I am a new poster and appreciate the help I know I am going to get. Thanks.
I have a "87 323LX. I have interior lights that don't go off right away and then they fade out. Trouble is, now they don't come on at all. Not with any door open, so it is not the door switches. My Chilton doesn't show the appropriate wiring diagram. All fuses check good. Is there a fuseable link? Where? Could it be the device that fades the lights, where is it?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

I have had two 87 323's in the past, both with dome lamp problems. I even have this problem on my 95 Protege! Anyways, both 323s were both 4 doors and ALL 4 door switches were not working. What I did was remove all 4 switches and clean the contacts with a scotch brite pad. It was pissing me off because my alarm would not set all the time because this problem. Have you removed one of the switches and touch the lead from the switch to ground? When it is grounded, the lights will come on if this is the problem. I also had the same corrosion problem with the lamp holder on the roof. I had to remove it and clean the bulb contacts the same way.

 

Checking the door switch very good place to start. Also double check the 10A ROOM fuse as it is the power thru source. If it was blown though your rear luggage light, clock, and probably radio would not work either. No fusible links in the system. The entry illumination timer is up under the dash above drivers footwell. Should see a series of three relay boxes in a vertical row on right side of relay panel. The center one is the entry illumination timer. The one above it is the flasher unit for turn/hazards and should be clicking when turn signals flashing (mention that only to help locate the correct timer). If cleaning the door switches, etc does not help then give a post back and will list the wires to the timer and what kind of voltage to expect at each. Is only a 6 wire connector.

 

Thanks for the useful info. Door switches OK. Fuse Good. Found the timer. I suppose it is bad. If you get me the wiring info, I'll check that before I try to get a timer. I checked several auto stores and nobody stocks the timer.

 

Black wire is ground wire. Ground point is on body just below and behind right headlight in engine compartment

Blue w/ red stripe is constant 12 volts from 10A room fuse.

Green w/ white stripe is ground side of bulbs for ignition key cylinder and door lock cylinder. 12V all the time. Lights on when grounded.

Red w/ blue stripe is ground side of bulbs for both door courtesy lights and dome lights. 12 V all the time. Lights on when grounded

Red w/ yellow stripe is connected to all four door switches. Should have continuity to ground with any door open.

Green wire is connected to the drivers door handle switch. Should have continuity to ground with handle pulled

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I have a wiring problem. After checking everything on the timer socket and finding it good, I soldered a wire to the door switch terminal. The lights came on every time it was grounded. I checked from this terminal to a switch wire and it was intermittant or open. (The lights do work intermitantly.) So I have a bad connection between the door switches and the back of the timer. I don't know if it is worth checking any farther. It is a pain to get to the wiring under the dash. Maybe I'll just run a jumper from a door switch to the wire I soldered on. Thanks for the help. I couldn't have gotten this far without it.

 

A wiring problem without a doubt. There are only two connectors between the door switches and timer. Here are hopefully some better diagrams of the system and the locations of both joint connectors. Both look to be in pretty much the same location as the timer.

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Hi,
I have a bad connection somewhere behind the dash connector in the drivers side wiring harness. I tried finding the point where the switches join but would of had to take a lot of stuff apart to get at the wiring. Including cutting the harness apart. I decided to jumper between the exposed dash wire to the exposed drivers door switch wire. At least I would have lites for the driver. I got lucky and all doors work. Happy ending.

This is the way I think the internet should work. As a useful tool. Alas, It doesn't always end up that way.

Thanks for all your help, babyhuey.