2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Inexpensive Map Light Switch Repair

[gtobey]

In my brother's 2001 Ram 2500, the two map lights in console in the headliner quit working. The push button style switches apparently were the problem as the two lenses would push up very easily, and had no spring tension against them anymore because the switches had failed.

Here's what I did to fix it.

1. Remove the console from the headliner. Open the front garage door opener compartment, squeeze the two spring clips to release the front of the console, and pull down on it slightly to release the front of the console closest to the windshield. Then slide the entire unit away from the windshield to release the two clips from the rear of the console that hold the back of the unit up tightly to the headliner. Unplug the wire harness to release the unit from the inside of the truck.

2. On either side of the light housing, you will find 2 switches that look something like this. You can see from the picture that these plastic housings are cracked, and this one I put together for the picture, and the two housings of the switch had separated, spilling the guts of the switch inside the main console.

3. Here are the components that are inside these switches:

You must have all the pieces to reassemble the unit and make it work. Otherwise, you will need a complete unit as Dodge doesn't sell the switches by themselves. I was lucky enough to find all of the parts laying around up in that housing. Here is what the black part of the swich looks like, with the wires connected to the terminals as original:

Next post for continuing instructions as there can be only 5 attached pictures per post:

 

[gtobey]

Repair, continued:

4. Assemble the pieces to the switches, with the rotating cog & spring assembly to go in with the plastic cog down and spring up on top of the pushbutton in the bottom part of the switch housing, then the copper contact piece on top (with the guide part to insert into the spring) that connects the terminals in the black part to turn the light on and off. Be sure to lubricate the copper contact part with some silicon dielectric grease where it fits over the guidepost sticking up in the middle of the black housing part of the switch.

5. Assemble the two halves together carefully so as to not break off any more of the housing guide pins that may be left. There was only one left standing on these switches, all the rest had broken off in the other half. I had a quandry regarding the suitability of any glue to hold these housings together, so I opted for another way to hold them together. I visited the local general hardware store, (not a big box hardware home building supply) where I could still buy one screw if I wanted, and began to search through their screws and drawers and drawers of every conceivable hardware item you could imagine. The nice thing was that they let you bring the assembly in to the store and try different things to see what might fit and work.

Here's what I chose, at a total cost of $1. 79:

Two 3/4" GB Romex wire clamps, complete with nails. Two #4 phillips head sheet metal screws 1/2" long, and 2 1" long.

6. Carefully cut the "standoff" parts of the clamps to 1/2 of their height with a single edge razor blade. Be sure to remove nails first!

7. Carefully fit the temporarily assembled switch back into the overhead console, sliding them into the correct place in the housing.

8. Drill the Romex clamp holes where the nails were using a 7/64" drill bit.

Next post for continuing instructions:

 

[gtobey]

Continuing instructions:



9. Test fit the clamp over the switch in the overhead console housing, and then mark the spots for the two holes in the housing for the screws to hold the clamps over the switches.

10. Using a 1/16" drill bit, drill two pilot holes in the housing either side of the switch, then you can then finally open it up to 7/64" with the proper drill bit so the #4 screws in the clamp will hold the switch together. Be sure to move the switch out of the way so you won't drill the wires!

11. Put the switch back to it's final position in the overhead console, and install the clamp over the switch housing with the two screws, one long one and one short one. The long one goes at the back of the switch inbetween the two black wires. When you get the clamp installed over the switch it should look something like this.

12. Repeat this process for the other switch while you're in there, to prevent it from coming apart if it hasn't already done it. On this truck, both were apart! When done, it should resemble this:

Continuing in next post:

 

[gtobey]

13. Now you can take the unit and plug it in so you can test the switches and see if they turn on the lights. These clicked perfectly when the button was pushed in, and the lights would come on with the door open, and go off when the timer turned them off. Then I pushed the switches, and the lights turned on when I would push the button and off when I pushed it again. Success! The unit is ready to install in the overhead:

14. Installation is the reverse of the removal, insert the two clips at the rear of the unit into the corresponding holes in the top that holds the rear of the unit. Slide the unit to the rear of the truck, aligning the unit with the imprint in the headliner. Slowly push up on the front of the unit until the clips in the garage door holder housing area sound their "clip" to indicate that they are secure. Now is a good time to test the switches before installing the lenses (if you pryed them out of the housing in the first place). With the lights off, open the door to make sure they light up with the doors also.

If it all works as planned, pat yourself on the back as you just saved a bunch of money, and only spent a little time!

Good luck!

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

Great detail. Excellent post G Tobey! Thanks.

 

[gtobey]

Thanks for the kind words. As I assessed this repair, I thought it might be worth posting to help someone else along the way...

 

[rluft]

Great post. Mine have been broken for years and I have never tried to fix. Looks like I got an afternoon project sometime this fall.

 

[Moe]

Thanks for a great post!! Moe

 

[gtobey]

You're most welcome, and thanks for the kind words. i just hope someone can use this and fix their lights cheaply too! Take good care!