Map light from hell!

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1969383S said:
Not sure where the location is in 74 but on a 69 it is lower left below the headlight switch. I am 6’ and long legged but never have hit it climbing in or out by accident. Actually rarely even use it as most the driving is daylight time.
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I repurposed that switch to activate my line-lock as a hill-holder in my manual trans car. I've owned my 68 since 1978, and nobody knows when or if, the the map light was ever used......... or for what; cuz I imagine it certainly wasn't for map-reading,lol.
 
AJ/FormS said:
I repurposed that switch to activate my line-lock as a hill-holder in my manual trans car. I've owned my 68 since 1978, and nobody knows when or if, the the map light was ever used......... or for what; cuz I imagine it certainly wasn't for map-reading,lol.
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How were you able to read your map for directions after the burn out at night? Did you find the return lane or did you have to stop and ask where to go? It is very easy to get lost in the pit area at night. When I went through Tech they checked my map light and the radio.
 
AJ/FormS said:
I repurposed that switch to activate my line-lock as a hill-holder in my manual trans car. I've owned my 68 since 1978, and nobody knows when or if, the the map light was ever used......... or for what; cuz I imagine it certainly wasn't for map-reading,lol.
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Repurpose the switch and get a GPS.
 
cruiser said:
Johnny Mac: I think two things illuminate the map light - the interior lights being on, and activation of the map light switch. Perhaps the two spades are each for one of these two separate circuits. If you touch the two spades together, aren't you defeating the proper circuitry of the switch? How about individually touching the spades to ground and seeing if it lights up when you do this?
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Use a test light
12 volts to ground = direct short
 
You guys are too funny:)
Things I never use in my car get repurposed or gone.
Lessee;
the rearseat is gone since my son graduated from hi-school; if I didn't get to use it then neither could he, so it was just 70 pounds of deadweight. I'd ditch the passenger seat too, but there's a snowballs chance in hell, my darling wife might still someday come for a ride.
No console; just extra pounds of pretty that I never use.
the radio just fills the holes (no speaker(s),
The ashtray is a poor-mans catch-all,
the spare tire well is my jetkit bay,
the jack-stuff is in the rafters,
the rear defroster is collecting dust somewhere,
and the map-lite circuit has never since 1977 (maybe even before that) seen electrons.
There are no stinking cupholders in my car; When I'm in it, I'm driving it; and I don't want to be cleaning up the messes that might invariably arise..
The line-loc was plumbed before the engine ever went in. The momentary-on button is on the stick to be used in the usual way; but the map-switch is the on/off for it as a hill-holder, for those extra-long lights........ at the tops (or bottoms) of hills,lol.
 
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I would just wire the damn thing direct to ignition power so it turned on when the switch is on, and off when the switch is turned off or the car is shut off.
That light is for the passenger to roll joints anyway, not reading maps.:D
 
I think once you hit about 40 there almost no chance you could read a map down there, even if you could bend over that far. I think that light is for women, so they can root thru the bottom of their purses and findchit they have all but forgotten was in there.
 
No map light here.

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Just pulled the switch. Jumpered across the two female terminals of the wiring harness. Map light came on with the door open just like it's supposed to. Closed the door. Jumpered from the brown wire on the harness to a good ground. Map light came on just like it's supposed to. Conclusion: bad switch. When I pulled it, the switch had quite a bit of rust on the top, almost like it had been subjected to water drippage.
 
cruiser said:
Just pulled the switch. Jumpered across the two female terminals of the wiring harness. Map light came on with the door open just like it's supposed to. Closed the door. Jumpered from the brown wire on the harness to a good ground. Map light came on just like it's supposed to. Conclusion: bad switch. When I pulled it, the switch had quite a bit of rust on the top, almost like it had been subjected to water drippage.
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Check continuity...
Should be zero ohms.
 
cruiser said:
I'm a bit of a dummy. How do I check continuity? Can I do this with a test light?
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Get a meter. Harbor freight has free coupon.
Put it on Ohms / Resistance.
Check between switch terminals.
Switch closed = 0 ohms
Switch open = infinity.
 
