Rear interior lights always on

[SteMacK]

I just got my van back after getting a pop-top fitted and now have issues with the rear interior lights. Basically they are always on, except when the van is locked - so stay on even when the ignition is on.

I have a T6 but the rear lights have been changed to T6.1 LED lights. Were working fine before the pop top fitting - went off after a period of time when the doors were shut and off when the engine was started. According to the fitter they just removed them to fit the pop top, re-routed the cables and plugged them back in. They also sent me out a pair of original T6 lights to try, but still have the same issue, though with them they seem to flicker a bit when the engine is running.

Any idea what might be causing them to stay permanently on? And how I might be able to fix it?

 

[mmi]

issues with the rear interior lights. Basically they are always on, except when the van is locked - so stay on even when the ignition is on.

Looks like some OEM functionality is still there - locking the van still turns lights off. Sounds like lights ground side is moved from original switched negative to permanent negative.

An illustration of the OEM courtesy circuit

Re interior light timer

Is there a setting to make the interior light turn of quicker after the doors open eg you open the side door and leave it open mine seems to stay on for 10 minutes ?

www.t6forum.com

To narrow down possible causes/confirm the above please -

(1) Close all the doors (no key in ignition lock, van unlocked) - how long the lights actually stay on?

If the light feed is using one of the OEM feeds the possible answers should be only a) 30 seconds b) 11 minutes c) 60 minutes (for a van with LED rear interior lights from factory)​

(2) Leave a door open (no key in ignition lock, van unlocked) - how long lights stay on?

Again, If the light feed is using one of the OEM feeds the possible answers should be only a) 11 minutes b) 60 minutes​

 

[Deaky]

I just got my van back after getting a pop-top fitted and now have issues with the rear interior lights. Basically they are always on, except when the van is locked - so stay on even when the ignition is on.

I have a T6 but the rear lights have been changed to T6.1 LED lights. Were working fine before the pop top fitting - went off after a period of time when the doors were shut and off when the engine was started. According to the fitter they just removed them to fit the pop top, re-routed the cables and plugged them back in. They also sent me out a pair of original T6 lights to try, but still have the same issue, though with them they seem to flicker a bit when the engine is running.

Any idea what might be causing them to stay permanently on? And how I might be able to fix it?

The roof converters have almost certainly trapped the switched negative wire in the loom

 

[SteMacK]

Just tried #1 - lights stayed on after 10 mins. Don't have the time / am able to leave the van unlocked in the street for 60 mins but would be surprised if they went off after this time, mainly due to the fact that the lights stay on after the ignition is on.

Think you're right in thinking the ground (-ve) side has changed from the switched negative to permanent negative. What I'm thinking now is that maybe the switched negative wire has caught on the edge of the bodywork somewhere when the pop-top was installed and that it has now created a permanent negative by being in contact with it. Not exactly sure how to investigate this further.

Guess the switched negative travels up from the dash on the A-pillar? So could maybe take a branched feed from here into the light to test? But would need to break the circuit from here as well. What a right pain.

Should take it back to them to fix but it's a 2.5 hour round trip plus the diesel so would prefer just trying to fix myself, as am also going to be wiring in a switch to power off a leisure battery in the long run too.

 

[SteMacK]

The roof converters have almost certainly trapped the switched negative wire in the loom

Yes, that's what I'm thinking.

Do you know how the switched negative is wired in with the door sensors etc? Presume the sensors all run to the MCB, then the switched negative is back out from here?

 

[Deaky]

Just tried #1 - lights stayed on after 10 mins. Don't have the time / am able to leave the van unlocked in the street for 60 mins but would be surprised if they went off after this time, mainly due to the fact that the lights stay on after the ignition is on.

Think you're right in thinking the ground (-ve) side has changed from the switched negative to permanent negative. What I'm thinking now is that maybe the switched negative wire has caught on the edge of the bodywork somewhere when the pop-top was installed and that it has now created a permanent negative by being in contact with it. Not exactly sure how to investigate this further.

Guess the switched negative travels up from the dash on the A-pillar? So could maybe take a branched feed from here into the light to test? But would need to break the circuit from here as well. What a right pain.

Should take it back to them to fix but it's a 2.5 hour round trip plus the diesel so would prefer just trying to fix myself, as am also going to be wiring in a switch to power off a leisure battery in the long run too.

The rear courtesy loom runs through the beige connector block under the glove box. +12v is red/black, -12v switched is brown/red, -12v perm is brown