One day I was messing around when I was changing my interior door light with a hyper white bulb by trying to pry out the amber bulb with a screwdriver. The amber bulb was on because the door was open and I forgot to disconnect the fuse. I know that the fuse goes to all the interior lights, but when I was using the screwdriver, that one bulb went out. It wasn't the bulb because I tried another. It wasn't the fuse because the dome light and the other door light were still working. I guess the screwdriver accidentally touched the positive and negative terminals and blew something out because it didnt blow the fuse. Is it the wire inside the door? What can I do to get this minor problem fixed?

 

Let me guess, passenger side?
Alex

 

I have the same problem. The passenger side step light isn't working. I even pry open the step light housing to see if the connector in the back is loose; it wasn't. I checked the fuse, and it can't be that because the driver side step light is working fine. If you find out how to solve this problem, please tell me because I got no clues right now.

 

Well actually, its the driver side. I too tried to take out the housing to see if there was a loose connection, and there wasn't. As far as I can see down, I didn't see any melted wires or anything of that sort. If I find something out I'll notify you (cumalot)and I hope you do the same. Thanks.

 

This response is based on information in the '99 Maxima factory service manual. I don't know if your '97 is wired the same way.

In "the good old days" a step lamp circuit was simple. Battery positive (+12 volts) went through a fuse and then to one side of a bulb filament. The other side of the bulb filament went to a door switch. When the door was open, the door switch contacts closed providing a path to ground and thereby completing the circuit.

In the '99 Maxima the +12 goes through a fuse to one side of a bulb filament. The other side of the bulb filament goes to the Driver Door Control Unit (LCU01). This is a sealed electronic unit. The service manual provides no information about the inside of LCU01, presumably because it contains no user-serviceable components. The driver door step lamp gets ground from terminal 8 of LCU01. Your misstep with the screwdriver may have damaged the semiconductor cicuitry inside that Control Unit.

LCU01 is located inside the driver's door. It is connected to the door harness by connector D9, a white plastic connector with 18 conductors. You may reach it for testing or replacement by removing the door trim panel.

 

Will do. However, I been at this for some time now, and still haven't found the problem. If I do find a solution, I'll be sure to let you know.

I only checked the passenger side since that's the side not working. I'm going to check the driver side as well just to make sure.

 

Thanks for the info. I guess I really ruined my door light, but if there's a possible way to fix it I'll see what I can do. Thanks again.