Dome light not coming when driver door is opened

The interior lights have stopped coming on when only the driver door is opened. I’ve replaced the jamb switch and tested the new one, tested and swapped the relay but still nothing. It has auto head lamps and they are not always turning off automatically and I believe that both issues are related. Anybody else had this issue or know what else I can do?

 

Have you tried toggling the switch ?

 

are you referring to the jamb switch? It is new, I bench tested it before installing to make sure. I guess I need figure out where the wire for the jamb switch runs to

 

not sure If the jam switch is the same as the upper dome light switch. Some light switch has two positions I believe. The 2nd two seats door light has 3 postions.

 

Yes I’ve moved those switches around

 

What model? Year?

Which interior light is not coming on? The one behind your head? The ones above your head? Both?

 

Sorry I thought I included that, it’s. ‘14 Limited. no interior lights come on when the driver door is open. The instrument panel doesn’t show it recognized as open either.

 

Yeah that's weird. The instrument panel should show a door open.

 

Well I know it has to be a ground issue somewhere cause ground is what triggers the lights(figures that out last night). I can direct ground to the lights and they all work. I just have no idea where to check. This is our first Toyota so this is a learning experience for me

 

when I unplug the switch, I can direct ground the plug and still nothing

 

We it has the smart key push button start stuff so I don’t know if it will.

 

I have the same issue and i have even checked the switch and is grounded.

I also forgot to ask if you have courtesy lights in your doors?

 

have you checked the dome fuse and relay ? When I pull mine out, the interior lights don’t come on when I open the door.

 

Does the drivers door have its own relay? All the other doors when open have the interior lights come one.

 

I have a similar issue on my 2015 trail edition. All but the driver side door when opened will turn on the interior lights. At first I thought it was the driver side door switch, so I took the passenger side switch and put it on the driver side made no difference. The driver side switch works perfectly on passenger side. So that ruled out a switch issue on drivers side. Not sure what else to check. Were you able to fix yours?

 

I’m having the exact same issue. Did you ever find the problem?

 

Did it *ever* work since you had it? Has anyone ever done any electrical mods on it?

 

I've only owned it for about 4 months but it hasn't worked since i bought it. The light turn on for all the other doors but not the driver door. I did replace the jamb switch but no luck.
No major electrical work has been done other than new speakers, amp, radio and backup camera. Nothing else from what I can tell with previous owners but you never know with a 9 year old vehicle lol.

 

The door jamb switch is a normally closed switch so when the door is open the switch closes and connects the single red wire to ground. That red wire is very thin, easy to break. A broken (open) wire would look like “door closed” to the Main Body ECU. If the audio installer pulled up door jamb trim pieces or the B pillar cover to run wires it could have happened there. That’s where I’d check after testing the switch itself.

Another idea: the screw holding the jamb switch in provides the ground connection to the switch. Maybe water leaked in there and it’s corroded.

 

My 2013 trail driver door has same problem. When driver door open, ajar light, dome light, curtesy light stays off…
Any photo to indicate where the red wire is for check? Appreciated.

 

Reviving this thread. I have a 2018 TRD Off-Road and I am having the same issue. I have not modded the car at all. hope someone here finds the solution.

 

The most likely culprit is the door jamb switch or its red wire or the screw connection to ground.
Try repeatedly depressing the door jamb switch to see if the dash indicator lights.
Remove the screw holding the switch into the driver side door jamb (torx T30).
Touch a wire or paper clip from the metal plate on the back of the switch to a door striker plate screw to ground it. Connect/disconnect it to see if the dash indicator lights. If it does there’s a bad ground connection at the B Pilar mounting screw. If not maybe the switch is bad.
Twist a long wire around the red wire/connector plug so it doesn’t slip into the B pilar.
Depress the little detent to remove the connector from the switch.
Take a thin wire or paper clip and touch the pin of the connector to the ground of the striker plate.
Check the dash indicator to see if it lights for “door open” while you connect and disconnect the wire from the ground.
If connecting/disconnecting the red wire’s connector pin to ground toggles the dash light the switch is bad. Or there’s a bad of corroded ground connection at the mounting screw.
If the dash indicator doesn’t toggle on and off you have an open connection somewhere in that red wire, either where it’s crimped to the connector pin, in the wire bundle under the sill plate, or at the ECU.

 

I’m having the same issue with my 2012 Limited… both symptoms, dome lights do not come on when driver door is opened (other doors do trigger dome lights) and headlights stay on sometimes when switch left on Auto (it’s drained my battery several times)

Anyone solved this mystery?

 

The other odd thing I’ve noticed is that the 4Runner does know that the drivers door opens… if the security is active and I open the drivers door (from the inside) the alarm goes off.

I didn’t get to dig into the switch, or test the red wire to ground yet… I’m hoping to do it on the weekend

Did anyone try ElecrtoBoy’s nice troubleshooting advice with success?

 

^^^^^^^

THIS is the answer.
"Another idea: the screw holding the jamb switch in provides the ground connection to the switch."

I think a lot of people are doing what I had been doing, and testing the switch (and falling) before installing it with the screw.

When I read this, I tried that, and it *magically* worked