Well basically i got in my car the other day (88 firebird) and found that the dome light and the two lights by the feet in the front that normally shut off when you close the door did not shut off. i had to take the bulbs out so it wouldnt kill the battery..........i have never had this kind of problem before.......ideas?

 

Dimmer turned to "on"? Bad door switch maybe?

 

no i checked the dial for the lights.......... youd think if the door switch was bad the switch on the other door would still shut the lights off..................

 

NO - say the pass door is closed, and never opens. You open driver door, lights go on, close driver door, lights go off - that is all a function of the driver door switch - has nothing to do with the pass side door.

The door switches make a ground connection when the door is opened, and cut off this ground connection when door is closed (the interior lights have 12v+ to them all the time, and the ground is turned on/off by the door switch). If the wire to the switch is getting grounded anywhere, the lights will remain on until that ground is interrupted.

 

Those switches can be adjusted, but you need to remove them to do so. Easy to remove, but the kick panel needs to come out so you can pull the switch out from the back, then the "plunger" screws in or out to adjust as needed. I think someone adjusted my door with a 2X4 to semi-correct sag and the door has a depression in it where it would push the switch, so the switch had to be adjusted out.