Hello; I recently acquired a lovely restored 1962 Mk 2. I had it out for a drive yesterday when I noticed that the interior lights were staying on even when all the doors were securely closed. I opened and closed all the doors; lights still on. I fiddled with the interior light switch on the rear passenger door, and after removing it and rethreading it back into the door jam, the lights went out. So, I thought it must be a loose switch or something in the wiring. I closed the rear door and all was darkness; half hour later, went back to the garage and all the interior lights were on, even though I had not touched the car. I fiddled with the switch some more, but lights stayed on so I eventually had to disconnect the battery.

I am guessing that this is a switch problem; I don’t know how or what I would test the interior switch for, and I don’t know where the switches are for the front doors, and don’t want to pull apart any wiring. I am wondering if anyone has run into this before; normally the issue with Lucas is darkness not constant light 😂

is there a way to test the switches or to disconnect the interior lights without disconnecting the battery? Am concerned I will have flat battery if I just leave it

The front door switchesa are in the lower front door hinge, if you look inside you will see them in the back. You can just undo them with a 1/2" socket and an extension bar, be careful when you pull them out to make sure the wire comes out with them.

I would go around them all wiggling them in turn with them pushed in (and all the other doors closed) and see which one has the fault and then remove it an either repair or replace it depending on what is wrong with it.

I'm not aware of an easy way to disconnect the interior lights but you can take the lamps (bulbs) out fairly easily, the ones on the b-post the covers just pull over and those on the rear pillars turn slightly and then pull off. Once you have identified the issue with the switch though this shouldn't be necessary. Also don't forget there is a switch on the dash to turn them on as well so worth checking that just in case its a fault there although I would suggest thats unlikely.

Thanks Homer

Remember there is also a switch on the middle console of the dashboard, to activate the interieur light.

Thanks Jaguar38S; the issue is not getting the lights to switch on, it is to keep them off when the doors are closed. I noticed the interior lights were on while driving; I tried the switch on the dash, but it just made the lights brighter. When I parked the car in the garage, got out of the car and closed the door, the interior lights stayed on.

I will be trying to see if one of the switches in the door jams is faulty, but at this point, all I have done is disconnected the battery

Just to be difficult, I'll bet it's one of the switches in the lower front door hinges.

The switches work by connecting to earth that is the car body. It's likely the problem is either a switch that has been damaged/dislodged or a wire at the back of one of the switches is frayed. Since the lights are brighter when the dashboard switch is operated, a frayed wire seems the more likely cause. The only thing that I can suggest is to undo the switches, very carefully pull them forward from the door pillar and inspect them and the wires. 'Very carefully' because you don't want to the wire to get lost in the door post!