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Cabin light stuck on

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by TechGuy, May 26, 2009.

  1. TechGuy

    TechGuy New Member

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    I seem to have a unique problem with my 2005 Prius - the overhead cabin light (front only) is stuck on. It's brighter when the car's on, but even with the switch in the "Off" position, the two lights on the left and right side will not turn off. The middle appears to function normally (on when doors open in door mode, off otherwise).

    So two questions - #1 - how do I open the light to remove the bulbs (thereby avoiding my battery going dead!)
    #2 -Any idea what could be wrong? I did the EV and map-enable mod when I first got it... is it possible one of those wires have come loose and hit something else?
     
    #1 TechGuy, May 26, 2009
  2. TechGuy

    TechGuy New Member

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    I found that I can pop off the clear cover using a dime -a tab on each side held it in. That let me get to the light bulbs... the only problem there is that the light bulbs seem to come out from the top rather than the bottom. So I could give the light bulb a quarter turn and push it up a little to get it away from the power source, but I have yet to figure out how to truly get the bulb out. I also found two screws holding things together in the glasses storage compartment, but I have a feeling it'll be a combination of those screws along with some tabs that feel like I'll break something if I pull on them. It'd be nice to know where they were before I break something. ;)
     
    #2 TechGuy, May 26, 2009
  3. TechGuy

    TechGuy New Member

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    #3 TechGuy, May 26, 2009
  4. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    It seems highly likely that whatever work you did four years ago came undone in some way. Unless it's a whole more difficult to access that area you might save time by starting there.
     
    #4 richard schumacher, May 26, 2009
  5. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    The Body ECU controls the interior courtesy lights. Here is part 1 of the diagram

    [​IMG]

    I would start by taking out the map-enable mod, see if that works. If not, the EV mod.
     
    #5 jayman, May 26, 2009
  6. dkit

    dkit Junior Member

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    are you talking about the lights immediately right and left of the middle light? try pushing each one of them and see what happens
     
    #6 dkit, Jun 22, 2009
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Ummm... are you sure it's not the maplights that are on? Press the buttons on either side of the slider (For the dome light) and see if they turn off. The maplights are on the left and right side of the front dome light.


    For future reference, if you want to remove the bulbs, just pull them out. They're 168/194 base bulbs.
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, Jun 22, 2009
    Jesabel likes this.
  8. kmeier

    kmeier Junior Member

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    Hello TechGuy, I have the same problem with my new-to-me 2004 Prius. The left side of the front overhead cabin light is stuck on. What worked for you? I will try opening up the light cover with dimes as you suggest.

     
    #8 kmeier, Nov 12, 2010
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    You sure you didn't just leave the driver's side maplight on?
     
    #9 Tideland Prius, Nov 13, 2010
  10. kmeier

    kmeier Junior Member

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    Yes, the map light was stuck on. And yes, I feel silly.... I've never had a map light before! Still lovin my Prius....



     
    #10 kmeier, Mar 28, 2011
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