My interior light has shorted out somewhere and when the weather warms up some I'll trace it back.

But...what is the deal with the interior light fixture itself? I've taken it apart and I can't figure out what they were thinking when they designed it.

What does it do, depend on the chrome plating for it's electrical connectivity?

Can I replace it with something simpler and sturdier?

 

There were four different domes lights available..with and without spot mirrors, and several have chromed plastic bodies. Plastic chrome doesn't conduct electricity. The plastic bodies have an imbedded metal holder to retain the bulb(s).

 

Check the wires that are located behind the driver seat at the bottom of the cab corner. Also check the wires going to the front of the cab underneath the door sill kick plate and behind the kick panel. There is a section of harness about 4ft long between two connectors that is prone to water damage. Make sure the connectors are clean and are not corroded. You can remove this section of harness (two screws and unplug two connectors) easily and bench test it with a ohmmeter too.

Well it depends on what dome lamp you have?

The standard lamp is just a plastic housing with one bulb inside. One side of the lamp is hooked to the door switch or switches via the Black/Lt blue stripe wire. It uses a insulated connection and one of the mounting screws for Positive, and the other side is grounded to the cab via the other mounting screw for negative.


The other lamp that you may have is the combination dome and map lamps. It is made out of metal. It works the same way as the other lamp for the middle lamp. However, there is a second wire coming from the courtesy lamp circut. Light Green/Yellow stripe wire that is hot all the time, and the two map lamp switches in the lamp itself works the side map lights.


You can upgrade any truck to the combination Dome and Map lamps, you will need the lamp, and the wiring harness extention that goes from the lamp down to the driver rear cab corner. The truck is already wired for the extra lamps up to the driver cab corner on trucks not already equipped. The holes are already pre drilled inside the cab for the upgraded lamp housing. Just screw it on when the new wires are in place etc.

The new harness will also have the cargo light socket as well. You will have to cut a hole in your cab to accept the cargo lamp housing though.

If you want to downgrade to just a simple dome light, if your truck is equipped with the combination map/dome light, all you have to do is screw the new one in place.


hope this all helps.

 

Thanks guys, I have the basic light and it worked last year, I only recently replaced the door switch and the bulb as I thought it would be an easy fix (silly me).

I have no power in any wiring up to the door switch (Used a probe/light tester). When I replaced the door switch it wasn't marked to show which pin went into which receptor. Would that matter?

When the snow clears I'll check from the dash>out again.

81 F150. The wiring looks OK.

The "hunt" will continue. It's a matter of principle now!

 

No that does not matter at all.


have you made sure your fuse is ok?

you may have to unplug your wiring harness at the connectors to see a potential problem. corroded connectors etc...


good luck.

 

"have you made sure your fuse is ok?"

81 F-150, it never fails. You always think it's something serious when it isn't.

I started to do my wire checking from the switch forward when my buddy shows up, asks me "what're you doing NOW"!?

I explain my plight, he says "have you pulled your fuses"?

I say "not yet"

He bends down pulls one at random and says...you guessed it, "this fuse is blown you a$$*#*#"!!!

I say " "

Problem solved.
In my defense, the door switch and lightbulb WERE shot.

 

great story kens's 80. Been there, done that myself!