Under hood light and glove box light not working.

[dustintinsley]

I am slowly fixing items that do not work on the car. Its a '87. The under hood light and glovebox light do not work. I replaced bulbs in both. I have read the under hood light has a mercury switch and that could be toe cause of it not working. What else could it be? The foot week lights, radio, clock, turn light all work. What should I do to test the glove box light? Could it be the switch not creating the circuit or is there a more common issue with the glove box light?

 

[salvageV6]

The spring in the glove box switch must make good contact to provide the ground.

The under hood light has power +12 on the one wire at all times check for power on the wire with a voltmeter or a bulb with the second lead to the battery ground.

Easy stuff to test and fix, CIG/CLK fuse 20A runs them all, however if the footwell lights, trunk light work the fuse is good.

The power wire for the uunderhood light goes through the bulkhead connector C100 located under the powermaster brake unit it could be loose or corroded a bit first test is with a bulb or voltmeter on the one wire however.

 

[dustintinsley]

Awesome. Got the glovebox light fixed. Now just to troubleshoot that hood light. That will be a tomorrow task. Thanks!

 

[Dhos1]

So what was the issue in case someone else has the problem?

 

[dustintinsley]

So what was the issue in case someone else has the problem?

The spring on the switch was not allowing the switch to make good enough contact with both contacts si the circuit could not be completed. i pulled the switch and tweaked the contacts and spring and reinstalled it and now it works.

 

[dustintinsley]

tested the wire coming from firewall, have 12v. tested wire coming out of disconnect plug and going into light, have 12v. nothing at the light. i am assuming the mercury switch has gone bad preventing light from coming on. so, where can i get this mercury switch hood light?

 

[salvageV6]

You do realize that the light has to be bolted onto the hood to make the ground connection right?

It won't work unless the metal of the lamp housing itself is grounded.

I'm sure the used part guys on the board can find you a working factory lamp that works if it is bad.

 

[dustintinsley]

Yeah, I knew it had to be grounded. It is still installed on the hood so the ground "should" be there but I can recheck that. I may just run a ground wire up to it also just as a test.