Help! Headlights won't shut off, 97 XL

[CARMANDAN]

'97 XL 388000 km in great shape. I just bought it, washed it and power washed the motor. Three days later the headlights stayed on for about 10 minutes (key out, doors locked). The next day the headlights stayed on longer, the high beam switch makes them flicker a bit, the headlight switch turns the park lights on and off, the high beam light on the dash stays on (even when the doors locked, key out). I had to unplug the headlight bulbs so I wouldn't wake up to a dead battery. Any ideas would help, thanks Dan. P.S. I checked as many other forum questions as possible and didn't see a similar prob.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Is there a slider switch on the bottom of your rearview mirror? If so slide it all the way to the left. it is the timed delay headlight switch. If not I don't know.

 

[martin123]

This is an old post but I hope you found out the problem. Today ran through heavy rain. Got to the store notice the lights were on. Went inside , finished shopping about 20 mins, lights still on. Drove home through more rain, X in driveway right now with lights on.

Will disconnect battery if can not find problem. Thanks

 

[seth247]

Do the 2nd gens have headlight relays or are they run straight through the headlight switch?

If relays you might pull them and Chaco them with a meter to makemsurethe contacts are separating. Might have welded them.

 

[TonyC88]

i was coming home from hunting in the bronco once, similar thing happened, 3 hour trip all the lights were on and it kept making the sound that the door ajar. lol
ill try and remember how we fixed

~btw, longest drive of my life. DING DING DING

 

[martin123]

After I stopped and relaxed. Did a better search on the site and notice a lot of people having problems with their DRL. Went to the scrape yard and problem fixed. Thanks for replying.

 

[bpoff]

1998 Explorer XLT headlights won't turn off

Help!

I've been using this site for two weeks of troubleshooting and haven't been able to fix my problem. My headlights won't turn off. I've pulled the MFS and the headlight switch (no obvious problems with the headlights switch, I cleaned dirt and light scoring from the MFS to no avail). The removal of neither of these switches actually shut the lights off?? I have an aftermarket tow hitch (and lights hook up) and suspect this might be the root of the problem. I looked for the LOM but am not sure I have one. Is the message center simply the readout above the rearview mirror that tells you the temperature, heading, etc.? Any help here would be greatly appreciated, I'm something of a novice to car repair but am quite handy and have some electrical experience.

Thank you

p.s. these message boards have already proved amazingly helpful

 

[martin123]

For me it was the DRL module (Daytime running lights). Located driver side near the bumper. Just unplug it and if the lights turn off then that is your problem.

Search DRL lots of info will come up.

 

[Mbrooks420]

The message center is a display screen below the cupholders that display current MPG, fuel tank range, and a bunch of other things. I'd check the DRL module as posted above.

 

[Fhof]

Having same issue with my 1997 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer Ed. The delay switch is on off and the green light is on on the mirror! It should go off. The running lights stay on, too! HELP!

 

[08Exploder]

A common issue with these explorers with auto lights is the lom module which is located under the cup holder in center of console on the right its held in with 2 screws. What happens is the lom gets melted and causes crazy things to happen I would check that and open the black box and see if anything is melted inside. Then I would check the relay and the switch on the mirror I would unplug the mirror when the issue happens and see if lights turn off right away!

Tom

 

[Fhof]

Temp fix!

Unplugged the mirror and that fixed the running light issue! Another problem was with the cruise controls! They are toast. I TOUCHED them and the radio went nuts!!! Kept changing stations, wouldn't shut off. I disconnected the battery then reconnected. Radio went back to normal. I want to remove the cruise control pieces. One side didn't have covers so it was easy. The other still has the plastic "cup" that holds the small electric panel. Ideas on how to remove that?