Courtesy lights won’t turn off

[Dakar Timm]

While putting new carpeting in , I noticed the rear courtesy lights were on even with both doors closed .
I use the term courtesy lights as they are in the back seat . Our ‘66 Coronet is a convertible .
The drivers door switch flickers and the light get dimmer when you push it on . Even when the switch is disconnected the lights stay on . I have 1.7 volts from the solo yellow wire feeding the switch . Thanks you

 

[pnora]

While putting new carpeting in , I noticed the rear courtesy lights were on even with both doors closed .
I use the term courtesy lights as they are in the back seat . Our ‘66 Coronet is a convertible .
The drivers door switch flickers and the light get dimmer when you push it on . Even when the switch is disconnected the lights stay on . I have 1.7 volts from the solo yellow wire feeding the switch . Thanks you

Yellow is a ground circuit. Check the other door switch as well as the headlight switch as they all have the ability to ground the yellow wire.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

Hmmm….my 70 convertible rear bulbs have pink/yellow. My pink is always 12v & yellow is ground (normally not connected) and then it gets grounded (turning on the lights) when the driver’s door is opened. The door-closed button (yellow wire) “popping out” completes the ground connection. (Hope that helps) It sounds to me like you’re getting a ground connection somewhere in the yellow wire….I’m not sure what 1.7 volts on the YELLOW wire means…maybe “kinda crossed” with the pink wire somewhere??? Maybe the same spot the yellow wire is getting a ground connection ??? Maybe look for a pinch in the pink/yellow wires where they bend or along sharp edges, like maybe where they go under the door sill plates (?) Check both sides of the car

 

[pnora]

Hmmm….my 70 convertible rear bulbs have pink/yellow. My pink is always 12v & yellow is ground (normally not connected) and then it gets grounded (turning on the lights) when the driver’s door is opened. The door-closed button (yellow wire) “popping out” completes the ground connection. (Hope that helps) It sounds to me like you’re getting a ground connection somewhere in the yellow wire….I’m not sure what 1.7 volts on the YELLOW wire means…maybe “kinda crossed” with the pink wire somewhere??? Maybe the same spot the yellow wire is getting a ground connection ??? Maybe look for a pinch in the pink/yellow wires where they bend or along sharp edges, like maybe where they go under the door sill plates (?) Check both sides of the car

He is testing it wrong and most likely is getting a feedback through the bulbs filament.

 

[Dakar Timm]

So the the pink wire at the bulb is hot ,12 volts ,correct ? The volts runs through the bulb and comes out the yellow wire ? This wire controls terminates at the door switches ?
You've steered me in the right direction . Thank you

 

[pnora]

So the the pink wire at the bulb is hot ,12 volts ,correct ? The volts runs through the bulb and comes out the yellow wire ? This wire controls terminates at the door switches ?
You've steered me in the right direction . Thank you

Yes. Yellow is the switched ground that controls the lights on/off function.

 

[Dakar Timm]

Yes. Yellow is the switched ground that controls the lights on/off function.

So , I should be reading twelve volts and not 1.6 correct ? I actually cut the yellow wire from the back of the drivers door switch and the lights stayed on .
Before I cut the yellow wire ,pushing the switch in only dimmed the lights slightly

 

[pnora]

So , I should be reading twelve volts and not 1.6 correct ? I actually cut the yellow wire from the back of the drivers door switch and the lights stayed on .
Before I cut the yellow wire ,pushing the switch in only dimmed the lights slightly

No. Voltage on the pink and ground on the yellow. Did you check the other door and headlamp switch as I suggested above? You problem is not a power issue. You have some form of a ground path on the yellow causing the lights to stay on. Are there any other switches?

 

[Dakar Timm]

No. Voltage on the pink and ground on the yellow. Did you check the other door and headlamp switch as I suggested above? You problem is not a power issue. You have some form of a ground path on the yellow causing the lights to stay on. Are there any other switches?

No I have not yet checked the other switches . It's 9:30 p.m. here . As soon as it gets light outside I will.

 

[PurpleBeeper]

No I have not yet checked the other switches . It's 9:30 p.m. here . As soon as it gets light outside I will.

Pnora is right. “Somewhere” in one of those yellow wires there’s a bare spot touching metal of the car (or melted & crossed with another wire). That makes the circuit complete & the bulbs light up. If you were desperate to turn them off, you could disconnect the 12V going into the pink wire