348 dome light

1995 348 Spider-Dome light not working. Changed bulb that was purchased at a local auto parts store. Could it be the bulb? What fuse corrisponds to the overhead dome light and where is it located? Glove box and trunk compartement lights both working. Any ideas?

 

good question, mine is out too!

 

Excellent question... mine is out as well...

Mike in Kuwait

 

Could be the contacts or connections there -- dirty contacts or broken connections aren't uncommon on 13 year-old cars. I had a power window issue that turned out to be a switch that needed cleaning.

I don't have a 348 (or wiring schematic), but if the dome light is the only thing not working I would start there. You should have fuse diagram in your OM (?)

 

actually i havent tried changing the bulb. step by step in changing anyone???

 

Use small scew driver in the indentation on each side of the light housing. Gently push inward and pull down with your finger. The light housing will come out relatively easy.

 

How should I clean the contacts? Shold I use a wire brush or steel wool? If the connections are broken where do you recommend purchasing new connectors? Where do you think I can find a replacement dome housing? The fuse diagram does not show which fuse controls the dome light. I don't think it is the fuse anyway because as you said everything else works. The dome light would not have its own fuse?

 

You can buy spray-on contact cleaner and just follow the directions on the bottle -- usually it's just dirt on a switch contact, so you wouldn't need to scrub it much. If you disassemble it, you'll have a better idea if the connector is something odd or something standard. I can't advise, haven't owned a 348 or seen the inside of the dome light assembly.

For a replacement housing, not sure, but the usual suspects are sponsor Ricambi America (sponsors link above) and T. Rutlands. I've bought from both.

 

If you have a circuit test light, or a multi-meter, you should be able to have the problem with your dome light diagnosed in just a couple of minutes.

According to the handbook, the power supply for the dome light is through fuse #3 in the footwell box - 15 amps.

You should be able to check for power inside your dome light housing using the test light. If it HAS power, and the bulb is good, then the light should work OK unless the housing isn't grounded properly. Easy to test.

If there is NO power to the housing connections, then either it's unplugged, or there is something wrong with the door jamb switches, or there is a problem at the power source. Again, easy to check.

Questions: Do the red clearance lights on the back of the doors come on when you open the doors? Does the dome light work when you manually turn on the switch on the housing?

Since the Spider has its dome light in a different location than the ts/tb, I'm not exactly sure where everything is located, but I'd guess that there is a 0% chance that you need a new light. It's something simple.

 

Where exactly is the footwell box. Is this inside the car under the steering wheel or somehwere else? Sorry I'm a rookie and I do not have the owner's manual. All help is greatly appreciated.

 

Question handled in a PM.

By the way, someone is probably going to ask you to fill in your profile information, if you don't have any objections to that.

Welcome to Ferrari chat!

Edit: One of you boys should tell our new friend here where you can go to download the Owners Handbook. I'm not sure where that is.

 

The 348 Spider dome light has 3 physical positions:
1. always on
2. on when a door is open
3. always off

You change the positions by tilting the glass. Press the forward or far back side of the glass and notice the clicks.

See if changing positions turns on your light.

If not, then hit the two wires that go to the dome light with your multi-meter to check for voltage.

 

The relay for the dome light and the door lights is a really exotic device. I sketched the circuit somewhere if you run into trouble as I needed a door-open pulse for my alarm system.

Basically, the idea is that, when the door is opened, the relay closes a contact which puts power into the door lights and simultaneously closes a 10 second contact which earths the dome light. Then, when you close the door, the relay contacts for the door light open and the light extinguishes but the dome light relay contacts start their 10 second countdown. These two functions are in one relay in the footwell box.

Don't quote me on the description - if you need it and I can search for my sketch. It took me about a day with test bulbs and bench top battery to find out what on earth the relay was doing.

If it is the relay, then I'm sure Ferrari will have one for $250

 

1. always on
2. on when a door is open and for 10 seconds following closure of last door.
3. always off

 

Thanks all. I got the light working. I found the fuse box and the fuse was blown. However, when I changed it it blew again. There was a part in the dome light housing that was contacting another metal part. I corrected it, changed the bulb abd the fuse and now everything works great. I could not have done it without all your advice.

 

Again.... THE BROTHERHOOD ROCKS!

Mike in Kuwait

 

I've got a similiar problem in my 95 355 spyder.
Red door lights work fine on opening.
Full forward & dome light works.
Mid-way & nada.
Full back and it's off.
The center console button doesn't work for the light either.
Unless I apply a little pressure. But that might be due to slop in the position switch.

So I know the bulb is good, the fuse is good, the door switch is good.

I'll be pulling the relay & cleaning the contacts.
And it'll be a good time to check about wiring the V1 into the circuit.

 

I went through the Manual - which relay controls the 10sec dome light delay?

 

Nevermind. I started to pry the light out of the cabin roof & suddenly, it went on!
If I pull it out, it goes back to the old behavior. I carefully pushed it back in & it's working.
The contacts look clean & it looks in good working order, but it must be faulty or suseptible to pressure.
I think it's also in backwards.
Press forward is always on,
middle is off
Pressed back is tied to the doors & button.

I saw that I have window switch lights tied to the door!
But I dont see a key light.

 

Think the owners manual for a Spider and all the workshop manuals can be downloaded from here (towards the top of the page just below the lass straddling the car) Downloaded them some time ago so not sure if the links still work.

http://www.my348.com/

 

how do you take the glass lens off? my dome light doesn't work either.

 

Spider?

The whole assembly comes out. You don't remove the glass (at least on the F355)

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/348-dome-light.180101/#post-137342028

 

Perfect, got it out. Thanks!