Well when I first bought the bonneville, the 10 amp fuse had been blown (The one in 8A above the drivers side footwell). And none of the interior lamps were working. I replaced the fuse, and TADA! The interior lamps work!......all the time.... :-*
I CANNOT get them to turn off how they should!
The battery run down protection always has to cut the power to them after 10 minutes or so.
Yes I tried pulling the fuse back out. They stay on.
After they turn off by means of the bat rundown protect, they will come back on when they should (doors unlocked, locked, or the door handle pulled while locked.

I read a similar topic (well identical) and it said to unplug the wires going to the drivers door handle, I did. Now the lights don't turn on when I pull that handle, but it still didn't solve the overall problem.

The doors are all closed tight, and the lights come back on whenever I open a door, so I know the door switches are good.

The idoit kid that owned the car before me rigged his highly un-necessary viper alarm to the car, and that'* my guess at the culprit.

Is there another fuse somewhere I'm missing?

Also, there were some wires that went to the viper module. One he taped into the little 194 lamp above the drivers footwell. I cut it out to see if it would fix it. Nope. Changed nothing.

Also I noticed that the dimmer switch isn't working.
He has an aftermarket radio installed that dims when the parking / headlights are on. Maybe it'* an isolated insident between the interior lights, or maybe they're directly related.

Either way, I'm getting frustrated.
These lights are killing the battery and making me mad.
I guess I'll get a wiring diagram and trace everything down.

Thanks in advance for ANY ideas as to whats wrong.

Check the **** on headlights.The inside should say interior.Make sure its to the right passed click. Also there'* a ground under carpet on drivers side that from i heard gets corroded and causes electrical probs

You can test if it'* another door handle (passenger front has a switch) or if it'* the alarm.

https://www.gmforum.com/showthread.p...highlight=bong

Run the bong test and look for the one that doesn't bong. that'll be the switch that is bad typically. This is the usual way I test out the drivers door switch before unplugging. Usually though, this issue is the drivers door. As far as the fuse..I remember it being a 6 something.

Well I sure feel special...
I don't know why I thought it was only 8B.
8B is labeled as Interior LPS, but all it controls seems to be is the dash lights?
Well anyway, I pulled 6A and the lights turned off!!!
I did the "BONG" test, and I got 1 chime, 2 chimes, 3 chimes, and 4 chimes?
So not much help there...

I did the I/O tests, heres the ones that didn't pass:
Dome Lamp -------------------------------------------------Turn on dome lamps, then turn off, then Repeat
Door Latch Switches ------------------------------------ LH and RH Door latch switches, lift up handle only don't open,Repeat

(The drivers door didn't pass, I disconnected it already.)
Trunk Lid Ajar Light ----------------------------------------Activate/deactivate trunk lid latch switch, then repeat.

(I don't think I have a "Trunk Ajar" lamp.)


The passanger door passed the dool latch switch test, but my suspicions are aimed at the dimmer switch...
It works for headlight and parking light on/off.
But it doesn't work for the I/P dimming function, and I'm getting ready to test it once the batt. run down. turns the int. lamps off. I'll reach in the drivers window, and turn the dome switch on. I suppose if it doesn't activate the lights, It'* my problem.

Wait, just went out!

YUP!
I'm turning on/off the dome light switch with no effect. Everything else will cause the lights to come on, but not the dome light switch.

I guess that'* the only possibility, and a new one SHOULD fix my problem 100%.

Is this a commn problem on the bonnevilles?
Looks easy to replace.

I'm taking it inside to try to clean it.

I mean if I'm already planning on buying a new one, what harm is it to screw around with the old one?

Also, I thiught DRL'* and ALC (auto light control) was standard in 98?
I see the ambient light sensor on the dash, but the lights never come on automatically!

Could the headlight switch be screwing this up too?

THANKS!!!

Found the removal procedure!
https://www.gmforum.com/showthread.p...eadlamp+switch

The headunit dimming is just so the radio display is not so bright at night, not something getting shorted out anywhere just to rule that out

Alright, I got the headlight switch out. It fixed my interior light problem completely! I was going to dissassemble the unit, but the spring loaded contacts always suck to put back in. I'll just grab one from the bone yard or ebay.