[Tony H]

I've had my interior light switched off for a few months since I drained the battery by leaving it on (my old BMW used to switch its interior light off automatically after 20 minutes or so), but when I've tried to use the light recently it doesn't come on. The car is 3.7 years old.

Question is, is this covered by warranty or should I DIY to avoid Toyota charging me at the next service?

I don't actually need the light, so could happily wait till the next service if it'll be a warranty job. One other factor: I've swapped the reversing lights for LEDs - could this have affected the electronics for the interior light? (A friend's VW Passat wouldn't start after the VW radio was swapped for an aftermarket model!)

 

[Philip]

Personally, I'd check the BULB and the FUSE myself. Also try wiggling the switch a bit in case there's a little bit of corrosion on it. If it's something more complicated, then it should be covered under the 5 year warranty.

Also - do your windows drop a bit when you open each of the doors? If so, then it suggests that the door switches are working OK.

 

[Tony H]

Thanks, Philip. Have already given the switch plenty of action, windows & door-lights working fine, so may just be a bulb, but odd given that it was working fine before I switched it off.

As it's warranty, I'll let Toyota fix it at the next service - if I needed serious light I've had to use a hand-held anyway, the output from the interior light was so dim.

 

[Philip]

I replaced mine with an LED bulb - quick and easy to do, and much brighter!

 

[Farnerwarren]

I would recommend using LED strip lights instead: they are very easy to install and add a lot of light to the car. I like it when it’s brighter, and I can see a thing inside the car. Also, LEDs work much longer, and you will not have to bother with replacing them for several years in advance. This is my favorite type of car lighting because LEDs create a special atmosphere inside a car, and the soft light they shine does not hurt the eyes. I can easily drive with those lights on, and the car looks like a UFO if you look at it from the outside. I also like synchronizing them with the music I listen to and have a little party inside the car.

 

[Tony H]

I would recommend using LED strip lights instead: they are very easy to install and add a lot of light to the car. I like it when it’s brighter, and I can see a thing inside the car. Also, LEDs work much longer, and you will not have to bother with replacing them for several years in advance.

Presumaby, you power the strip with wires coming out of the light casing?

To complete my tale, the orginal got fixed under warranty, no quibbles, and is sufficient for my purposes.