1990 GMC Jimmy No Dome Lights
Question:
> Hornet alarms tap into the dome light wire, whether ground or positive to > trigger the alarm when the doors are opened. More than likely, they used a > quick tap, which cut the wire. Or, if they a cheap, made attempt to remove > the insulator to wrap the wire around the line, and cut the wire. You > should be looking for a white wire in the drivers side kick panel.
Makes sense. I will look more into this in the morning. Thank you very much for your contribution. ~TLGM
Response:
> KJ, > You need to eliminate a bad ground as the problem. Find the hot wire coming > from the dome light (should be orange or orange w/white stripe), slice a > little insulator off, and using an alligator clip-lead apply +12V to it. > Should light right up. If it does, you know they aren’t getting juice, then > you need to trace that hot wire all the way back to the junction block. > If it doesn’t light up, likely a bad ground or even a fried bulb socket > (highly unlikely). > Doc
Thanks for the help. I’ll be breaking out the test light/multimeter soon enough! I think now I have it licked. ~TLGM <famous last words>
Response:
Bobo, you da man. I thought I remembered reading about something like this – but didn’t know if it applied to my truck. The break was actually up ‘under’ the dash – where the floor angles up into the fire wall. But it was the orange wire! ~KJ~
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> pull up the left side step trim panel and repair the broken orange wire in > the harness…..kinda in the middle of the harness from the front of the > door to the rear…I have fixed these in the past and that’s where the > broken wire lays….. oops., side thought, does your truck have interior > lights under the dash??? that could change things….. > > 1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized > > Equipped with a Hornet security system. > > Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at > all. > . > > In this order, I checked for functionality… > > 1: Checked ALL fuses. > > 2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck > now > > 
] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. > > 3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked > > that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) > > 4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] > switch, > > even though the switch is easy enough to test. > > 5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and > white > > wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to > > ground however…. > > 6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, > unsuccessfully. > > 7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, > > gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a > wire > > spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a > quick-disconnect > > splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though > > I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome > light > > didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires > to > > see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of > course > it > > goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink > > wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become > > tiresome. > > My thoughts: > > 1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the > > previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. > > 2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to > > look. > > Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash > > back together…. > > ~KJ~ > KJ, > You need to eliminate a bad ground as the problem. Find the hot wire > coming > from the dome light (should be orange or orange w/white stripe), slice a > little insulator off, and using an alligator clip-lead apply +12V to it. > Should light right up. If it does, you know they aren’t getting juice, > then > you need to trace that hot wire all the way back to the junction block. > If it doesn’t light up, likely a bad ground or even a fried bulb socket > (highly unlikely). > Doc
Response:
pull up the left side step trim panel and repair the broken orange wire in the harness…..kinda in the middle of the harness from the front of the door to the rear…I have fixed these in the past and that’s where the broken wire lays….. oops., side thought, does your truck have interior lights under the dash??? that could change things…..
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> 1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized > Equipped with a Hornet security system. > Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at all. > . > In this order, I checked for functionality… > 1: Checked ALL fuses. > 2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck now > ] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. > 3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked > that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) > 4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] switch, > even though the switch is easy enough to test. > 5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and white > wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to > ground however…. > 6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, > unsuccessfully. > 7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, > gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a wire > spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a quick-disconnect > splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though > I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome > light > didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires to > see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of course > it > goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink > wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become > tiresome. > My thoughts: > 1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the > previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. > 2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to > look. > Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash > back together…. > ~KJ~ > KJ, > You need to eliminate a bad ground as the problem. Find the hot wire coming > from the dome light (should be orange or orange w/white stripe), slice a > little insulator off, and using an alligator clip-lead apply +12V to it. > Should light right up. If it does, you know they aren’t getting juice, then > you need to trace that hot wire all the way back to the junction block. > If it doesn’t light up, likely a bad ground or even a fried bulb socket > (highly unlikely). > Doc
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> 1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized > Equipped with a Hornet security system. > Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at all. . > In this order, I checked for functionality… > 1: Checked ALL fuses. > 2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck now > ] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. > 3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked > that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) > 4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] switch, > even though the switch is easy enough to test. > 5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and white > wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to > ground however…. > 6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, unsuccessfully. > 7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, > gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a wire > spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a quick-disconnect > splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though > I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome light > didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires to > see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of course it > goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink > wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become > tiresome. > My thoughts: > 1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the > previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. > 2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to > look. > Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash > back together…. > ~KJ~
