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Melted map light holder

29K views 21 replies 14 participants last post by  Demosthenes9 
#1 ·
Noticed the passenger side map light was not working. Figured the bulb gave it up. Finally had the time to pop the lense off today and discovered that the bulb was still good, but the holder that it sits in had started to melt!! The plastic melted enough to cover one of the contacts, effectively shutting off the bulb.

Anyone ever seen this before? Now, I'm willing to admit possible fault on this... I think the map light probably got left on, but to melt the holder??!! Didn't see THAT coming. :)
 

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#2 ·
A friend had a late-80s Caddy Allante. ALL the tail-light reflectors in those would melt from brake light heat. :eekkkk: On one of his, the bulb and socket fell into the light housing, the plastic solidified, and the plastic had to be CUT to remove the bulb and replace the tail-lights...:jpshakehe



For you, a solution would be to install LED bulbs. Does your van have interior lights that go out by themselves after a few minutes? I don't know if all conversion bulbs are "dim-able".
 
#3 ·
Yes, when the doors are shut, after a short period the interior lites go out. Thought about LED lighting, but so far, that's as far as it's gotten. :) Thanks for bringing it back to the forefront tho, will have to look into it a bit further.
 
#4 ·
Yes, on my 2005 T&C, my driver’s side map light was inoperative. I pried off the cover to examine the bulb. Even though the bulb looked good, I sought out a replacement and installed it. It still did not work. When I examined the switch, I found it melted, which was why there was no light. I had my van in at the dealership and asked them to look at it. They told me that there is no simple fix and that the whole upper panel needed to be replaced at the cost of $175 (parts and labor). I was in a generous mood and told them to fix it. It is nice having a light again.
 
#5 ·
On the 04 Malibu that we used to own the front headlights were fogged up inside from smoke from the signal lights that were also used as daytime running lights. The heat from the bulbs would melt the connectors and burn holes through the back of the reflectors.
Hank
 
#7 ·
In my 01GC, I noticed that the map lights were dimming occasionally and sometimes turned off about three years ago. Also thought the bulb, but while disassembling by twist the bulb socket, I noticed extensive oxidation/corrosion/whatever you want to call it. Basically, I think that the resistance builds up over time due to the choice of metal used by Dodge causing a current increase and obviously a temp increase. I suspect that the resistance increased so much for you that you basically have a toaster up there at the electrical joint/connection. I used some scour pad to freshen the metal and my bulbs are bright again and no longer dim.

I am also finding that some of the console buttons/switches (power side door and child interlock) have poor connections at the connector/receptacles within the upper console and they have failed even earlier. Doesn't look like Dodge used any grease within the connectors. They do on other connectors beside the distributor/plug wires, e.g., connector to my MOPAR VHS deck.

My dashboard lights have dimmed and I suspect oxidation there too since when I hit the dash to shake the joint, it used to brighten for a little while. Now, they're permanently dim. I am in CA south bay so maybe some salt air is causing faster oxidation/scale buildup. Mike
 
#10 ·
My map light (overhead console light actually) just got dim AGAIN (first time was three years ago). At that time I just un-twisted it and re-inserted it, and it worked.

This time I bent the contacts a little so as to make a better contact, sanded all the contacts with a fine emery paper to clean them up, and put Conductive Grease on the sockets. We'll see what happens. :( I know from experience that once a contact starts to burn, it really should be replaced...

Ours didn't look half as bad as yours, so I guess the key is to act as soon as you notice a dim light.
 
#11 ·
I just yesterday went to replace my upper console '06 map lights with LEDs mostly because of their much lower power draw. It is a PC579 incandescent bulb.

My '03 without the upper console uses a different #578 bulb but it is still way too hot for these plastic light fixtures.

Much to my surprise the plastic bulb sockets were partly burned, not seriously yet. I replaced the glass bulbs with LEDs using the original plastic sockets. You can buy new LEDs with the socket included but mine did not.

There was also a metal heat shield between the bulb and lens which I discarded when installing the LEDs because they are so much cooler.

This bulb is obviously too large for this application, is up in a very confined space and could easily start a fire. I'm just glad I found this out before it burned.

I replaced all my other dome, reading, courtesy lights with LEDs, this is a poor selection of bulbs for these lights. These are also 578s.
 
#12 ·
Part numbers for the LED bulbs ? I cannot find any to use in my PC579

mine too, melted - now I got replacement bulbs, and those were too hot, melted it much more :( now I m looking for LED's for sense of security that the bulbs won't melt/and will work when I need them to ...

Where you get em ? part number ? etc

Thanks!
 
#13 ·
From ebay, listed by description and seller;

2 X CANBUS Error Free White T10 13 SMD 5050 Interior LED Light bulb W5W 194 168
philipsxenon

PC579 LED Bulb Replacement (1 LED Bulb with 360 Coverage)
philipsxenon

6x 41mm C5W White16 LED 3528 SMD 211 212 Interior Festoon Light Dome Bulb 12V US
cenn2010

The first two are for the front console lights, the last is for dome and rear interior.

Google or ebay these and you will also find many more selections, ebay is loaded with them.
 
#14 ·
Whoops, the first one will not work unless your console bulb pulls directly out of the plastic base without cutting any wires. Cancel that one. Sorry:)

I didn't notice until they arrived that the contacts are metal strips instead of the tiny wires needed to adapt to the original base so I used them in two reading lamps in my RV.
 
#15 ·
#19 ·
All cars with incandescent bulbs suffer from this problem. Get LEDs. You won't regret it. The map lights are specific and pricey ( $20) but the new sockets allow you to replace the T10 leds that come with them with new cheap ones if you have any issues, so its money well spent. ( the bases are where the money is)
 
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