That whould be grait. I dident even consiter my switch a option, it still turns on my hed lights and dims my dash lights just fine im goiand to tack it out and see what i can fiand out with my electrical tester. thanks a lot

Something that just occurred to me: The interior light circuit kills the interior lights if a door is open for more than ten minutes, and won't reset until all the doors are closed again. Maybe there'* a bad door switch that'* grounding continuously, and thus the power is staying off until that ground is cleared. I assume (although I haven't tried this theory) that turning the headlight switch fully counterclockwise to turn on the interior lights might do the same thing, if they're left on that way.

On the other hand, given the number of other things that you say are not working in your car right now, most of which are on other circuits, I'm thinking you have either a number of blown fuses, some corroded power connections, or corroded grounds. Kind of difficult to suggest where you should start with this...

Previously I wrote:

I just tested this in my '93 just now, leaving the doors closed but turning on the interior lights by twisting the headlamp switch fully counterclockwise, and the answer is No, the car does not turn off the interior lights after 10 minutes. Everything was still lit up inside when I went back 25 minutes later to check.

So I'm going to say at this point that there isn't necessarily anything wrong with the headlight switch, and in fact I would just leave it alone here. Your problem sounds like it'* going to be corroded connections someplace.

Hey, wait a minute... you said:

Aren't at least some of those covered by one or more MaxiFuses, which would be in the MaxiFuse/Relay center, under the black plastic cover under your hood, on the passenger'* side of the firewall. Have you checked under there?

SO why can't it be the headlight switch ? It is the most basic place to start except for the fuses.
Kill one dragon at a time. Never troubleshoot two problems.

JLathem

Thanks a lot every one. I plaid with my switch and it seemed to be fine. and i know when i would leave my doers open in my car they would turn off after a period of time. This weekend im going to tare in to the whirring and try and trace it every were, checking all the connections and look for sum in line fuses. Im going to the library today to try and get a whirring diagram. Thanks a lot and will keep you posted.

I'm sorry, I think you lost me there; what connection do you see between the headlight switch and the problems that he'* having?

The headlight switch can turn on the interior lights by turning its **** fully counterclockwise, which grounds the interior-light circuit and turns the lights on. (The interior lights are on a switched-ground circuit, not a switched-power circuit.) It also bypasses the timer override that controls the door light switches, so in other words you can turn the interior lights on indefinitely if you do it by turning the headlight ****, but if you do it by leaving a door open, they'll go out again after 10 minutes.

So, if Oakleytw can make his interior lights go on by twisting the headlight ****, then there'* no problem with the headlight switch and no need to take it out for any further testing. If he can't make the lights go on any other way, then maybe there'* a grounded door switch someplace, and the 10-minute timer is keeping his lights out.

If he can't make the interior lights go on even by twisting the ****, then I'd suspect there'* no power in the circuit, and start looking at fuses and such.

I see your point. So the first thing to check would be power. I'm telling him to check the ground side

A volt meter at the light. If no power trace back to the power source.

JLathem

In my 95 there is a separate dome light relay its a blue streak part # RY601 and its the same one that runs my instrument panel lights but not sure were it is located
zilly