Hi guys.

I know this has been asked plenty of times before, but I feel my scenario is slightly different.

I've gradually been changing the lights over to LED's, and yesterday I changed the overhead map lights to 501 T10's LED's. It took a few attempts because I had to get the polarity correct and get the pins to connect properly in the holder. But in the process, the passenger side map light has decided it wants to stay on permanently. The other map light and centre light works as it should.

Would anyone have any suggestions?

 

Check the map light switch. I have a "sticky" one on the driver side (left side....US)

 

My passenger side one is also temperamental!

 

Unfortunately havent had a chance to have another look yet, hopefully tomorrow though.

The button didnt seem to be sticky/stuck to the touch at the time though, so Im guessing its the push switch behind the button that could be the problem.

 

Temperamental in the sense it cant always be switched off, or on?

 

yeah... my button itself doesn't stick. And, honestly. I went out there this morning after reading this and reading bout how to take that overhead console out and ...... just went out and pushed the button. When it went on, it wouldn't shut off at first. Had to press about 5 times before I hit it right and it switched off. Kept doing it. Required some finesse at first to switch it on OR off. Now....after about 50 presses... it goes on and off reliably and without having to "hit it just right"

So here's my hypothesis....
Maybe the map light wasn't really used much....or at all... or for a long time... and the contacts in that little switch just got cruddy (technical term, I know) and by "exercising" it..... you clean them up a little. Or enough to work again. Unless it becomes really annoying, I'm not likely to take it apart, but if I open it up to do something like.... oh...I don't know... convert to LED bulbs.... maybe I'd look at just spraying the switch with some contact cleaner.

Anyways.... try it. I made it a point NOT to press really hard. That little switch is only going to move just so far anyways. Press the button with a little more pressure toward the front of the car. Or a bit more on one side than the other. I happened to find a sweet spot where I could get it to go even when it was being finicky. Now I can just press it and not think about it.
Again... I advise AGAINST simply pressing harder. It shouldn't be necessary and probably does no good anyways.

 

Switched on.

 

Oh okay, that kind of makes some sense. On one of the times I was putting it back together to make sure the leds were working, I gave the unit a thump with the back of my hand. So Im guessing I've hit that button a bit too hard. I might put some electrical contact cleaner on it, like you mention.

 

Soapy, looking at the diagrams for your car, I would first start with pulling the overhead console down from the ceiling. By doing this, you are making sure that you are not getting intermittent contact with the metal structure behind the overhead console. If the problem clears up, then odds are you are having the circuit board touching the metal structure of the car and that is the source of your problem. If the problem persists, then odds are you are looking at a bad switch and hopefully through cycling the switch numerous times, the contacts will clean themselves and make things better. Otherwise, you are looking at having to replace the overhead console to clear up the issue.