Overhead console wiring problem

[ben beethe]

I installed my overhead console. I am having one problem though.

Everything works except when I push the lamp buttons nothing happens. I am quite positive it is a problem with the way I wired it. Here is how I did the wiring for the lights on the console.

I hooked a wire up to the screw in the back interior light and ran it to my overhead console. I hooked it up to the black/blue wire.

Then I tapped onto that same wire I ran and hooked it to the green/orange wire.



The OH console light works. It is just when I click on the lamp buttons on the OH console that they don't work.

I have two consoles and tried them both and neither worked so I don't think they are the problem.



What did I do wrong?

 

[Larry Phillips]

I don't think you should've tapped the two, they run to differant circuits. You should run the maplight wire to the maplight wire on the console, and same for the domelight wires. Actually, I think the wire colors are the same (ie black/blue, and orange/green) for both the overhead console and the domelight. If you can find these wires at the domelight, tap a wire into each, and run them to the console to tap into their respective colors at the console.

 

[ben beethe]

Larry, when I was at the back dome light, there were 3 wires I believe.

1 was a green that went to some black connector that seemed to hook onto the top of the cab.

Another one of them was a blackish one that went to another black connector and also another greenish wire went to this same black connector. This black connector was where you screwed the screw into. It seems to carry the power believe it or not.

So I figured I would just put an eye hole connector onto the wire that went to my OH console and put it on that screw.

I don't see how the back domelight could get any power than trhru that screw/connector.



Does anyone have a wiring diagram of the back domelight?

 

[Larry Phillips]

OK, I just went out and tore my domelight apart, and here's what I found. Mine's tied into the green/orange wire. Note the blue wire without the end on it. My console lamp doesn't come on with the doors, but the map lights work. This should be a good start.



[Broken External Image]:

 

[ben beethe]

Thanks for the great response.

Which wire on the OH console do you have the green/orange wire of the dome light tied too?



Do you then have the black/blue wire hooked up to anything?

 

[Larry Phillips]

It's going to the green/orange lead on the console.



My black/blue isn't attached to anything, but I do have a wire run to the domelight for it. (the red one in the picture) That's probably why my console doesn't light up with the doors open.



[Broken External Image]:

 

[ben beethe]

Do you then have the black/blue wire hooked up to anything?



If so, this is strange that your OH Console light doesn't come on when the door opens.

 

[ben beethe]

So to be sure,

just hook up the black/blue wire from the OH console to the black/blue wire in the back seat dome light

&

hook up the green/orange wire from the OH console to the green/orange wire in the back seat dome light?

 

[Larry Phillips]

Correct. I just re-attached the black/blue wire, and mine works the way it's supposed to.

 

[ben beethe]

Thanks, I will give it a try tomorrow.

 

[ben beethe]

I changed it this morning.

I ran two new wires.

1. I tapped into the green/orange wire in the back dome light and ran it to the green/orange of the OH console.

2. I tapped another wire into the black/blue wire in the back dome light and ran it to the black/blue of the OH console.

Now, the conole light doesn't come on when I open the door but the map lights work now when I push them.

I don't understand why this is happening???

 

[Larry Phillips]

Hmmm, that's a good question. It's definately something to do with the black/blue wire. You might not be making a good connection in the domelight. Are any of the other domelights coming on with the door? You've got all three screws in the domelight really tight?

 

[ben beethe]

The back and front Dome lights come on when I open a door, just not the OH console domelight.

All three screws seem to be in there really tight.



Is there a way to test it with a volt meter?

 

[Larry Phillips]

Yes. Test the screw heads. The one without any wires is the ground. Test with that one and the black/blue lead. If there's power, test the pins on the console plug. If there's power there, then it's something with the console (which I doubt). If there's no power there, than it must be something where you tapped into the dome light.

 

[ben beethe]

To test this I assume I need to take down the back dome light?

If I wan't to test the pins on the OH console plug, do I just put one volt meter to any ground and then the other lead to the black/blue pin ?



Testing at the OH console plug, should the green/orange always have power? And the black/blue only have power when the door is open?

 

[Larry Phillips]

The green/orange should have power at all times. The black/blue should have power when the doors are open, or the domelight on. On the pins, yes any ground will do. And yes to test the domelight, you will have to disassemble it enough to get to the 3 mounting screws.

 

[ben beethe]

Thanks Larry, I will try it when I have time.

 

[Larry Phillips]

Hope you get it working. I'm out of ideas...

Good luck!

 

[ben beethe]

I just thought of something.

In the back dome light, one screw goes into a black connector that has a black/blue wire and a green/orange wire to it. What do these wires to this connector control? Is it the dome light or the switchable lamp lights?





Also, for another screw is a black connector that has only a green/orange wire to it.

What does this single one control? Is it the switchable lamp lights or the dome light?



I think if I find this out, I will have my problem solve.

 

[Larry Phillips]

black/blue is the domelight (comes on with the doors)

green/orange is the maplights supply.



If you notice, there is a cut brass plate in the domelight. that's your "circuit board". The black terminals are where the wires end. The screws serve 2 purposes: They hold the light assembly to the ceiling, and they work as conductors to take power from those black terminals and supply it to the circuit board, and in turn, to the lights.



Then there's a 3rd screw with no wires, that's ground. It must be there for the other 2 to work.