Dfr360cuda said:
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Get a meter. Harbor freight has free coupon.
Put it on Ohms / Resistance.
Check between switch terminals.
Switch closed = 0 ohms
Switch open = infinity.
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It's a two position switch.
So the same thing for the map light 'on' position.
Switch in 'ON' postion. Pink terminal to switch housing where it attaches to the dash = Ohms.
Or if you're using a battery pwered continuity light, the light will turn on.
 
cruiser said:
Just pulled the switch. Jumpered across the two female terminals of the wiring harness. Map light came on with the door open just like it's supposed to. Closed the door. Jumpered from the brown wire on the harness to a good ground. Map light came on just like it's supposed to. Conclusion: bad switch. When I pulled it, the switch had quite a bit of rust on the top, almost like it had been subjected to water drippage.
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Not the way I would have tested but seeming the same result.
 
Some of us “ guess a few” like them to work they way They did!
 
AJ/FormS said:
I repurposed that switch to activate my line-lock as a hill-holder in my manual trans car. I've owned my 68 since 1978, and nobody knows when or if, the the map light was ever used......... or for what; cuz I imagine it certainly wasn't for map-reading,lol.
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Good repurpose, I guess but just how. I used a button switch in place of the cigarette lighter in my console.
 
Mattax said:
It's a two position switch.
So the same thing for the map light 'on' position.
Switch in 'ON' postion. Pink terminal to switch housing where it attaches to the dash = Ohms.
Or if you're using a battery pwered continuity light, the light will turn on.
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No pink on the switch just at the lamp, yellow and maybe yellow/black trace and a brown. The OP got it right, just a different approach. It is nothing but a grounding or passing ground switch!
 
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cruiser said:
Just pulled the switch. Jumpered across the two female terminals of the wiring harness. Map light came on with the door open just like it's supposed to. Closed the door. Jumpered from the brown wire on the harness to a good ground. Map light came on just like it's supposed to. Conclusion: bad switch. When I pulled it, the switch had quite a bit of rust on the top, almost like it had been subjected to water drippage.
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That in itself maybe the cause for the ground issue! Try cleaning it with a wire brush and confirm dash ground to case before buying a new switch. Refer back to post 17.
 
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Test lights can be a quick and great when used correctly. In this case connect the light to +12v and then probe to the dash frame and then the mounted map lamp switch case. If both light then the switch is bad.
 
I just looked at a picture on eBay. It doesn't want to upload on here. Center terminal is common. Normally closed is off position (continuity from common to bottom terminal )
When switch is turned to On ( normally open ) position there should be continuity from the common to the ground buss.
It's easier to see if I can get this pic to upload.
Also most wiring diagrams read left to right... That would make it easier to see

image.png
 
Oldmanmopar said:
I screwed with one for two days. Replace the switches I have many. Tried another harness. No help. I gave up and installed the switch in the dash and it worked, The switch base needs to be grounded. I was not grounding it while holding it in my hand. Clean the back of the Dash and find a metal bezel. The plastic bezels rely on the dash being bare metal on the back where the switch grounds
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Listen to this guy.
 
cruiser said:
Just pulled the switch. Jumpered across the two female terminals of the wiring harness. Map light came on with the door open just like it's supposed to. Closed the door. Jumpered from the brown wire on the harness to a good ground. Map light came on just like it's supposed to. Conclusion: bad switch. When I pulled it, the switch had quite a bit of rust on the top, almost like it had been subjected to water drippage.
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My conclusion..... I agree with OMM, bad ground
 
TrailBeast said:
I would just wire the damn thing direct to ignition power so it turned on when the switch is on, and off when the switch is turned off or the car is shut off.
That light is for the passenger to roll joints anyway, not reading maps.:D
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Okay, so the map light is for rolling joints.
I remember the seat belt buckle was for opening beer bottles.
 
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