While removing the door locks / handles before painting, I noticed on the drivers' side what appears to be a small light attached to the lock clip, wired with the worlds smallest gauge wire. Then there is a switch attached to the door handle. Can someone tell me what that is?
BTW its an '85 GSLSE

 

It is exactly what you think it is. If it works, you pull up on the door handle (car locked) at night. This will illuminate the lock (so you can see to put the key in). The door handle switch also activates a light on the ignition switch.

 

i have heard of this before, is this an SE only option?

 

no, the illuminated drivers door lock was standard on the GS, GSL, and GSL-SE. notavailable on the S according to the brochures.

 

The brochure shows it as standard on GS, GSL, and GSL-SE. Pretty sure it is only on the S3s, though.

http://foxed.ca/rx7manual/manuals/85_brochure.pdf

Someone replaced my lock at some point, so I don't have this feature.

 

what years had this? I have an '83 GSL and I don't this I have the door lights but I could be wrong. I do have the ignition light but it doesn't work and I have no idea how to get it working.

 

Only on the 84-85 models according to Mazdatrix's lock sets.

If not working, check the switch and the bulb. If still not working, check the CPU. It is controlled by the CPU (under dash next to hood realease). The CPU controls this plus hazzard/turnsignals, seatbelt light, and other stuff like that.

 

anyone have a pic of what this illuminated door lock supposed to look like?...i believe i used to have the original locks until the drivers broke and i had to replace it, but i don't recall having that light (85 GSL)

 

if im not mistaken, my 84 gs had one, didnt light up but i think it still triggered the ignition light.

 

i love that brochure by the way, full of intresting facts

 

This is the Last Great 1st Gen Mystery - How to Make your Door Lights Work.

All four of my 84/85 GSLs have them and none of them have ever worked, even though each of these cars was in great shape and even after I spent an evening trying to figure out how to make them work on the Tan One.

So yeah, I'd love to see a photo of one of these things working. Or better, a video showing them light up when you do whatever it is you need to do to them to make them light up.

But really, I doubt the door lights on any 1st gen RX-7s still work.

 

Mine works. I had to rewire it with a replacement "grain of wheat" bulb. I'll go out and take a picture....

 

Off:


On:


Grain of wheat bulb:

 

niice, your a lucky one

 

After 2 years in a body shop my '85 finally came home on 2/21/09. And my driver's side lock light still works!

 

My '84 GS has one, but it doesnt work (yet). Wire is broken but I havent fixed it.

 

I'm impressed, thanks Sgt. Fox. Could you do a video of that?

 

Not really. My camera (Nikon D60) doesn't shoot video.

 

I think there is also a plastic washer that kinda glows too. Another option is also to install LED(s) around the area then using an alarm with dome light supervision wire a relay to the LED's. That would make them light up when disarmed or door is open.

 

Thanks! Great picture. Would you please elaborate on what a "grain of wheat bulb" is and where I might get one?

 

grain of wheat is a name for a very small light, with flying leads attached. Take your old light out and take it to an electronics store to match it. You need a 12V bulb. Radio shack should have something.

 

Were the original bulbs green tinted because mine is very clearly green when lit?

 

No, they sit in a green tinted plastic holder. Mine has just been sun bleached.

 

any way to do this to a car that previously didnt had this feature?

 

awesome, haha, it's just one of those little things that helps you get off at night you know haha. you don't happen to have a picture of the assembly OFF the car do you?