Interior Lights - New twist to the problem
gumped
11-01-2006, 12:55 PM
I read recent threads about problems with the interior lights staying on. I have the same problem but maybe something different.
Here's my problem.
I was driving down the street in my 91 PA and hit a bump that made the interior lights come on. I tried turning them off with the their switches but that didn't work.
So when I got home I took the fuse out for the interior lights to prevent the battery from draining. This fuse is also for the doors and power seats. But when I awoke the next morning, the battery was totally dead. It measured 0.14 volts while attached in the car. As soon as I took the battery out, it started building itself back up. I recharged it and it's held it's charge not being in the car (about 7 days ago). So it wasn't the battery. I will try the fixes from the two previous entries about this type of problem as soon as I can. But the fact that I pulled the fuse for this circuit (doors, int light, etc.) makes me suspicious about these fixes.
All suggestions are welcome and will be helpful. Thanks.
Here's my problem.
I was driving down the street in my 91 PA and hit a bump that made the interior lights come on. I tried turning them off with the their switches but that didn't work.
So when I got home I took the fuse out for the interior lights to prevent the battery from draining. This fuse is also for the doors and power seats. But when I awoke the next morning, the battery was totally dead. It measured 0.14 volts while attached in the car. As soon as I took the battery out, it started building itself back up. I recharged it and it's held it's charge not being in the car (about 7 days ago). So it wasn't the battery. I will try the fixes from the two previous entries about this type of problem as soon as I can. But the fact that I pulled the fuse for this circuit (doors, int light, etc.) makes me suspicious about these fixes.
All suggestions are welcome and will be helpful. Thanks.
Loekee75
11-02-2006, 09:30 AM
Here's a thread in which I explained a like problem with my '92 (interior lights staying on, which did drain my battery as well)
Maybe this will help:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=638708
Maybe this will help:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=638708
gumped
11-02-2006, 04:55 PM
Thanks. I had already read this thread. I was going to work on my problem today but it snowed. Not having a garage here, I like it a bit warmer when I work on my cars. <G>
gumped
11-06-2006, 07:30 PM
I just finished fixing the problem.
I removed all the fuses on the firewall and I/P. Put one back at a
time. Waited a couple of hours between. Waiting for battery drain.
Found out what circuit(s) were draining. Looked at schematic found at
library.
Started testing individual items on circuit. Jim Peck mentioned the
lid pull-down. It sounded like the most likely place for problems in
that circuit. Cleaned electrical contacts that word severly corroded.
It fixed all problems.
WARNING: When you try to clean the contacts on the wire harness that
attaches to the pull-down motor area, beware that the ground and live
wire are right next to each other. It's very easy to short them out
even with the smallest file. I did this and burned a fuse that I had
to pull the glove department apart for. I should have disconnected the
battery first. Old age tiredness? Or laziness? Probably both. <G>
Thanks to everyone who helped me with the problem. I appreciated it.
I removed all the fuses on the firewall and I/P. Put one back at a
time. Waited a couple of hours between. Waiting for battery drain.
Found out what circuit(s) were draining. Looked at schematic found at
library.
Started testing individual items on circuit. Jim Peck mentioned the
lid pull-down. It sounded like the most likely place for problems in
that circuit. Cleaned electrical contacts that word severly corroded.
It fixed all problems.
WARNING: When you try to clean the contacts on the wire harness that
attaches to the pull-down motor area, beware that the ground and live
wire are right next to each other. It's very easy to short them out
even with the smallest file. I did this and burned a fuse that I had
to pull the glove department apart for. I should have disconnected the
battery first. Old age tiredness? Or laziness? Probably both. <G>
Thanks to everyone who helped me with the problem. I appreciated it.
Automotive Network, Inc., Copyright ©2026
