2003 Venture Interior Lights

Hi everyone,

We have a 2003 Venture that was purchased (new) without a dome light or any overhead console of any sort. I have searched these forums (including the Pontiac and Oldsmobile forums) and cannot find anyone with a similar issue.

My issue is, I cannot find any control to turn off the interior lights if a door is open. As stated, we have no factory installed dome light or console. I did, however, take an old dome light from my Dodge Caravan before I scrapped it and installed that where an overhead console would normally be installed. But of course, this does nothing to aid in turning off the vans interior lights; it only gives us the ability to utilize a dome light when needed.

We travel cross-country pretty regularly, and in some very desolate places. Usually one of us is asleep mid-route during these times. Whenever one of us finds the need for fuel or a restroom break, opening the door(s) will activate the interior lights. I'd like an option to turn off the interior lights (or more particularly, prevent them from coming on at all) in these instances.

On my 1990 Dodge Caravan and 1999 Plymouth Voyager (and I suspect most every other car in the world), moving the slide dimmer to the fully left position (near the headlight multi-switch) where it clicks and "parks" deactivates the interior lights (as well as dims the cluster display). This is not the case with our van. The dimmer does not affect the interior lights at all. It neither dims them, nor shuts them off.

I suspect this has something to do with the alarm (which auto-activates), but I'm not sure of where to begin if so.

So... if anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks,
Jeff

[lesterl]

Find the fuse in the fuseblock for the lights and cut the wire splicing in a switch, voila a domelight override switch....... :-)

Looks like the BCM might control this, would want to take the output of the BCM and splice in a kill switch.....

Originally Posted by lesterl

Find the fuse in the fuseblock for the lights and cut the wire splicing in a switch, voila a domelight override switch....... :-)

I had thought about that, but I wasn't sure if it would affect the alarm. However, you mention "dome light". I have no manufacturer dome light in the vehicle (as described in bold above). I'm speaking of the interior lights (one over the front seats, the other towards the rear of the van).

Originally Posted by lesterl

Looks like the BCM might control this, would want to take the output of the BCM and splice in a kill switch.....

I'll have to check the Haynes manual and see if I can find the correct wire. Any suggestions there?

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Airjer_]

Do you have one of these?

No, I do not. I imagined this might be a difficult visualization, as most every car in the world has a manufacturers installed dome light (controlled by the dimmer switch). Except this Venture.

Please see attached images for details.

PS - I have also attempted to modify the program in "Vehicle Personalization" but that proved useless for whatever reason. The chimes never change.

[lesterl]

The BCM output will be called Courtesy light output, I have access to 2001 schematics from autozone.com

BCM-
http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...3f8024489c.gif
Lights-
http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...3f802448e8.gif

You can save and edit the images/ print if ya like, also left click them to enlarge to original size if they are unreadable on your monitor.

On the BCM schematic the Courtesy lamp pin(s) are in the lower right corner of the schematic.

Nice DVDNAV system BTW.... :-)

[Airjer_]

Istead of trying to control the output why not control the intput. It looks like all the door switches ground at the same point. The BCM looks for a copleted circuit for eache of the five switches. If you interupted the the ground for the door ajar switches with a master switch you could in effect keep all the lights off no matter what door was open and not have to worry about interrupting a power supply. Since the switch would be on the ground side it would also never see any load.

[lesterl]

Possibility, but perhaps there are other things that rely on the door switch input, say the dont lock the dirvers door feature if the key is in the ignition..... The light circuit doesnt see much load...

Originally Posted by lesterl

The BCM output will be called Courtesy light output, I have access to 2001 schematics from autozone.com [...]

Thank you very much for the links, however I happen to be an active member of AllData and have the 2003 details from them, but I appreciate your effort! Now, if I can make heads and tails of it, that'll be fantastic lol. I'm going to wait another couple of days until a delivery I'm expecting arrives, then rip into the van again for another installation. And while I'm in there, I'll experiment with the BCM.

