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SteveK



Member Since: 21 Jan 2015
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 330

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 HT Rimini Red
Interior light Query
My 110 hard top had no rear interior light when I bought it and I installed a cheapo eBay LED dome light. I just had this as a manual on/off switch not connected to the door switch.

I recently upgraded the front to a MUD interior light and decided to fit one to the rear as well.

I connected an additional wire to the rear door switch and connected this to the blue with white trace on the MUD light.

Now I'm confused! When I open the rear door, both the rear and front lights come on. When I open a a front door, only the front light comes on!

Could anybody explain?
Post #781387 13th Jul 2019 8:40pm
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windy81



Member Since: 14 Mar 2018
Location: North Wales
Posts: 311

Wales 1992 Defender 90 200 Tdi HT Firenze Red
If it's LED it could be that it's only working when current it flowing the right way. Bit like a diode. Other that i cannot say.
Post #781437 14th Jul 2019 10:47am
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SteveK



Member Since: 21 Jan 2015
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 330

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 HT Rimini Red
The lights are LEDs, but it can't be a polarity issue as they both turn on & off manually and both go on & off when the rear door is opened and closed.
Post #781444 14th Jul 2019 12:29pm
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macfrank



Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 983

Germany 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
Usually both lights are connected to the alarm ECU, not directly to a door switch.
The door switches just tell the ECU to switch on the lights.

Front door opens: it seems the ECU has no connection to your rear light -> only front lights come.
Rear door opens: your wire bypasses the ECU but provides voltage to the rear light -> rear light on. Plus the rear door switch tells the ECU to switch on the lights -> front light again.

By "telling" I mean connecting to ground. Should be a pink and white wire coming from the ECU.
Post #781489 14th Jul 2019 8:13pm
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SteveK



Member Since: 21 Jan 2015
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 330

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 HT Rimini Red
Thanks, however the rear door switch wire would turn the front light on and off before the rear lamp was fitted and I have connected to the same wire and surely it goes through to the ecu as well?!
Post #781504 14th Jul 2019 9:08pm
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macfrank



Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 983

Germany 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
Smile maybe my grammar isn‘t good enough? :-/

Your reply is correct but that‘s not the problem. You have no wire coming FROM the ECU to the rear LIGHT.
It‘s a different connection, not the one from the SWITCH TO the ECU, to which you have connected the rear light.
Post #781528 15th Jul 2019 7:09am
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SteveK



Member Since: 21 Jan 2015
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 330

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 HT Rimini Red
Sorry Macfrank, I'm still confused!

The vehicle originally had just the one interior light and the light has only 3 connections i.e. positive negative and switched via the door/ecu.

The rear interior light is connected to the existing door switch wiring. Do the front door switches go via the ecu and the rear doesn't?
Post #781615 15th Jul 2019 7:23pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 19452

United Kingdom 
They are earth switched, both of them. Interior lights.
The earth switching is via the door switches and ECU on the live side when the ECU provides live I.e. when unlocked. (There is permanent live too, hence 3 connections.)

Make the Earth common between both fixtures, that should solve the issue you’ve had I would have thought.
If I remember the metal body of the fixture, is common earth. Try temporarily connecting them together. Diesels Lives Matter. ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️
And if You Love the Country, then we’re on the same side ~
I got’ love for Britain, I got’ British pride’. 🇬🇧
Post #781629 15th Jul 2019 9:07pm
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macfrank



Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 983

Germany 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
Confused I'll try again.

"I connected an additional wire to the rear door switch "
"The rear interior light is connected to the existing door switch wiring."

That is wrong. As I said: switches go to the ECU and lights go to the ECU but switches DO NOT go to the lights.

Maybe a picture makes it more clear?


Click image to enlarge

(door switches close when doors open)

green: correct connection
blue: what you have done

ok now?

Or maybe I misunderstood? Does you LH front door switch on the rear lamp or just the RH front door (which I assumed)
Post #781630 15th Jul 2019 9:09pm
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dorsetsmith



Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: South West
Posts: 4554

TD5 Interior light


Click image to enlarge




Click image to enlarge


Gray plug drivers side A puller under head liner
Post #781652 16th Jul 2019 7:20am
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SteveK



Member Since: 21 Jan 2015
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 330

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 HT Rimini Red
Thanks for the diagrams and thanks for your patience Macfrank! Makes sense now! Smile
Post #781741 16th Jul 2019 7:14pm
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