I have taken apart my center console just to get to my ashtray light, seen that my wire was tucked under the ashtray (thanks to my old mechanic). Once I was able to get the socket back in its proper place, I took the 37 bulb from the cig lighter ring and tried to put it in the ashtray socket, it was no go, assuming it was the wrong size or a bad bulb. I bought a pair of 74 bulbs and tried again, nothing. Tried a contact voltage detector, but the voltage isn't strong enough for that... although I did get a spark from the socket. My cigarette lighter works fine, but the ash tray light does not. I'm assuming it's not the fuse... Wrong bulb, perhaps? Faulty wiring?
(Btw, I wanted to replace it with an LED bulb.)

 

It's not the fuse, that same fuse is also used for a bunch of stuff,tail light, heater control unit, a/t selector lever position illumination light,rheostat (cluster brightness), radio n cd player, and hazard light switch. I'm thinking maybe a short in the wiring if it was just crammed in there, that light does have a ground under the right front kick panel, but i doubt that would be in bad shape. Wiring issues are the one thing is absolutely HATE on cars.

 

I'm almost afraid it's the wiring... I know the bulb size is 74, and I'm pretty sure there's power running through that wire since my voltage detector made the socket spark. I'm going to change out the fuses with new ones and see what happens.

 

Update: my radio and clock only work when my headlights are on... when I turn on my high beams, my driver's side lights go out completely.

 

Well the headlight high beam filament may just be burned out, pull the lever back to flash the high beams n have someone confirm that the drivers side doesn't work. If you checked the fuse or gonna replace it make sure it's the right size, it's in the engine compartment relay box and is a brown 7.5A fuse. I'm not to tech saavy so i'm gonna try n upload a pic of where it is after work today.

 

I'm going to check the fuses today before I go into work. I'm hoping it's just a couple of blown fuses causing these problems.

 

Well, when I flashed the high beams, they both worked... unfortunately I don't have any spare 7.5 fuses, so I can't swap them out with new ones until I get paid this Friday. Lol. The prongs do look a little burned, though.

 

Sorry for not posting the pic (I spent quite a while yesterday trying to figure out how I was gonna get the far left nut off my exhaust manifold without starting to pull things off the motor), but seems you found it ok, the brownish color may be giving you just a little bit of resistance. Not 100% sure but I'd give that a shot first. If that doesn't work, you may have to start checking wiring, and hopefully someone will chime in on that because that's not really my strong point. I'm more familiar with the mechanical aspect of things.

 

Guess I won't know until Friday. If it's just the fuses, I'll be glad. If that doesn't fix anything, I'm going to have to assume it's the wiring. Thanks for the help, by the way

 

No problem, the way I look at it is if other folks can benefit from an issue or info I have(or had), then it saves someone a possible HUGE headache.

 

I changed the 7.5 fuses, nothing has changed. Someone told me my fuse box might be going, another told me it could have been the weather and moisture made it's way in.

 

You said you wanted to switch the light for a led light right? leds have a right and wrong side you can put them in... try plugging it both sides and see if either of them works.

 

I didn't install the LED lights yet. Lol. My clock, radio, and the lights behind the gauges won't work unless my lowbeams are on. When I try to turn on my highbeams my drivers side lowbeam and highbeam goes out, and the passenger side highbeam goes out. The bulbs seem to be fine, btw.

 

Anyone know how to get the dome light and radio fuse out of the engine compartment box? It's like they're locked into place with a yellow box...

 

Update
Ashtray light was apparently the wrong bulb type, though I did put a 74 mini wedge based bulb.
Headlight had a short in the circuit, along with a blown bulb.
Radio was wired incorrectly, according to my mechanic.
Those 2 fuses in the engine compartment with the yellow shell around it aren't meant to be taken out unless the battery is disconnected first, then there's a special tool to take them out.
There's a possibility that they could deploy airbags if tampered with. (The radio fuse in that yellow shell was fine, btw.)