Originally Posted by lesterl

Nice DVDNAV system BTW.... :-)

I absolutely love that radio. I use almost every available option, save the TV Tuner which STILL isn't available in the United States yet, and the two external switches which I really don't need. Though, I could use one of them as the interior light kill-switch, but that would mean having to have the radio on to do it. I would have used both external switch relay module setups if there was a low-line bypass that allowed use while the radio was off.

I have that Kenwood feeding a 17" LCD. What's awesome about it is, people up front can watch a movie on the Kenwood, and hear the audio from the front speakers, while at the same time, I'm feeding another completely different source to the rear and that video displays on the rear TV. What's better? The split dual audio that sends the second source through the rear speakers. So we can (and have) watched two different movies at the same time. Or, if I am laying down in the back on the bed, I can feed the video portion of the GPS to the rear TV while she listens to her iPod or watches a movie. I can monitor our route from the big screen :-)

Matter of fact, I just bought the new maps and will install them (as well as update the firmware) next week before our next cross-country trip.

You've gotten me so revved up about the Kenwood, I just grabbed a handful of pictures to post. Pre and post installation. Enjoy!

Originally Posted by Airjer_

Istead of trying to control the output why not control the intput. It looks like all the door switches ground at the same point. The BCM looks for a copleted circuit for eache of the five switches. If you interupted the the ground for the door ajar switches with a master switch you could in effect keep all the lights off no matter what door was open and not have to worry about interrupting a power supply. Since the switch would be on the ground side it would also never see any load.

Thank you! Your idea sounded great, until...

Originally Posted by lesterl

Possibility, but perhaps there are other things that rely on the door switch input, say the dont lock the dirvers door feature if the key is in the ignition..... The light circuit doesnt see much load...

So, thank you as well. I think I'll stick with the output and pull the BCM and go from there. I will keep you posted... er, more like be back when I screw something up :-)

Also a couple of pics didn't upload for some reason, so I'll stick them here.

Hi guys,

A quick question: Using the attached BCM pinout diagram and associated shots of my own C1 plug, which of these two wires (E or F) do I switch?

E says: Protected B+ Output Courtesy Lights (Dark Blue)
F says: Courtesy Lamp Control (Grey/Black)

I'm not sure which of these to interrupt.

Thanks again
Jeff

[lesterl]

I would switch E, the dark blue as that is the power feed into the BCM's relay and if you kill that then the relay just doesnt switch a live feed. (my opinion)

Love the Kenwood Pix man Awesome!!!

Originally Posted by lesterl

I would switch E, the dark blue as that is the power feed into the BCM's relay and if you kill that then the relay just doesnt switch a live feed. (my opinion)

I'm going to get to this over the weekend after everything I've ordered has arrived. I've got most of the panels removed and could get to this today, but I have a few other installations (and clean-ups) to do, and I prefer to do everything at once. Thanks for the help.

Another thought -- if I waned to use two three-way 12v panel mount switches and wire it in a 3-way circuit, where would I find them? Ideally, I'd like a set of panel mount rockers (with a light), but I can't find any online. Most "3-way" switches are really dual-position (off/on/off) or (on/off/on); not what I need. I'd like to install one somewhere in the dash, and another in the cargo area near the bed. I don't want to use regular 120v house switches (they're just ugly, too big, and require a huge hole).

So any thoughts on that would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by lesterl

Love the Kenwood Pix man Awesome!!!

Thanks. I don't think they make that model anymore. I don't see it advertised in Crutchfield or anywhere else for that matter (new stock, of course). Not sure why -- it's a great head unit. My overall sound is lacking because I still use the stock speakers, but otherwise it's an awesome system.

I've seen the newer Kenwood HU's and they don't compare to the DNX-8120's capabilities. It truly is a mobile entertainment center with GPS.

There's nothing better than winding down the open road at 2 AM in Arizona watching a DVD, Movie from my iPod or whatever I like.

Anyway thanks again for the help.

Jeff

I don't have one of these, but I'd like to get my hands on one. Other than the Stealership, any idea where I could find a complete assembly, headliner retaining bracket included? Checked Amazon, eBay, Rock Auto, Dorman and Google. Nobody has the headliner retaining bracket.

Originally Posted by Airjer_

Do you have one of these?

[lesterl]

Junk yard?