C2 battery drain; Glove box light

[Doug L.]

My new battery has consistently died if the car has not been started in ~24 hours. The only apparent thing drawing current is the clock. My friend JD suggested checking the glove box light. Since I can't see inside the box when the door is closed I tried opening the door and imediately feeling the bulb to see if it was warm; It was.

The sliding catch on the frame of the glove box is adjusted as far as possible toward the bulb. As far as I know I have the correct bulb housing and the correct latch on the glove box door. The door closes tight against the rubber bumpers.

The only common point from which to take measurements to see if the push button is being depressed far enough is the latch on the lock assembly and the catch on the glove box frame it engages . From that catch to the tip of the push-button contact is ~3/8". The button has to be depressed another 1/4" to break the circuit and extinguish the light. The end of the retainer of the lock mechanism that is intended to push the push-button in extends 3/8" from the latching wedge on the lock mechanism. So the base of the retainer may touch the push button, but falls 1/4" short of depressing the button far enough to extinguish the bulb.

All components are original (to my knowledge) except the bulb. I can't imagine all C2s had this problem, so what am I missing? Do I have the wrong components?

[Stephen L.]

Re: C2 battery drain; Glove box light

Just a thought.... could the bulb/switch bracket be installed backward resulting in the switch being farther away from the door???

[William C.]

Re: C2 battery drain; Glove box light

Another thought, Pull the fuse powering the glove box lamp and verify that that solves the problem, and that you don't have another issue. (or pull the bulb and see if the battery still goes down)

[Doug L.]

Re: C2 battery drain; Glove box light

The bracket is part of the glove box frame. There is no way to change its position. I have the bulb out now and will see if that solves the problem.

[Gerard F.]

Re: C2 battery drain; Glove box light

Doug,

From your sketch, the little bracket (or latch) at the top, which holds the door closed may be on backward. The latch point should be closer to the plunger of the light switch.

[Gerard F.]

Re: C2 battery drain; Glove box light

Doug,

Took a look at mine on a 67.

Where you show 3/8" on the lock mechanism (from the wedge to the back of housing), my original is 1/2"

Where you show 5/8" to the off position, that 5/8" on mine is to the housing of the plunger (with the plunger totally pushed it). The plunger sticks out 3/8" from the housing when on, and it only takes a very slight push (approx 1/8") to turn the light off. If you do the math on mine, the plunger is only sticking out 1/8" from the housing when the door is closed, and would have moved 1/4" in closing the door.

There is some adjustment in the latch bracket, maybe it is not far back enough.

Pardon my terminology here, hope this helps.