97 caravan dome lights dont come on

[jasondpf]

I just got this 97 caravan and everything works but the dome lights dont come on. I have tried opening all the doors, I have also tried to turn them on manually by turning the dimmer switch all the way up to turn them on. I inspected the switches in the doors and they seem to be fine. I looked in the owners manual for fuses and I didnt see a fuse that worked the dome lights. The map lights work just fine. both the front and the rear map lights.

[Stevo2]

Originally Posted by jasondpf

I just got this 97 caravan and everything works but the dome lights dont come on. I have tried opening all the doors, I have also tried to turn them on manually by turning the dimmer switch all the way up to turn them on. I inspected the switches in the doors and they seem to be fine. I looked in the owners manual for fuses and I didnt see a fuse that worked the dome lights. The map lights work just fine. both the front and the rear map lights.

Here's some possibilities...
1.Interior lighting fuse in the PDC under the hood. PDC=power distribution center.
2.Does the headlight switch have any special settings for the dome lights?
3.There are some relays in the juction box under the dash for the interior lights as I recall?

[jasondpf]

I found what looks like a relay or somthing in the glove box. I think the last owner may have unplugged somthing. the car has been sittting over a year, and the chime did not go off to let me know that I left the lights on. last night I was playing with the drivers door sensor pushing it in and out and then the thing started dinging. there must have been corrosion on the contacts. today I am going to see if I can find where that relay was supposed to be plugged in.

[moparman58]

This may be a one of those Doh! thoughts, but have you checked to see if the lights are burned out?

[jasondpf]

I did replace the dome light there is only one of those and all of the map lights work fine when I turn them on manually. but not one light turns on when I open a door. My door sensors are working fine because the chime dings dings dings when I leave my headlights on or leave the keys in the ignition.

[vipergg]

Originally Posted by jasondpf

I just got this 97 caravan and everything works but the dome lights dont come on. I have tried opening all the doors, I have also tried to turn them on manually by turning the dimmer switch all the way up to turn them on. I inspected the switches in the doors and they seem to be fine. I looked in the owners manual for fuses and I didnt see a fuse that worked the dome lights. The map lights work just fine. both the front and the rear map lights.

try going under the hood and pulling the IOD fuse for a couple of minutes and reinsert ,this will reset the bcm that controls this stuff , maybe that will fix your problem .

[jasondpf]

thank you, thank you, thank you. to everyone who took the time to reply. MY PROBLEM IS SOLVED!. I tried taking out the fuse you suggested and waited with no results. I then decided to try and replace a fuse in the box located under the steering wheel. relay in position 13. I found the relay lying around in the glove box as well as the relay for the radiator fan. some one before me did some repairs on this van and didnt put the relay for the lights back in. in the owners manual, it does not go into detail about the relays located under the dash at the steering colum so i was afraid to try and today I just figured I would go ahead and risk it. however relay position 12 is also empty it takes the same relay that I plugged into relay position 13 does anyone know what position 12 might control?? it may be for a power seat or something I dont have like that. I am just curious now.

MY LIGHTS ARE WORKING PERFECT ALL AROUND! THANKS AGAIN for your replys.

[Stevo2]

Does this look like the fuse block under the dash?

[jasondpf]

yeah thats it... I see it says courtesy light relay on the one to the right. thats where the relay was missing it is labeled #13 on my box but this diagram is not in my owners manual. if it had been I would have obviously tried that first.