64 passenger side courtesy light not working

[Tim]

My 64 Sedan Deville passenger side door courtesy light suddenly stopped working. It worked fine then just quit. It's not the bulb or the switch as far as I can tell. What gives? What haven't I checked yet thats causing this issue?

[Jason Edge]

The courtesy light switches are bad for going bad. All they do is take the circuits to ground and are easy to test. Just pop switch out, and unplug each of the 3 wires (2 or 3 wires) and touch each to the rim of metal. Each light circuit (e.g. dash, door courtesy) lights should come on. If they don't the switch is bad. Sometimes you can take them apart and clean and slightly bend the contacts to get then working. 

[Tim]

Jason I tested that and one side worked (dash courtesy lights) but the other terminal (just have two) had no spark or didn't do anything.

[Dennis P. DiBari]

Hi Tim,

     Like you, I had a problem with the courtesy lights for the driver's door.  Those switches were originally grounded to the metal frame (they loosen over time).  I decided to replace the switches and got a pair from Caddy Daddy.  The new switches, however, must be grounded.  I ran a ground wire under the kick panel with push pin into the new switch.  The original hot wire gets push pinned into the other side of the new switch.  It works great.

Dennis DiBari, Cottekill, NY

[CHRIS CARLSON]

I don't know if the Sedan Deville drivers front door is the same as my Fleetwood but the ground wire screw for the lamp socket in the door panel grounds throught the steel door and threads  into a plastic retainer that secures the wire harness to the inside of the  door  and also provides a ground for the lamp, that plastic part was cracked and didn't hold the screw tight to the door and lost its ground.I installed a machine screw with a nut & washer on the back side to tighten the ground wire to the door and to retain the wire harness to the inside of the  door, once the ground wire & screw were tight to the steel door the path to ground was complete and  the light has worked  consistently.

[Tim]

Is it as simple as the switch? Any sources for the original two connector type?

[Dennis P. DiBari]

Hi Tim,

     I replied to your message 11 hours ago on the site.  Take a look and see if what I wrote helps you out.  I think it will.  Write me if any questions arise.

Dennis DiBari, Cottekill, NY

[Tim]

I'd prefer to source an original or NOS if possible.  I'm not sure the rubber boot will fit on those.  Worse comes to worse I'll grab them.  Thank you for the suggestion but I'm a stickler for OEM or original :)

[Dennis P. DiBari]

You are welcome, Tim.  You are correct, the rubber boot will not fit on the replacements. If you can't find them, this is a good alternative.

Dennis