Awesome writeup! I also thought I was the only one with this issue, and wasn't sure if it was the dome, the door switches, maybe a missed connection when PO had body work done, etc. I also didn't know how to get the dome apart.

Harbor Freight sells some plastic pry tools that should work.

Question, why do you have to remove the slider switch to clean its contacts? Can't you do that with the switch in place?

 

i didnt remove mine, just pryed it open far enough to get to the contacts, took some pliers to remove the little contacts... just depends what tools you have available i guess.

 

[quote name='Car Analogy' timestamp='1360014185'
Question, why do you have to remove the slider switch to clean its contacts? Can't you do that with the switch in place?
[/quote]

You don't have to remove the switch slider, springs, or balls if you are careful. Remove the lamp assembly. Pull the two screws holding down the switch cover and fold it back. This exposes all the contacts for cleaning.

Utah

 

Did this fix. Light works when doors open now! I did not remove the switches. I just removed the assembly from car, then removed the white connector block thing, and was easily able to polish to a shine to both connection points on block as well as the switches using a scotch pad.

I then applied some WD40 to reduce future corrosion (WD stands for Water Displacement, its original purpose is to keep water out of electrical connections).

I did note that when removing the lens, you pry from the front (two intents, one on each side, are there to use), while the assembly itself, you pry from rear.

 

Did anyone have trouble with the screws that attach the assembly to the top of the car? They seem really tight and I'm not able to get them out.

 

^^^ mine where pretty tight, but i got them off at the end without damage.

 

Ugh, I stripped both screws. I guess this DIY is dead for me.

Edit: I realized the screws can be removed by an 8mm socket easily. Wiped the corrosion from the contacts (found an old spider's nest!) and reassembled. Disaster averted. The bit about using an 8mm socket should be added to the DIY since a screwdriver isn't even necessary.

 

Yes, VERY tight. I was using one of those 'universal' screwdrivers, the kind with a pair of insertable bits, a large philips and straight bit, and a smaller philips and straight bit. I could not get the philips to remove the screw. The bits, if you remove them, turns this screw driver into a nut driver (the bits are hex shaped, so they have same shape as a nut), and removing the larger bit is the right size nut driver for these screws.

I was then able to easily (using a lot of grib on the handle) get these screws off.

So the tools you need are a soft mini pry bar (or careful use of flat blade screwdriver), a philips to remove the white plastic distribution block, and either a nut driver or 8mm socket to remove the unreasonably tight screws. Plus whatever you are gonna clean the contacts with.

If you use one of those universal screwdrivers, you have tool you need (but I'd still use a plastic mini pry if you can).

 

I performed the fix in post #8 of this thread, and it worked perfectly. Bump for other new owners!

 

Mine were super tight as well so I removed using a socket. I didn't bother buffing the contacts, just hit them up with a q tip a e vinegar. Has worked perfect so far!! Thanks S2KI