Troubleshooting map lights


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Old 09-20-18, 10:56 AM
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Question Troubleshooting map lights

I need some help troubleshooting my front passenger dome light. Less than a year ago, I replaced both the driver and passenger dome light switches, and the lights have been working great until a week ago, when the passenger light quit working.

Because the driver's side is still working it can't be the fuse.
I tested the bulbs. It's not the bulbs. Known good bulbs didn't work in the passenger side.
I swapped the two switches and still the driver side lit up but not the passenger, so it's not a faulty switch.

BUT THEN when I put everything back in place for the time being, the passenger light came on - but only when in the "on" position - not when the door is open.

I'm hoping this isn't a problem with the assembly because this is an 11-year-old car that I'm not wanting to put a ton of money into for convenience/cosmetic things. (By the way, it's a 2007 Honda CR-V.)

Is there anything else I can check?
 
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Old 09-20-18, 11:09 AM
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It would be helpful to know the make and model of the car.
Typically there is one dome light controlled by multiple door switches.
 
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Old 09-20-18, 11:47 AM
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I did provide it, but at the end... a 2007 Honda CRV. But I edited the post to include and you may have been faster than I was!
It has a switch for the driver side and a switch for the passenger side. It is the SPED210203 switch. The door switches are all ok, too.
 
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Old 09-21-18, 10:07 AM
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Map light

Also, to be clear, it's the front seat map lights, rather than the one in the middle of the car closer to the back seats.,, so dome light wasn't necessarily the correct term.
 
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Old 09-22-18, 06:02 AM
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Ground

I think the two screws that hold the map light in are actually needed for a ground. Take the screws out, clean them up with a dremel tool or something to get clean bare metal, and reseat them to ensure you a have a good ground.

For older cars with electrical issues, I recommend Deoxit, it solves for many connector and ground issues. DeoxIT® D-Series - Contact Cleaner & Rejuvenator A dab on the clean screws will ensure the ground is as good as it can be. Some Home Depots carry it, Amazon, etc.

But just cleaning up the screws should solve this, or at least rule it out as the source of the issue. The spring connector in the socket may also be weak, and causing intermittent contact. Make sure that's all clean in there too. Otherwise looks like you may need to replace the map light unit.
 
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Old 09-22-18, 10:54 AM
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I changed the title to map lights.

Many of the map light assemblies get their ground thru a screw to ground. I believe in this case there are three wires on a plug. Ground, always live and switched from doors. Since one light is working..... the problem is not in the wiring. It's in that plastic assembly. There are three metal bus bars that carry the voltage from one side to the other. Your problem lies in one of those connections. It could also be the switch not making a good connection on those three tabs.

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Old 09-25-18, 09:52 AM
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Thanks to you both. I checked and everything is clean. PJ, the bulb that only turns on when pressed and not with the door open is the one represented on the right side of the picture you provided... the one closes to the larger set of wires. I'll take the unit back out and look at those bus bars and make sure the switch makes good contact. Thanks.
 
 

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