Interior lights stay on 1996 Tahoe

[RichMoss]

1996 Tahoe 2 door.

My interior lights won't go out, and because of that (it seems) the remote central locking won't operate.

This makes me think that the truck thinks that at least one door is open but, despite having fitted new door switches all round (and tried holding them closed) the lights are determined to stay lit.

I've only owned the truck a few weeks and this happened on about day 2. I've seen suggestions that it could be an earth problem but I don't have a workshop manual or wiring diagram to help - so any advice would be appreciated.

By the way, I'm in Abu Dhabi and there is very little support for a vehicle this old, so I'm pretty much on my own

 

[thegawd]

okay, just to be sure on the light switch there is a dimmer wheel, if it is rolled all the way up then your interior lights will always be on. roll it down one indent and the interior will come on when the doors are open. roll it down passed the indents and you begin to dim the interior dash lights, radio lights ect...

just want to make sure you first understand how that light switch works.... these switches can also go bad and not function correctly at all! I never knew about those indents or the interior overridebpish button light switch for a while when I first got my burb as I did not know how the switch was supposed to work. I read it in the trucks owners manual.

 

[spf1268]

Have you tried the dome light override button next to the headlight switch?
Is the light dimmer rolled all the way up? Put it in the middle position while troubleshooting.
Does the Tahoe have an aftermarket alarm?

 

[thegawd]

Oh yeah and theres also that button... sorry My wife interrupted me....

 

[Frank Enstein]

Dash light switch rotated far enough to turn on the interior lights? The one that changes the brightness of the dash lights?

 

[thegawd]

what about the rear door? have you looked at the switch for the rear doors?

 

[FLJoe]

Since my truck was new the switch for the rear glass has not been consistent (I have the tailgate version) and the interior lights would sometime stay on, even with the glass tightly closed. I ended up sticking a piece of self-adhesive foam on the metal glass frame to contact the switch plunger and hold the switch a little more tightly compressed. That solved it.

 

[thegawd]

Joe, is it the plunger switch or is it one of the brass contacts? Iv never had a problem so I dont know what pin it is. I assume it's the only none brass plunger but thought I should ask.

I have to clean the brass contacts once or twice a year to keep the locks and rear window defrost in good working order.

 

[FLJoe]

Mine is a plunger switch. Sorry about the slow reply, by the way. Haven't logged in for a few days.

 

[RichMoss]

Thanks for the replies , chaps, so here are the answers:

1) the over ride button is not in the over ride position - I've tried it both ways, several times.

2) the dimmer is not all the way up (got caught with that before on other vehicles ) Again, I've tried it in both positions.

3) the door switches are new - replacing the one broken and one missing one. However, the problem was there before I replaced them and still there after.

4) the tailgate switch has also been replaced but again, the problem was there before and after

I understand that the switches earth to complete the circuit, so a missing or disconnected switch should break the circuit and turn the lights off - but they stay on if the switches are removed.

There must be some kind of relay to switch this circuit on - I assume that they have a "lights on delay" after closing the doors. I can't help feeling that this may be stuck or something is causing it to trigger.

Thanks for the input so far, it's all welcome