General Courtesy light module

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General Courtesy light module

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Has anyone ever mastered/fixed/understood the front Courtesy light module in the roof?

My old beast has the regular "3-buttons and sun-glasses holder" doodah (no alarm sensor).

I've had some problems with the passenger and driver "map" lights. The lights don't always work unless I press them a few times, or try pressing the buttons on their corners rather than in the middle.

Recently, pressing the driver's side button made the passenger side light come on and then pressing the passenger side button was the only way to make the light go out.

Pressing the driver's side button again would make the driver's side light come on but then you could only turn it off by pressing the driver's light button again, to turn off the passenger light... and then pressing it again to turn off the driver's light. The passenger button only switched on the passenger light... but it turns off the driver's light, if that's on. Although not every time. Ahhhh

Anyhow.. I dismantled the console this weekend and it seems to consist of a small PCB with tracks to the bulbs.. but the switches press on a rubber pad/pimples that act on pressure switches on the PCB, rather than being a regular type of switch. I guess the pressure pads are just worn out/not very good to begin with... but is there a way to restore or repair them?

I cleaned everything up as best as I could with contact cleaner and a toothbrush but I obviously made it a bit moody, since now the central bulb (a festoon) stays on all the time, rather than come on and go off with the doors/ignition. It was working fine before.

But otherwise the "map" lights are now working as designed, although I have to press the corners of the switch rather than the centre... so it's not going to last. :D

Any hints and tips before I just replace the whole unit?


Ralf S.
 
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