Door Courtesy Light Switch

[GoatBeard]

I'm trying to replace the old courtesy light switch in the door -- the "button" the door hits to turn the interior lights on/off.

I took the old one out and there was no wire hooked to it.  Don't know if there's supposed to be a wire hooked to it, or not?  It was extremely rusted and the "button" was frozen in the depressed position. 

Bought a new one, no where to hook up a wire on this one, either...  I put the new one in there and it still doesn't work.  Just seems like something should be hooked to the back of it. 

Can anyone tell me how this part is supposed to work? 

[VileZambonie]

Yes there is a wire that connects to it.

[Captkaos]

The wire drops into the open area via a hole/gromment behind the dash.

[GoatBeard]

So since there is no wire connected to it and I can't see anything through the little hole, the only way to get to it is to remove the dash?

I may be able to fish the wire out of the hole, will have to check.

I still don't see where the wire hooks on the new one.   

Thanks for the replies!

[VileZambonie]

Right on the terminal.



just reach in there with a flexible magnet and see if you can find it. If not try one of these pick up tools.

[hotrod24]

thats what i did just stuck a magent in there and if you dont find it that way look under the dash right at the bottom and there should be a wire running though there to the hole under the dash and there should be a rubber grommet there with a white wire

[GoatBeard]

I understand 100% now!  Thanks!

The switch I bought doesn't have the terminal on it like the one you posted.

It's got a sleeve-lookin' thing and I'm not sure if it's supposed to be removed, or not?

Here's what it looks like:

[hotrod24]

leave the sleeve on it and the wire that is in the hole should have one of these on it and it hooks to the switch

[GoatBeard]

Awesome!  Thanks for the prompt responses!  I was convinced that I got the wrong part! 

Maybe the wife will let me work on it tonight   

[hotrod24]

i know what you mean about the wife thing lol

[78 Chevyrado]

Here's the plug under the dash where the wire goes out to the switch...  Should be a white single wire.

[hotrod24]

yep thats it another good thing to do is to crab that rubber grommet and move it around untill you can get it with the magnet and it just pops out with a screw driver 

[GoatBeard]

Well, I dug around in there for a while lastnight and couldn't find the wire/grommet.  I'm going to be replacing the dash as part of my interior rebuild so when I take it off I'll have to try to find/reconnect the little white wire.

I really appreciate the picture!  Now at least I'll know exactly where to look!  Might be fun to try to fish that wire (or another wire) through the hole.   

[GoatBeard]

I FOUND IT!  I couldn't get it with any of the extending pencil magnets so I finally made a little hook out of some electric fence-type wire and was able to fish it out. 

This is what was in there.  Do y'all think the rusted "female" part is the same part I need to replace for it to fit on the new switch?  Just slide it over the end of the new switch?  Or do I need one that's a "male" part to go inside of the new switch?

[hotrod24]

that new switch just needs to slide over the connector with the white wire