KJ, You need to eliminate a bad ground as the problem. Find the hot wire coming from the dome light (should be orange or orange w/white stripe), slice a little insulator off, and using an alligator clip-lead apply +12V to it. Should light right up. If it does, you know they aren’t getting juice, then you need to trace that hot wire all the way back to the junction block. If it doesn’t light up, likely a bad ground or even a fried bulb socket (highly unlikely). Doc – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –
Response:
> Please don’t take this response as being smart alecky….but it seems > to me you have spent an awful lot of time and trouble on this problem. > Have you thought about a flashlight? > Cheers, > Autumn
Not an option. It’s worth my time to find it, I’d like my truck to be fully functional. ~TLGM – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized >Equipped with a Hornet security system. >Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at all. . >In this order, I checked for functionality… >1: Checked ALL fuses. >2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck now >:-) ] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. >3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked >that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) >4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] switch, >even though the switch is easy enough to test. >5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and white >wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to >ground however…. >6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, unsuccessfully. >7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, >gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a wire >spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a quick-disconnect >splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though >I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome light >didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires to >see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of course it >goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink >wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become >tiresome. >My thoughts: >1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the >previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. >2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to >look. >Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash >back together…. >~KJ~
Response:
1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized Equipped with a Hornet security system. Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at all. . In this order, I checked for functionality… 1: Checked ALL fuses. 2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck now ] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. 3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) 4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] switch, even though the switch is easy enough to test. 5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and white wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to ground however…. 6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, unsuccessfully. 7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a wire spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a quick-disconnect splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome light didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires to see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of course it goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become tiresome. My thoughts: 1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. 2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to look. Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash back together…. ~KJ~
Response:
Please don’t take this response as being smart alecky….but it seems to me you have spent an awful lot of time and trouble on this problem. Have you thought about a flashlight? Cheers, Autumn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized >Equipped with a Hornet security system. >Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at all. . >In this order, I checked for functionality… >1: Checked ALL fuses. >2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck now >:-) ] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. >3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked >that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) >4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] switch, >even though the switch is easy enough to test. >5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and white >wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to >ground however…. >6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, unsuccessfully. >7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, >gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a wire >spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a quick-disconnect >splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though >I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome light >didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires to >see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of course it >goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink >wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become >tiresome. >My thoughts: >1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the >previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. >2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to >look. >Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash >back together…. >~KJ~
Response:
Hornet alarms tap into the dome light wire, whether ground or positive to trigger the alarm when the doors are opened. More than likely, they used a quick tap, which cut the wire. Or, if they a cheap, made attempt to remove the insulator to wrap the wire around the line, and cut the wire. You should be looking for a white wire in the drivers side kick panel.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Please don’t take this response as being smart alecky….but it seems > to me you have spent an awful lot of time and trouble on this problem. > Have you thought about a flashlight? > Cheers, > Autumn >1990 GMC Jimmy Full Sized >Equipped with a Hornet security system. >Dome lights do not work. Not at the switch, not at the doors, not at all. . >In this order, I checked for functionality… >1: Checked ALL fuses. >2: Replaced both the bulbs with known working [have my own parts truck now >:-) ] to eliminate dead shorts in the bulbs. >3: Checked the sockets for juice, none found. I have however not checked >that one of the leads goes to ground….(or that both do, read on) >4: Replaced the switch with a known working [hehe... parts truck] switch, >even though the switch is easy enough to test. >5: Checked the two contacts that are for the dome lights (black and white >wires) and got no current between the two of them. Both appear to go to >ground however…. >6: Tried to follow the wires with the dash partially apart, unsuccessfully. >7: Pulled the dash completely apart (nothing there any more, no cluster, >gear indicator….) to make it easier to follow the wire. There is a wire >spliced into the BLACK wire (very professionally, with a quick-disconnect >splicer thingy). I thought maybe this was a mistaken ground (even though >I’ve had no battery drain problems) and disconnected it, and the dome light >didn’t work still. I didn’t however individually check these two wires to >see if they would go to ground. I tried to follow the wire, but of course it >goes into shrink wrap, and then into a larger cluster or wires shrink >wrapped. I could probably follow it, but it’s late and already become >tiresome. >My thoughts: >1: The people who installed the alarm system messed this up, and the >previous owner was never able to get it fixed by them. >2: Some wire is chafed that I don’t know about, and don’t know where to >look. >Anyone have any thoughts as to where I can look? I’d like to get my dash >back together…. >~KJ~
