Body, generic

B0260 Interior Light Circuit

Check engine lightUsually off
EmissionsNot relevant
Drive cycleNot required
Limp modeNo

No publicly available J2012 list contains B0260 with this meaning, and the same title belongs to B0970. Saab uses the number in the climate control of the 2003 9-3: B0260 06 stands for the left vent door motor circuit open or grounded, B0261 01 for a short to B+. By its title, the code means the courtesy lamp supply. Door ajar switches ground an input when a door opens; in Ford's patent US6133827A a module then lights the dome and footwell lamps, keeps them on for 25 s after the last door shuts and cuts them through a battery saver relay after 40 minutes. Ram's owner's manual describes a 10-minute cut-off for a door left ajar. A circuit fault means lamps that stay dark, never switch off, or drain the battery overnight.

Likely causes

Door contact switch or lock contact sticking, so the module sees a door open
Lamp feed shorted in the roof liner or a lamp unit with water damage
Battery saver relay or output stage in the body module faulty

Symptoms

  • Interior lamps do not come on when a door opens
  • Interior lamps stay lit or the battery is flat after the car stood overnight

Repair estimate

DifficultyEasyDIY possible
Parts and labour€10–180
Time0.2–1.5 h

Typical range across vehicles; the real cost depends on what the testing finds.

Parts involved

interior lampdoor jamb switchbody wiring harness

Related codes

B0970B0540B0510

References: saabwisonline.com, patents.google.com, vehicleinfo.mopar.com.