Interior Light Switch Location on Door

[cfree3]

I am trying to find the switch on the door or door jam that will turn on the interior light from the rear view mirror when the door opens. Mine is not working right and would like to check the switch but I can't seem to find it. I think I have the switch on the right position on the rear view mirror for this to work but just to make sure, please tell me what position should it be in?

By the way this is a 2002 GLS TDI

[Smileybug]

The switch on the mirror should be in the middle.

As for the switch in on the door, its inside the door lock. There is a sensor that tells the car if the door is open or closed. When the door is open, the light comes on. Its not a plunger or anything like a lot of other cars (if only it were that easy...). If you have the mirror switch in the right position, you likely have a bad microswitch in the door. Very common failure. Basically the sensor that tells the car if the door is open or not fails. If it fails thinking your door is closed, even when your door is open, the car thinks its not. This makes your interior lights not come on. Another test is if the lights in the door come on when you open it.

[RackaRacka]

The door microswitch is one of 3 microswitches in the door lock assembly. It is a real nuisance to get to and repair (Involves removing the window, door panel and inner door panel, and maybe even drilling out some rivits. They can be repaired if you have the skill and patience, and some folks have been lucky spraying electric cleaning solution into the door lock to free up the gummed up switch. Sometimes its not a gummy switch, but a bad solder joint on the circuitboard.

Be careful if it is broken because the car doesn't know when the door is open and will re-lock and re-arm the alarm if you disarm it and get in without starting it.

A good test to see if its your door switch or the mirror light switch or the bulb for that matter - open the passenger door.

Good Luck!