle position there is no physical contact and light is OFF, but manually switching to left or right makes light come ON and physically there is a contact to the bulb in these two positions!?

Mon May 07, 2012 2:05 pm

It should come on when the contact that is connected to the plain brown wire is touching the bulb.
When the contact with the brown/purple is touching, te light should only be on when any door is open.
Are you sure the pin switches are all being pushed in by the doors? There's a plastic button in the door that pushes against the switch, and these can go missing.
If the light stays on with all the pin switches disconnected, then the brown/purple wire is shorted to earth somewhere.

Mon May 07, 2012 5:02 pm

Brian I finally sorted this!!!
Thanks hundred times

The problem was surface rust under the door switch, I used some sandpaper and sand it down then applied electronic spray on contact and after pressing with hands...lights go off!!!
I am really happy now!

Mon May 07, 2012 5:43 pm

cro320 wrote: The problem was surface rust under the door switch, I used some sandpaper and sand it down then applied electronic spray on contact and after pressing with hands...lights go off!!!

I don't see how that can have fixed it.

Glad you got them working somehow.

Ben