1986 Town Car Courtesy Light

Hi Bill-
The passenger door courtesy light fixture on my 86 Town Car will not function properly, even with a new bulb. While cleaning the interior the other day with doors open, I noticed the bulb was flickering, so I removed the lens and checked it. The bulb looked fine, but just in case, I tried another, and it did the same thing. For now, I just have removed the bulb.
The same thing happened on my 88 Town Car a few years back, but in that case the bulb had exploded in the fixture, I never did replace that bulb either. The rest of the lights are working as they should.
Have you run into this problem on other 80’s Town Cars, possibly a manufacturer’s defect? Do you think a completely new fixture in the door is needed? Any help would be appreciated-thanks very much and I really enjoy this addition to the website!
Michael
—————————————————————————————————————
Greetings Michael –
We are pleased that you are enjoying our new technical blog. The courtesy light is really a simple circuit that sends power through the bulb and then to ground inside the door. One of the most common problems in situations such as this is a fatigued and broken wire in the door jamb loom (wiring harness). This is the wiring near the door hinges that connects the electrics inside the door to the body. The loom can be seen with the door open. I would open the door and observe your problem light while wiggling the wiring loom. If the bulb flickers in response to the wiggling, the broken wire inside the loom needs to be located and repaired as necessary. If there is no response to the wiggling then the circuit should be examined and traced for continuity starting at the courtesy light assembly in the door. A new assy. is needed only if it is proven to be faulty and not repairable. In the event that you do require any parts, we have these and any further advice that you may need.
Wishing you a speedy repair –
Bill