Why doesn’t the map lights on my 02 turn on when I open the door?

[indynick]

Just got a 2002 Liberty. Why doesn’t the map lights turn on when I open the door? I installed factory lights in the foot well, and they turn on and off, when the door is opened. But not the map lights. Is this normal for a 02? My 03 PT Cruiser map lights turn on when the door is opened.

 

[indynick]

Why doesn’t the map lights turn on when I open the door?

I played with the light switch on the stalk, but they only affect the foot well lights. The map lights turn on when you push them, but not when you open the door. Is this an option?

 

[JeepJeepster]

No.

Do they turn on when you turn the dimmer switch all the way to bright? All the interior lights should come on when you do that.

 

[indynick]

Why doesn’t the map lights turn on when I open the door?

Only the foot well lights come on, when the dimmer switch is all the way to bright.

 

[Powerslave]

Then you probably have to replace something. Either a fuse or the bulbs in the lights.

The map lights turn on when you push them,

Not bulbs, or they would not light at all... Got to be something with the circuit that activates when you open the door. Maybe a relay or something...

 

[kb0nly]

I think the same relay also powers the footwell courtesy lamps, i know it does in my 02 PT, i haven't checked the service manual on the KJ, but i bet its the same as usually all the interior courtesy lights are on the same circuit.

Must be a bad connection somewhere. The map lights have fused B+ at the connector and the ground is switched by the relay, i learned this mapping out the wiring to swap out for an EVIC as the service manual for the 03' shows the fused B+ to the lights are the same as the fused B+ to the EVIC and the chunk of harness that came with my EVIC has a factory splice to feed both the lights and the EVIC off the same B+ line(hint for those swapping to an OTIS or EVIC, you don't need to run a new wire for the B+ line).

So if you can turn your lights on and off by pushing them but not with the doors then there must be a bad connection in the switched ground from the lights to the relay behind the fuse panel.

Try pulling down the map light assembly and disconnect the plug, use a test light or voltmeter and one should have power, the other is the switched ground. To test it put the negative lead from your test light or voltmeter on the switched ground, and the other to the power in that plug and then open and close your door, you should see that ground get switched on and off and your test light come on or your voltmeter show voltage there. If not then the problem is farther down the line, if it does then you have a bad connection at the light.

I will see if i can find the wiring diagram in the service manual.

 

[kb0nly]

Ok, dug into the diagrams... There is NO RELAY, the BCM switches the ground to the lights. Since your other lights are working the BCM is ok.

When you push the lights in that switches a seperate ground to the bulb, bypassing the ground from the BCM, so your ground to the switches are ok, but the ground from the BCM is where the problem lies.

 

[indynick]

kbOnly, you rock. Thanks for the very thorough explanation. I will try it this weekend.

 

[kb0nly]

Let me know what you find out, hopefully its just something simple, bad connection, etc..

 

[jeffshort2000]

Did someone install the evic in it? If so you will probably have to switch the wires around.