2006 Chevrolet 3/4 ton express van, door switch problem?

- C
- captainvideo462009
  
  Contact options for registered users
posted
6 years ago

Sat, Jul 1, 2017 11:52 AM

I have a 2006 Chevrolet 2500 3/4 ton express van. Instead of a simple switc h in the door frame, lately the mechanism that turns on the dome light and shuts off the radio when you open the door is failing intermittently. That is sometimes the light comes on and the radio goes off as soon as the door is opened, and at other times it takes a few seconds for the dome light to come on. Then at other times it just won't come on at all.

The matter of whether the light comes on or not in itself is not the issue. I can always turn it on manually if I need to. And I can always manually t urn the radio off. My alarm system however needs to see a voltage change at the dome light in order to activate.

The dealer says this switch is part of the door latch and can't be replaced , but judging by the exploded view of the door that the dealer sent me it t he harness appears to be plugged into the window crank unit.

From what I've read this front door/light issue seems to be a common proble m and it also always appears to be the drivers door that is affected. Why i s that? Can someone please explain to me whats going on with this? Is it re pairable? The dealer says you can't just buy the "switch". The entire windo w crank assembly and new latch is apparently part of this horror show for 6

00.00 as well. Of course I'm not prepared to go that route. Can you just re place or service a switch that is failing? I don't mind taking something ap art to attempt this if it's feasible.

Amazing that over the years they went from such a simple arrangement, (a door and a switch in the jamb) to provide a ground, to a nightmare like this. I did notice however that the side door seems to have a conventional mechanical switch that turns on the dome light. I haven't investigated this fully yet. I'm guessing that this arrangement does not involve a module bu t hopefully either just grounds the dome light or puts 12 Volts to one side of it.

In any event I think that if need be I can rig up an auxiliary switch at th e front door and tap into the side door wire to do this. It may not turn of f the radio when the door is opened but I'm going to replace that with a di fferent radio anyway. As long as I can get the dome light to work when I op en the drivers door my alarm system will work.

The other possibility is that my old van, a 2002 Chevrolet one ton will be going to the junk yard pretty soon. The dealer says that there is a differe nt part number for that door arrangement but he added that it looks like it could be the same part. Can anyone either confirm or deny this? I never ha d any trouble with the lights on that van, so if that arrangement would wor k in my 2006 I suppose that I could try to swap it.

I appreciate any advice or further insight on this problem. Thanks, Lenny

Loading thread data ...

- S
- Steve W.
  
  Contact options for registered users
Vote on answer
posted
6 years ago

Sat, Jul 1, 2017 1:59 PM

First - Why the drivers door - It gets the most use of any door on a vehicle so it sees the most wear.

The switch is NOT the actual problem, rust and dirt are. The switch in the latch is activated by the latch pawl. Over the years the rust and dirt build up and the spring that once snapped the pawl open and into the switch gets weak and the pawl doesn't open real real well.

The 2002 uses a different connector and latch assy, it won't interchange directly. BUT the internals of the latch itself may be the same.

You have a few options, One replace the module for $$$$ Two hit a salvage yard and see if you can find one with the EXACT module you need. Three - Remove the doors inner panel, remove the module, then strip the latch down and clean it out and lube it with dry graphite and silicone grease on the pawl.

I've done the third option many times, It really isn't that difficult to tear them apart, basically you remove a couple small screws and remove the metal plate that holds the pawl in the latch. There are a couple springs to deal with as you remove the plate. Then clean out the crud and rust. A thin coat of silicone grease on the inside of the plate and in the pivot pin and reassemble.

For a temporary fix you can take a can of electronics cleaner and flood the inside of the latch a few times wile moving the pawl with a screwdriver to get the crud to flush out, then spray some dry lube in there and work the latch to free it up.