Interior lights in a '63 4 door 6 window sedan, Model 6229

[Terry Lange]

I hate to start off this relationship by asking questions already, but the problem I am having is not specifically addressed in the shop manual, other than a wiring schematic, which I am not great at interpreting.  

I recently purchased this car with 34,000 documented miles.  It came from the Chuck Betts Cadillac collection that was auctioned off in IA back in 1998.  It had 23,000 miles on it at that time, and has had a handful of owners since then.  I purchased it from an 85 year old gent who has had it for the past ten years. 

The front interior lights do not operate either when the front doors are open, or the headlight light switch is rotated to the left.  The rear ones on the inside of the back pillars light up when the back doors are open, or the headlight switch is rotated.

I'm not even sure that there are interior entry lights in the front of this entry level Series 62.  There are red lenses near the bottom of each front door, and I assume there are bulbs behind them.  I would also expect that entry lights would come on under the dash near floor level.  There is a map light on the instrument cluster, but it has its own on/off switch.  There is a spring loaded button that each front door depresses when it is closed.  I popped one off yesterday and it had a single wire attached to the rear.

On a side note, I replaced the headlight switch yesterday with a NOS unit.  None of the instrument cluster lights were functioning.  I read either from your website or the Cadillac & LaSalle Club forums that this was a common problem in '63 and '64.  It did solve the instrument cluster lighting problem, which was my intent.  I had no misapprehension that it would magically fix the remaining issue.

I love your website.  Thanks for allowing me to join.  I'll be quiet, now.   

[3ft7bqmb7dryo]

Clean or replace the door jamb switches for the front doors.   Does the map light in the dash come on with the switch in the light assembly?

Do you have any plans for the old headlight switch?  I'd like to get it from you if it is just junk to you. 

I have repop door jamb switches if cleaning doesn't work.  Send me an emai please;  [e-mail] 

[Terry Lange]

Thanks for that info, Russ.  I cleaned the door jamb switch on the driver's side, (it looked like new), but haven't moved the car away from the wall yet to get to the passenger side door.  The map light does work with the on and off switch.

I think I will hold on to that old headlight switch.  For what they are selling for, I may attempt a rebuild on it some time down the road and keep it for a spare.

How do I test for power on the door jamb switches?

[3ft7bqmb7dryo]

The switch is just a completion for a ground. No power to the wires.

[Kurt]

You will see +12 at the wires if the bulbs and the rest of the circuit are good, but yes, the door jamb switch just grounds the circuit. If you see +12 at the wire, ground the wire and the bulbs on that circuit should light up. If no +12, you most likely have an open circuit (disconnected of broken wire, bad bulbs, etc)

[Terry Lange]

Russ, Kurt and Tony, thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions.  Both of the front door switches were different, so one has already been replaced.  The driver's door was all white plastic, while the passenger door had a metal base with a black push button.  Both of them showed 12 V. at the single wire. I sprayed them both with tuner cleaner and lubricant, and it solved the problem.  

What I did find out is that the only light source for the front seat in the series 62 appears to be the map light turning on when either front door is opened.  I could not find any other bulb(s) or socket(s) under the dash at any point.  I also pried one of the door panels off just enough to confirm that those red lenses do not have bulbs behind them. 

For the time being, it looks like everything is working as it was designed to.  If this turns out to be a recurring problem, I will take your advice, Tony, and upgrade the door jamb switches.  Are the new ones a plug and play with the same single wire, or does it involve some rewiring or splicing?  Any suggestions on a manufacturer or part number for the new design? 

Thanks again, guys!

[Terry Lange]

I haven't had a classic car in years where the clock worked.  I think I would rather keep it that way than have to worry about my battery going dead from lack of use.  A battery tender would solve that, as you stated, but repairing a non-working clock is not high on my priority list, and I really don't want to pull the dash pad off again..

I do have one more question, though.  After replacing my headlight switch, all of the instrument cluster lights work, but I noticed the headlamp switch bezel does not light up.  I don't recall seeing a socket or bulb in the back of it when I had things apart.  The shop manual does not show a rear view of that switch. Does anyone know if it should light up?  Thanks!

[Kurt]

2 things: 1st -The clock is very easy to remove. No dash pad removal required. Grab the clock bezel and rotate it left 90 degrees and the clock pulls straight out (disconnect bulb & power wire). I converted mine to a quartz movement which draws very little current and keeps excellent time.

2nd -  The headlight bezel DOES NOT light up (shame on Cadillac!). I added a tiny LED to mine and it turned out great. The dash looks symmetrical at night now that both dash nacelles light up (headlight switch & clock).  https://6364cadillac.ning.com/photo/headlight-switch-bezel-lit-up?c...!/photo/headlight-switch-bezel-lit-up?context=user

[Terry Lange]

Thank-you very much, Kurt.  That's great information on both counts.  

[Jason Edge]

It has always amused me how complicated people make disconnecting their batteries when not in use. I have the original spring ring terminal cables on my battery and when I will not be driving it for a while I simply twist and remove the battery cable. It takes about 1 second. It's elegant and simple. The newer side bolt terminal batteries don't allow this, and the expensive battery disconnects are unsightly (at least to me)_ and, ah, um Expensive! LOL.
My car has been sitting the past few weeks with many other projects and I simply keep it disconnected. When ready to drive, I simply push the cable terminal back down in the post and turn and press. Easy Peazy! Yeah, I have to reset the clock, but that's not too bad.

[Terry Lange]

Jason, that's the same type of terminal that I have on my battery. I have never seen something of that style before.  The only difference is that on mine, the "spring" on the positive side apparently got broken off somewhere down the line. I just pulled the cable off the post while I was changing my headlight switch, but since there is no longer any tension on the terminal, I am reluctant to use that method as a routine battery kill switch. Is that style of clamp even available these days? 

[Jason Edge]

Terry, The spring ring terminal was the original battery cable type. After almost 60 years they get beat up bad and usually get replaced with the side bolt type cables. For more details on the original batteries and cables check out these two Help Page topics:
Battery: Original Battery and Battery Cable Article in Sept 2013 Ne...
Battery: Example 1964 Battery and Battery Hold Down Hardware Pictures