Dome light 1997
 

Dome light in recently acquired 1997 not working. Checked fixture--it works with power to it from another source. Checking voltage at plug in car I get 6 volts with doors closed (center appears to be +, each side appears to be -, switched and unswitched). With either door open I get nothing.

Read elsewhere that door handle assemblies are the switching mechanism for the "door open" setting for the light, allegedly regulating the negative. So wondering if either of those is bad. Also wondering what fuse controls this light--not able to figure that out. Also wondering about ignition switch--maybe that's where the + originates and have read about some issues there.

Anybody else run down this problem? It's dark in here at night!

Test between a solid ground and the positive voltage pin (red wire with black stripe). What's the voltage?

One ground is constant (a fixed connection to a chassis ground - brown wire) and is used for the operator switched on position. Test it against a good 12V+.

The other ground is fed by the immobilizer when either door is opened (brown wire with yellow stripe). Test it with door open against a good 12V+.

No fuse on the dome light circuit...

I checked this. With a ground to the car's battery, I got around 3 volts on the center plug (positive) wire. Then I ran a positive from the battery, and I got 12.49 volts on the outer 2 black wires. For giggles I tried the positive to the center (allegedly positive) red wire and also got 12.49 volts too. I went back and got a negative and tested the center wire and got nothing.

Previously when I had checked the positive I had gotten erratic readings--some times nothing, some times 6 volts.

So does this indicate I have a problem with the positive? Maybe it's grounded? Any advice on where to look for the origin would be appreciated, but I will be googling how to remove the trim from the A pillar to trace it.