Driver Door and Courtesy Switch

Trying to access the switch that activates the driver door and under dash courtesy light. I understand the switch is part of the door lock mechanism in the driver door. One of the searches I found said there was a visible piece of metal (I assume small prong - paperclip like) that is responsible for the contact and that it could be accessed with a small screw driver without removing the mechanism. Well, I may be oud but hopefully not blind - I cannot find it.

Appreciate any help from someone who has been through this before.

Thanks,

Drew

Look at page 23-198 in your shop manual.
It shows where the switch is and how to check it.

As discussed, service manual picture showing access to the switch actuator. If the switch actuator is stuck in the up position, that could explain why you can't see the actuator. Try spraying some WD 40 or a similar penetrating lubricant up into the switch mechanism to see if that helps unstick the actuator. If the switch is truly non operational, I think you have to replace the complete latch mechanism. The switch is a micro switch so if you can remove it you might be able to source a new one from someplace like Digikey; but, not form Honda.

I get it now. The locking cam is also the switch. Thank you very much. Stay warm. Drew

DrewA said:

I get it now. The locking cam is also the switch. Thank you very much. Stay warm. Drew

Click to expand...

If by cam you mean the part of the latch mechanism that engages the door strike - no. The switch actuating arm/nub/thingy/whatever is separate from the cam that engages with the strike and is visible just inside the latch. My fuzzy recollection (because I can't go out and look at the car) was that the actuator was to the side of the locking cam.


If your courtesy light / door ajar light does not come on, then the switch is stuck in the open position. Maybe something like dried grease got in there jamming the mechanism and is holding the actuator in the up position so you can't see it. Hence my suggestion to try some WD 40 which is more solvent than lubricant.

If the courtesy light stays on all the time, then chances are that the switch or wiring is damaged. If the actuating arm is broken off or worn off from repeated use, then the switch should stay in the closed position all the time and the light will stay on all the time. A missing actuator would also explain why you can't get eyes on it.

Ok - the nubby thing to the side of the cam is seperate. That is what I cannot see.

I cannot remember if the courtesy door light was on or off when I looked previously. But with the light on andswitch in the closed position I should be able to see the nubby thing.

Sounds like I better get rid of the 1.25 glasses and go for the 1.5's.

Thanks fo all your help.

Drew

cracking open these switches and sanding down the contacts is a real pain, 2hrs per door for the novice. Gets rid of those phantom alarms though. I'm sure it'll solve the courtesy light problem as well.

Just wanted to report back. After dousing it with WD-40 and blowing compressed air through a couple of cycles its working fine - at least for now.

Thanks for all your somments. Drew

A spray of penetrating oil is always better than having to pull your door apart :smile:.

If you have blown it clean, I suggest spraying a little silicon lube up into the switch actuating mechanism. The WD-40 does not have a lot of lubricating properties. The silicon helps to keep things moving and it wont dry out and harden like a lot of greases will.

Old Guy said:

A spray of penetrating oil is always better than having to pull your door apart :smile:.

If you have blown it clean, I suggest spraying a little silicon lube up into the switch actuating mechanism. The WD-40 does not have a lot of lubricating properties. The silicon helps to keep things moving and it wont dry out and harden like a lot of greases will.

Click to expand...

Ok Old Guy, reviving an old thread. My driver side door ajar light dims significantly when I close the door (but does not go out completely) and the dome light works as advertised. I will try a couple of cycles of penetrating oil/WD-40...any other suggestions?
THANKS

Lubricated with penetrating oil and cycled door lock (including opening and shutting door) about a half dozen times over a 30 minute period...issue resolved, door ajar light is out!

Follow up with some silicone lube. WD40 and their like may be safe for plastic; but, they are not kind to plastic or rubber. The WD40 does have the advantage that they are pretty heavy on the solvent so if its dried grease that was buggering things up with the switch you probably washed that out with the WD40. The only problem with most silicone lubes is that they are super thin bodied so don't stay in place long on hard surfaces which requires regular re application. Wurth has a silicone spray grease that I have been interested in trying; but, they don't sell retail so I haven't been able to get my hands on any to try it out.

Old Guy said:

Wurth has a silicone spray grease that I have been interested in trying;

Click to expand...

Small world, when I was working my Factory (air handlers/fans) was in the same town (Kuenzelsau) as Wurth...they have good stuff!

This happens every few years to me and this time I shot CRC Marine (boat) QD cleaner up there and fixed immediately and 100%. I could press the micro-switch with a small screw driver and the courtesy lights would go out but door ajar would flicker and stay on...now as advertised!

Interesting. There is
CRC Marine QD electronic cleaner,
CRC QD electronic cleaner , and
CRC QD contact cleaner

Same product - different names? According to the spec sheet it is a petroleum distillate base and it is residue free. No residue so it is a cleaner; but, has no lubricating properties. If this appears to be a case of dirty / dodgy contacts rather than stuff gummed up with dried grease I might be more inclined to try Caig DeOxit rather than the CRC

DeOxit is not a lubricant; but, whatever magic they put in the product does seem to provide a semi durable contact enhancing function. I have used the little drip bottle version of the product on guitar amps, stereo amps, NSX volume controls and miscellaneous switches. The guitar amp volume control has operated for 5 years without problems since application. It is significantly more expensive than other contact cleaners and their marketing literature reads like something written by a snake oil salesman; but, the product comes closer to meeting its promises than any other contact cleaner stuff that I have tried. If you can access the actual switch contacts with the plastic straw this might provide a longer lived fix to your dodgy switch problem.

If this is just a case of a sticky switch mechanism, then clean with the CRC and then consider applying some silicone spray as a lubricant for the switch mechanism.