[wiring question] spot light in 98 Legacy

[Florian Feuser /FFF/]

The overhead map light [aka: spot light] went out in my 98 GT wagon.

The bulb seems okay and there is no current betw/ the contacts in either
position of the switch.

I cannot find a fuse that protects that circuit, I am assuming the bulb
IS the fuse.

Before I start pulling out wires: does anyone here remember having and/
or solving that issue?

TIA

florian

 

[johninKY]

Sounds like the grounding wire needs looked at. Current will not flow
through the bulb contacts if the ground is poor. But one side of the
fixture should be hot. Don't check for current flow between the contacts.
Check each contact individually. If one side shows current flow than the
other side/contact needs a ground. Sort of difficult to explain. good
luck.

 

[DaveG]

Sounds like the grounding wire needs looked at. Current will not flow
through the bulb contacts if the ground is poor. But one side of the
fixture should be hot. Don't check for current flow between the contacts.
Check each contact individually. If one side shows current flow than the
other side/contact needs a ground. Sort of difficult to explain. good
luck.

It would be better to check for voltage on the bulb rather than current.
If both sides of the bulb show 12v wrt ground (or one side is 12v and
the other side is something just under 12v), then there is probably a
broken or poor ground connection to one side of the bulb. If one side
shows 12v and the other side shows 0v (and the bulb isn't glowing) then
the bulb is probably blown.

Dave

 

[Florian Feuser /FFF/]

It would be better to check for voltage on the bulb rather than
current. If both sides of the bulb show 12v wrt ground (or one side
is 12v and the other side is something just under 12v), then there is
probably a broken or poor ground connection to one side of the bulb.
If one side shows 12v and the other side shows 0v (and the bulb isn't
glowing) then the bulb is probably blown.

Dave

Thank you both - will try all you've suggested.

florian

 

[DaveG]

Thank you both - will try all you've suggested.

florian

No problem, I should have added that if there is 0v on both sides of the
bulb (with the switch on ...), then there's a blown fuse or disconnected
wire between the lamp and the battery.

Dave

 

[Brett Williams]

No problem, I should have added that if there is 0v on both sides of the
bulb (with the switch on ...), then there's a blown fuse or disconnected
wire between the lamp and the battery.

Dave

Or a bad switch.