Fairtax4me Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 (edited) Ahh better pictures! Your mystery part is.... A diode. That one in particular it looks like is used to control power for the dome lamp and the "Door open" warning lamp in the instrument cluster. I would think that it just decided now was its time to go. This occasionally happens with semi-conductor electronic parts. But the wiring for that should be checked for a possible short to ground. Also have the charging system checked to make sure the alternator is not producing too high charge voltage. High voltage in the electrical system will cause electrical parts to burn out. Edited December 20, 2014 by Fairtax4me 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 i13 connector in the instrument wiring harness. The connector diagram calls this a seat belt diode, but the wire diagram shows no connection between this and the seatbelt warning circuit, so I'm not sure why they have it labeled that way. The wire diagram here shows the circuit this diode is part of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 Woo Hoo! Finally its not a mystery : ) So, this would make sense as my "Door Open" signal had been coming on and off randomly and would stay lit at times after I checked all the doors including the hatch back. Sometimes slamming the hatch back would make it go out but not always. I would just turn off the dome light completely so it wouldn't stay lit when I parked or drove. *on a side note, my done light will not come on at all when I open the hatchback only but that has not worked for years. Maybe now we know why… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 I really appreciate the diagrams too Fairtax4me, I think my mechanic will too. (Pretty sure he needs all the help he can get…) I'll have him check everything you mentioned. Really trying to keep this baby till 300,000 miles, Love her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 Then the source of that problem may be a damaged wire at or near the switch for the hatch, or it could be the switch itself. According to the diagram the diode is only in-line to the front left (drivers) door switch. So the issue with the diode would likely be between the diode and the drivers door switch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 20, 2014 Author Share Posted December 20, 2014 Very good, I'll pass along all this to my mechanic, especially the diagrams. Thank you so much! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 Then the source of that problem may be a damaged wire at or near the switch for the hatch, or it could be the switch itself. According to the diagram the diode is only in-line to the front left (drivers) door switch. So the issue with the diode would likely be between the diode and the drivers door switch. I would agree about likely an issue with drivers door. It's important to remember that the cathode side is only tied to the LW (blue/white stripe) wire for the drivers side door. But the Anode side is connected to the enitre rest of the circuit. I feel like this is likely just a chance failure though......as a diode is not a fuse....it doesn't care about polarity on either side of a circuit. And a short on the circuit would blow the fuse on the LOr wire (Blue/Orange stripe) wire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 Is this diode a basic part? or do I need to hunt one down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 Can I just tape up those two wire/plugs and not have a door ajar warning lamp? Would that be a bad idea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) I don't really see a need for having the diode there. Perhaps it's to prevent stray currents from back feeding through the door switch wiring, hard to say based on just looking at the wire diagram. The door ajar light will still work without it, just hook the two wires together and tape them up. Edited December 21, 2014 by Fairtax4me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 22, 2014 Author Share Posted December 22, 2014 I'm going to Pull N Save tomorrow morning, need a turn signal arm (sure have found some cool youtube videos for fixing my cars different issues…) And will look to see if there is a diode or even that wiring harness, just incase. Worth a shot. I am apprehensive to not fix it but then again, its not a necessary part of operating the car. I think I'll try the taping the wires together and see how that goes. I'll update this soon, let everyone know how it goes. I'm going to change the turn signal arm myself, that looks pretty straight forward, just unplugging the battery for safety. Don't need an airbag in the face for Christmas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Don't connect them......just leave them as they are and tape up each indivudually. If there is a problem.....it's isolated with the circuit open......if everything els works.....leave it.....drive you're car. I believe it's original purpose is to keep the rear cargo light from coming on with the drivers door. The Cargo light comes on with any of the other door switches closing to ground. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeacherBarbie Posted December 30, 2014 Author Share Posted December 30, 2014 Thank you to everyone that chimed in. Decided to have my mechanic tape them separately and just drive as is. The "door open" light is not illuminated on the dash, but my stereo still wants to turn on or stay on sometimes even after I have taken the key out. That's probably a whole other issue but for now I am fine with just taking the "face" off (its an after market stereo) and that seems to solve the problem. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 Way to go, Teach! Proud of you. Stick around--as you well know, the good folks of USMB are eager, willing and happy to help each other! (Kinda' the way life should be!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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