Door Jamb switch single prong vs 2 prong

[glnr13]

Tried to replace door switches this weekend (the switch that signals to turn on cabin lights, sits in the jamb just below the door brake) Pulled part numbers from Realoem...
61311368430 supersedes old part number. Received 2 of the correct parts based on number from Autohaus.
Removed stock switches and found that my stock was 2 prong while the new part is single prong. What do I do? Ground the other line to a ground point?!

part#


Looks the same from the outside:


not the same on the inside:


original switch open:


original switch closed:

[glnr13]

bump... I guess i can ground it to the chassis using the mounting screw... i dunno how i feel about having raw metal there though. or what does it matter since it's rusted and rusts anyway? anyone?

[e30davie]

Brown is ground, i would see what happends if you put the non-brown wire on the single prong and see if it works (tape up the brown wire and just shove it inside and see if it works through the chassis). Plenty of cars only have a single prong switch that goes to ground through the chassis.

Surprises me that the switch went bad? you'd think those switches would last forever.

[glnr13]

Brown is ground, i would see what happends if you put the non-brown wire on the single prong and see if it works (tape up the brown wire and just shove it inside and see if it works through the chassis). Plenty of cars only have a single prong switch that goes to ground through the chassis.

Surprises me that the switch went bad? you'd think those switches would last forever.

i tested my old switches and was getting intermittent readings depending on how i released the button. maybe it's just a little rusted/gunky inside. Going to try some electrical contact cleaner tomorrow and see if that jostles it up and lets the lights come on more consistently.

[george graves]

One post is for the lights. The other you can use for an aftermarket alarm install. Not that anyone should install one of those. THe "WA-WA-WA-WA-WA-WA-" of a car alarm means nothing now-a-days.

[glnr13]

One post is for the lights. The other you can use for an aftermarket alarm install. Not that anyone should install one of those. THe "WA-WA-WA-WA-WA-WA-" of a car alarm means nothing now-a-days.

interesting... thanks for the insight mr graves.