'59 Plymouth Forum

I can not get the under dash Courtesy Light Switch to work on my Convertible
My door switches work OK , But the switch on the under dash bracket does not do anything
First ,what is the Function of this switch ? Does it turn on the under dash and rear seat side panels?
I have looked at the Wiring Diagram ,but it does not detail the switch.
Sounds simple but I am not a Sparky, need a little help
Thanks Mark

Mark - I don't know if I have an answer for your situation but I have a switch under my dash that de-activates the door jamb switches so that when I have the doors open to display the swivel seats the interior light do not come on and run down the battery.
Dick.

Dick,
If that all it does , I think I can make it work. I thought that it also could be used to turn on the interior lights with the doors closed?
Mark

Mark, I will have to try mine to see how it works, I know it comes on when the door is open, but I have not operated the under dash switch by itself with the doors open, I believe in looking at the circuit wiring, that if you can turn on the single under dash light by itself to view something , I don't believe it will turn on the rear courtesy lights.

I will check...


John Q.

Mark - I'm not sure but the switch under my dash is a common toggle switch that was added, I think, by the previous owner. I don't know about convertibles but some interior lights can be turned on with the headlight switch, on my Sport Fury two door hardtop they are turned on with a switch on the driver side interior light. Hopefully John Q. has the answer.
Dick

My Convert is back from the shop after having some additional items worked on. (new sway/Roll bar added, working fuel gauge and an NOS speedometer/Odometer installed and Seat belts installed)

I tested the switch and with the doors closed and the courtesy front map light was turned on and the rear quarter window pocket panel lights also came on at the same time. So it does turn on the rear courtesy lights too when the map light is turned on.


John Q.

Denver 59 Fin Convert wrote: I tested the switch and with the doors closed and the courtesy front map light was turned on and the rear quarter window pocket panel lights also came on at the same time. So it does turn on the rear courtesy lights too when the map light is turned on.

Same here! Tested it today

The under-dash light with slide switch was an accessory option. I took that one out of a parts car, I think.
Had we NOT heard otherwise, I would have guessed the switch only turned on the under-dash light, but I guess it's a true courtesy light , not just a maplight.
It's a 3-position slide switch. In the middle, it's off, slide to one side, the lights come on regardless of door position, slide the other way, the doors activate the lights.

Thanks to all
Now my Interior lights will work like everybody else
Mark