Simple Switch replacement - Failure - Help Needed

[Gary J.]

Starting the winter punch list on my recently acquired 2 owner 1968 Convertible. Under dash curtesy lights work when driver door is open/closed not working when passenger door is opened/ closed. Ordered new Replacement door jamb plunger. Took old switch out, wire to plunger connection broken. Replace the connection and installed on end of original switch, doesn’t work. Noticed when reinstalling that if the connector touch the door jamb lights come on, screw in plunger nothing. I would guess, grounding issue. If the electrical connector is slid onto a plastic round end, how can it energize the switch?
again if I touch the exposed metal contact wire to the jamb it works but not after installed on the plastic inner plunger, the part not facing the door.
thanks for you help.
Gary

[Mike E.]

Re: Simple Switch replacement - Failure - Help Needed

What was the solution?

[Gary J.]

[Mike E.]

Re: Simple Switch replacement - Failure - Help Needed

That was exactly my experience with my first endeavor with the courtesy light switches. Glad you got it!

[Owen L.]

Re: Simple Switch replacement - Failure - Help Needed

You can buy replacement terminals - my '72's were corroded and intermittently functional so I replaced them. Didn't want to replace the entire plunger switch because the reproductions do not have the same markings. If the little tang isn't engaged in the switch, the terminal doesn't make good contact with the housing's metal portion when the plunger extends.

Search for "courtesy light switch terminals". They come in strips of 6.
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[Brad Hillhouse (37766)]

Re: Simple Switch replacement - Failure - Help Needed

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As Owen said, you need the repair ends found at most corvette suppliers and a double crimp tool to install one as shown on the blue wire. In this photo the connector is pushed into the switch about half way. The "tang" holds the wire from slipping back out even though it is under pressure of the switch internal spring when the door is open.


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In this photo you can see both wires pushed into the plastic switch and sticking slightly past the end of the white plastic so that the end of the wiring connector will contact the metal part of the switch completing the circuit when the door is open. The wiring to the door jam switch is hot all the time and the ground path thru the door jam is broken / connected making the courtesy lights go on or off.


Brad