Hey guys,
Been noticing this for the day or two, so here it goes.

When I open the door, regardless of which door, sometimes the interior light would hesitate 2-3 sec before turning on, then after that it may fade in and out before staying on. This also happens after a drive and open the door to get out it would do the same.
I've checked the battery terminals and are secure and checked the fuses and also the interior light switch in the door opening. So now at a loss, just want some advice on what it might be so I can get it sorted before something gives out.



Cheers,
Greg

Hey guys,
Been noticing this for the day or two, so here it goes.

When I open the door, regardless of which door, sometimes the interior light would hesitate 2-3 sec before turning on, then after that it may fade in and out before staying on. This also happens after a drive and open the door to get out it would do the same.
I've checked the battery terminals and are secure and checked the fuses and also the interior light switch in the door opening. So now at a loss, just want some advice on what it might be so I can get it sorted before something gives out.



Cheers,
Greg

Hmm....but once its on it stays on?
Maybe the filament is going? Check the globe, flick it with your finger, see if anything moves inside.

Yeh i would try a new globe and also check the contacts

']Hmm....but once its on it stays on?
Maybe the filament is going? Check the globe, flick it with your finger, see if anything moves inside.
Happens with all interior lights, ie. footwell, rear passenger, etc

Happens with all interior lights, ie. footwell, rear passenger, etc

Ahh....
Dont you have some BEM which controls all of this?
If the BEM controls all of this I would say this might be the culprit, then again, Dunno anything about that stuff, So I'll leave this thread and return when you find out your problem :P

He already knows the problem . . . .

Some Mitsus have a "soft on/off" for the interior lights - come on gently and go off gently - eg 2004 and later Lancers. Donno bout ur car tho - check the owners handbook mabbe? If all lights are affected its the BEM - but only a Mitsu dealer (or someone with the same model) could look at it and tell you if it is normal behaviour.

As mentioned previously, if it is happening to all interior lights, check the following:

Check door switches first, remove all switches except one > Unscrew from the door frame and unclip from the connector.
If the problem stops then it is one of the switches.

If the problem continues, check the connections on the BEM (Black box under the ignition) > If the connections are OK, then get Mitsu to test the BEM.

It might be a dodgy connection/earth in the door switch - does this happen for all doors, or just drivers door??

If you find that the passenger door, or a rear door opened doesn't cause this behaviour - I'd susupect the spring or contacts in the drivers door light-switch. Think about it, the drivers door probably gets 10 times the action of the others - in my car at least.

I honestly don't know if the door switches in 3rd Gens are same as 1st Gens and 2nd Gens - assuming they are, there will be a small weird-shaped rubber "thing" at bottom of door sill/B-pillar - you can prise the rubber cover off from an edge, and there is one screw holding the metal plate of the switch against the body. Check that connection of switch to body is clean, not water-affected/rusted. Check that dry grease or carpet fluff isn't gumming-up the spring.

IIRC, the switch works by allowing the lamp-power to short against the body - when the doors open, the spring in the switch pushes the slide of the switch outwards and the wire contacts the metal plate which is screwed to chassis.

Good luck.

I honestly don't know if the door switches in 3rd Gens are same as 1st Gens and 2nd Gens - assuming they are, there will be a small weird-shaped rubber "thing" at bottom of door sill/B-pillar - you can prise the rubber cover off from an edge, and there is one screw holding the metal plate of the switch against the body. Check that connection of switch to body is clean, not water-affected/rusted. Check that dry grease or carpet fluff isn't gumming-up the spring.

IIRC, the switch works by allowing the lamp-power to short against the body - when the doors open, the spring in the switch pushes the slide of the switch outwards and the wire contacts the metal plate which is screwed to chassis.

Good luck.

The door switches in the TJ's are a 2 wire switch and don't use the body to earth, I am sure the TL+ would be the same...

Thanks for making that clear. General troubleshooting ideas may still apply. I'm glad to say I've not had trouble with door switches in my 3rd Gens, haven't even given them a second glance.

If its only the drivers door giving the strange behaviour, def look at the switch and get PDF manuals download if necessary.

If you look for parts from a wreck, I'd avoid a drivers door cos its likely to have done more "duty-cycles" than any other door on a given car. Door switch, even as new spare part should be about a squillion dollars cheaper than the BEM (body-electrics-module).

Hey guys,
Been noticing this for the day or two, so here it goes.

When I open the door, regardless of which door, sometimes the interior light would hesitate 2-3 sec before turning on, then after that it may fade in and out before staying on. This also happens after a drive and open the door to get out it would do the same.
I've checked the battery terminals and are secure and checked the fuses and also the interior light switch in the door opening. So now at a loss, just want some advice on what it might be so I can get it sorted before something gives out.



Cheers,
Greg

To the people asking which door it is, this should answer your question.

Cheers for all the replies, Once I get a few minutes to myself at some point I'll check the stuff that you guys pointed out and go from there.

He already knows the problem . . . .

Some Mitsus have a "soft on/off" for the interior lights - come on gently and go off gently - eg 2004 and later Lancers. Donno bout ur car tho - check the owners handbook mabbe? If all lights are affected its the BEM - but only a Mitsu dealer (or someone with the same model) could look at it and tell you if it is normal behaviour.

its a Verada - the interior lights fade on and off - delay till it starts to fade off (unless you lock the car the lights shut down or turn the key from acc to ign that will kill the interior lights too pretty much instantly)

i would be thinking its one of the (many) globes on its way out that might be causing it.
change all the light globes to known good ones and see if it makes a diference perhaps?

my rada will *sometimes* faaaaade out the interior lights, then they will flick bright again for half a second and turn off. Only happens if the doors have been open a while (so interior lights are on) and must heat the lights up a lil too much.

not much help i know sorry :(