First Gen Courtesy Lights

[Dales90]

Hi,

My grey hair is showing again.

I owned a 64 for over 35 years and have another now, and am puzzled because I can't remember if the following is correct.

I open my door, and the two console courtesy lamps light, but not the two sail panel lights.

I turn my light switch counter clockwise past the detent, and my sail panel courtesy lamps light, but not the console.

I this correct, or do I have a wiring issue?

Thanks to all who have less grey hair and reply.

Dale

[Guest REX STALLION]

I have a similar problem....my lights come on , but nobodys home

[68RIVGS]

I've probably got as much grey, but I'm thinking they all should light.

[CheezeMan]

Dale,

The door switch is a 3-circuit type, so all the lights should come on. However, if the switch internals are poor, you may not get all 3 circuits to close. I just noticed on my '63 that when its cold, 1 or 2 circuits don't come on right away. sometimes wiggling the switch helps or just letting it warm up gets it to go.

If memory is correct, twisting the headlight switch to the detent will only light up the sail panes. On the '63 (not sure on '64) the courtesy switch under the dash lights up the front console and map lights, while the rear console light has a switch located at the back seat side of the console.

Hope this helps.

[Guest Kingoftheroad]

They all should come on when you open the door, even the one above the glove box. When you hit the courtesy light switch, the two lights in the console & above the glove box come on.

When the headlight switch is twisted, just the sail panel lights come on..

Edited January 8, 2012 by Kingoftheroad (see edit history)

[RivNut]

Everyone is correct in stating that all of the lights come on. All of the lights have a hot wire running to them and the door jamb swith is the ground wire. When the switch is closed (door is opened) and the ground is connected, all of the lights come on. Rotating the headlight switch controls the sail panel lights . The coutesty light switch under the dash is the control for the light above the glove box and I believe the side lights on the console. The toggle switch on the light in the back of the console controls that light. Every light can be individually turned on when the door are shut because those switches I mentioned above also complete the circuit by grounding the lamp. There are good oversized, color keyed, laminated wiring diamgrams for almost all of the 1st generation Rivieras for sale on ebay. Pretty easy to get these working properly

Ed

Edited January 10, 2012 by RivNut (see edit history)

[Guest Rob J]

Yep, three separate wires run to each door jamb switch. I had a similar issue. Those original door jamb switches are notorious for going bad. There is a gentleman whom advertise in the Riview whom rebuilds them I believe for $25 or so for the pair. I was able to take apart one switch, and get it working properly, the other had some broken internals, so I'll send it to this gentleman to rebuild.

[Dales90]

Thanks to all,

Particularly because despite the grey, that is way, all lighting, I remembered from my prev Riv.

I will coax the door switch when I next am with the car, and see what happens.

Dale

[1965rivgs]

The headlight switch controls the sail panel lights.

The courtesy light switch controls the side console lights and the light above the glovebox.

The switch in the back of the console controls the light in the back of the console.

So there is a manual switch for each of the circuits represented by the three wires at the door jamb switches.

Tom Mooney

[Jim Cannon]

Here is an added detail that can help with troubleshooting: the sail panel lights are powered by the same fuse as the trunk light. If your sail panel lights do not come on, see if your trunk light comes on. If not, suspect a bad fuse.

[Dales90]

Jim

Thanks for the tip, will be an easy first step, and may be the solution. Better than trying to play with the door switch, which has wonderfully pliable rubber, so I don't suspect it,...yet....

Thanks

Dale

[Dales90]

Yet...is now, the trunk light came on, and the rear sail panel lights only with the light switch, never with the open door.

On to the door switch, what will I find? corroded contacts, 2 of three good?

Will need warmer weather for that trial. Think Spring.

Dale

[1965rivgs]

Hi Dale,

Pull the switch out of the hole in the jamb. Remove each of the three wires one by one and ground each to the paint free metal inside the hole. The associated circuit should function. If all three check OK your switch is not providing a ground to the circuit which is non-op. Shouldn`t take more than 5 minutes. Check the Riview for switches which are rebuilt by one of our members. I have had good luck with his switches over the years,

Tom Mooney

[Dales90]

The Courtesy Lights are working now.

A different issue for each switch. The Driver's side was the first to be solved. I removed the switch, and as I mentioned before, the rubber on both was very supple, so did not fear a lot of corrosion. When I removed it, the rear lights, which had not lit via this switch, briefly sparked, so I looked at the hole in the jamb and found the repaint from previous owner, had covered the edge, so scraped it clean, and wah-lah, perfect operation.

So, on to the passenger's side and found its trouble was easier. One of the three leads had come loose from the switch, reconnected it, and scraped the hole edge for good measure, and it now works perfectly.

With the new lenses from JollyJohn, all lights now smile at me.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions, all that knowledge paid off.

Dale