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Broken dome / cabin light?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by hawkmoon77, Jul 29, 2009.

  1. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    So I seem to remember when I first got my car, that the dome light switch either turned the light always on, or put it in auto mode. Auto-mode was such that when a car door was open, the light would turn on. Also, when the car was unlocked, the light would come on.

    Am I remembering this correctly becuase it doesn't do that anymore. In fact, when in automode, the light never comes on. Has anyone ever heard of this.

    When in always on mode, it works fine.

    I am thinking back to when this might have happened, and I think it might have been around the time i got the illuminated door sills. Did the dealership make a mistake?

    I will bring it back to them to check it out, but I wanted to make sure that I was remembering it right, and that there isn't something stupid I'm overlooking.

    Thanks.
     
  2. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    It should come on as you approach the car. Is the switch smack dab in the middle?
     
  3. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    I'll bet the door sills installer moved that switch to off so it wouldn't drain the battery while the doors were opened for the door sills install.
     
  4. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    Huh.. I could have sworn it had only two positions, auto and on. I'll check for a middle position. Thanks for the help!
     
  5. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    Okay, so I just checked my car and it definately does not have an off position. It is a two position switch. One side is always on, and the other side ahs a picture of my care with the doors open. I'm assuming that side is automode.

    What is this middle and off positions you guys are talking about?
     
  6. stream

    stream Senior Member

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    See pic below.
     

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  7. hawkmoon77

    hawkmoon77 New Member

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    Wow, that fixed it. I was talking about the cabin light that is centered in the middle of the roof. That light has a two position switch. I had no idea that the front driver's and passanger's side light switch affected the center cabin light. It seems actually to be a weird decision considerign each has its own switch.

    But apperantly, in order for the center cabin light to be on automatic mode, you have to set it to auto, and then also set the front light switch to auto. Seems odd, but it works now.

    Thanks for all of your help.
     
  8. jay_man2

    jay_man2 jay_man_also

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    So I bet the cargo area light is like the center cabin light, since it has just an on/off switch. I turned it on when I first got the car home, and it goes out after a while when all the doors and hatch are closed.