"Dome Light" add a switch

[upzmtn]

Thank you Viva for posting the details on the switch wires for the dome lights with the options for rewiring. I did this today and have the same setup as you now using the current buttons on the dome light:

"1) No new switches, now the driver's side "button" on the stock dome light turns both lights on and off manually, and the passenger side "button" engages or dis-engages the "comes on when the door opens" part."

It works great!

[Viva]

upzmtn,

I hadn't noticed your post until today. I'm so glad to know that it helped you in setting yours up the way you like it. I'm still thrilled every time I open the door at night and lights don't blaze (unless I want them to).

Also interesting to know it worked on a 2014 (mine is a 1998).

[FarmerFrederico]

Another late post to the party. I'm putting some aftermarket LED dome lights with a 3-position switch in as I redid some trim and found it difficult to reuse the factory dome/cargo lights. I've got a 2010. These lights come with 3 wires - red, white, and black. I've tried all the combinations with the three wires in the factory harness but I can't get it to behave like the factory lights!!!

Best I can do is either have them operate only manually - whether the doors are open or closed, they are only lit when the switch is in the "ON" position, OR have no manual control other than "OFF" and just let them come on and off with the doors when the switch is in the "DOOR" position.

The factory lights are "OFF" with doors open or closed, "DOOR" and they turn on and off with the doors, and "ON," they are on whether or not the doors are opened or closed. I just can't recreate it.

Any suggestions?

[JWA]

Originally Posted by FarmerFrederico

Another late post to the party. I'm putting some aftermarket LED dome lights with a 3-position switch in as I redid some trim and found it difficult to reuse the factory dome/cargo lights. I've got a 2010. I just can't recreate it.

Any suggestions?

That chassis has a "smart junction box" which seems to control interior lighting operation. From experience bypassing that feature completely would be necessary to assign command of that lighting.

Not impossible but would require DIY wiring----a schematic from 2002 or so without factory RKE would be helpful. AutoZone might have one of those free to view and download, I can't say for certain if that would be available form them though.

[Black95]

Chevrolet solved that problem in my 2001 Express van from the factory with a dome override switch.

Page from my 2001 Chevrolet Express van owners manual.

[FarmerFrederico]

Thanks for the input JWA - the thing that confuses me though is that the factory light just has a mechanical switch. The three wires that come from the factory harness are essentially, Ground (Black), Power (Yellow-Green), and Door (Gray-Violet). The mechanical switch is on Ground alone when "off" - combines Power and Ground when "on", and combines Power and Door when on "Door." The aftermarket light has a computer board based switch that must not be able to mimic that - unless someone else has an idea.

I think I'll choose the option where they just come on an off with the doors when in "Door" mode, or I can turn them off for the evening by switching to "off." I'll have to wire up separate lights to the house side of the system that I can just turn on and off at will whenever one pleases. I think this will end up working out though as I can choose more task specific lights for the house side - like a reading light for a passenger that doesn't distract the driver, and ambient lighting for when the doors are open at a camp site, or lights for when your stuck inside during a storm, and my favorite idea because I'm a telescope enthusiast...red lights to maintain night vision.

Cheers!

[Shaggy]

Quick question- I have a 2014 passenger EB with several dome lights, will adding the on/off switch at the first location (between front seats) take care of the rest? What I would like is a switch located at both the side and back doors. I do agree with black95, Chevrolet solved the problem nicely.