C-3 1970 coupe door switch

[Jack bogosian]

The interior lights are stayig on all the time..which is the switch that I need to replace..There seams to be 2 on each door..

[Tony H.]

Re: C-3 1970 coupe door switch

One switch that does that is the headlight switch. Are you sure that it is not on? Turn the headlight knob and make sure that it is not forcing the interior lighting to stay on. Otherwise, I think the interior lights are also controlled by the forward switches near the hinges of each door. The others on the rearward part of the door are the alarm switches.

[Jack bogosian]

Re: C-3 1970 coupe door switch

The headlite switch is off have you ever replaced the switch in the door jam it seems like the the wires are soldered on there is no pull off plug ? Should I cut the wire and resolder the new switch

[KEN BUTCHER]

Re: C-3 1970 coupe door switch

Howdy,
It could be that the front door switch is not making complete contact with the door. Depress the door switch and see if the interior lights go out, if so, then I would purchase those little stick on (plastic or felt) circulor furniture stops. And place one on the door side so it lines up with the switch. I hope you know what I mean. That was the problem with mine, and the little plastic stop worked perfect. If the door switch doesn't stop the lights from staying on then you can take the switch out and it probibly only needs to be cleaned,and oiled, because these switches just don't stop working.It could be a little dirt or rust which would cause that problem and it only needs to be cleaned.
Ken.

[Bernard S.]

Re: C-3 1970 coupe door switch

Jack: The switches located in the front door jam are the ones. ( as already mention). These switches just short to ground to turn on the lights. Therefore the problem might not be the switch. Check to make sure that the wires are not shorting out to the frame

[Jack H.]

Also...

the front switches were 'self adjusting'. The plunger arm makes an interference fit against the hollow hex stud that screws into the bird cage upright in the door jamb. The switches were delivered to the factory with the plunger arms ALL THE WAY forward (longest protrusion) then trigger wires were connected and the switch assy was screwed into the bird cage.

The first time the doors were slammed shut, the pluger shafts were forced back, into the hex stud and the switches 'learned' the specific geometry of that particular door. Now, original switches had 'SX' head marks on them and they're hard to come by. It wouldn't be the first time a given Shark had 'lost' its factory original SX switches due to wear/breakage/replacement and a prior owner 'sourced' some originals from another Corvette WITHOUT forcing the plungers back through the hex studs to the switch's original 'learning' position and wound up with a marginal installation.

Also, if a prior owner has been 'tinkering' with the switches, it's possible one of the contact leads has fatigue fractured off the switch and it's 'floating' in the birdcage recess making random contact to ground & keeping your interior lights ON despite correct operation of the switch itself...

Bottom line, ya gotta pull each switch and visually inspect. If memory serves, on your car the RH (passenger) switch will only have one lead wire connected to it while the LH (drivers) switch will have two wires connected....