Interior Lights Not Coming On! Please help.

[OneLever]

Check for continuity from Battery saver relay Pin 3 to both receptacles of Interior fuse #27. You may have gotten Pin 1 and Pin 2 of the fuse confused.

You said you could turn on the interior lights manually with the dimmer switch by pushing it all the way up right? If you look at the diagram above you'll see power flows through the Battery saver relay, Interior fuse #27, and finally the Dimmer switch. Meaning there must be continuity.

I suspect your problem is with the wire from Interior fuse #27 to the Interior lamp relay (705 LG/O), the Interior lamp relay receptacles, the Interior lamp relay itself, or the wire from the Interior lamp relay Pin 2 to GEM (1008 LG/O).


Edit:

It can be difficult to get multimeter test leads in contact with blade receptacles. I suggest ripping the blades out of a spare fuse you have laying around with pliers. Insert those blades into the receptacles to be tested and attach your test leads to them. You can get test leads with alligator clip ends which makes this easier.

 

[budwich]

X2.... as suggested, something isn't right with your testing. Your previous "observations" of "lights on" with dimmer switch "suggest" a form of "multimeter misuse"... As I suggested earlier, what do you see in your glove compartment when you open your glove compartment with and without your key in "ON"? besides a lot of "junk"... hopefully you see a light on... that's all you need to confirm, no meter required ..... and the "testing" goes on.

 

[Topol_86]

Onelever
Check for continuity from Battery saver relay Pin 3 to both receptacles of Interior fuse #27. You may have gotten Pin 1 and Pin 2 of the fuse confused.

This is very likely. It was dark, and snowing, so quite possible i didn't test the right pin on the fuse (27). It'll have to wait until later or tomorrow as it's my daughters first birthday. Thanks for the continued help.

 

[OneLever]

Congratulations on the birthday!

Look at it this way: You'll get so good at fixing things in the worst conditions possible that when they break in the summer it'll be a breeze. Might I also suggest buying a decent headlamp for all your lighting needs? I have one in the glove box and one in my coat. It is immensely helpful to see clearly while having both hands to work with. In addition the light source is placed in the best position with respect to your eyes as possible. Get some rechargeable batteries to power it and your nighttime work will be a breeze.

 

[Topol_86]

Once again, thanks all for the input. Onelever, thanks for the birthday wishes for my little one. Sorry for the time away from the forum, and replies, i've been kinda busy. Picked up a job working alongside a class a mechanic maintaining a fleet of lincoln towncar limos, lincoln towncars, excursion suv limo, and an e450 limo coach. (LOVE how they're all Ford related!) I've learned alot in my time working there, and i'm sure i'll learn alot more. Haven't had anytime to look at the explorer much as the fiance uses it as primary transportation to and from 2 jobs. I see her very little, and the truck even less. Thanks for the patience, and when I get a chance to pull it into the shop, I'll post back. Thanks all, once again.

 

[Topol_86]

X2.... as suggested, something isn't right with your testing. Your previous "observations" of "lights on" with dimmer switch "suggest" a form of "multimeter misuse"... As I suggested earlier, what do you see in your glove compartment when you open your glove compartment with and without your key in "ON"? besides a lot of "junk"... hopefully you see a light on... that's all you need to confirm, no meter required ..... and the "testing" goes on.

Don't mean to leave you out in the cold either Budwich. I see some paperwork for the truck (ownership and insurance slips) and a burnt out bulb. After the past few weeks, I'm sure my "multimeter misuse", won't happen again. Thanks for the continued patience.

 

[Topol_86]

UPDATE: Issue RESOLVED. After following the pinpoint tests in the digital version of the factory service manual as mentioned before, I had to trace the circuit and low and behold, I had 2 rotten wires (both LG/O on circuit 705) after ripping apart my interior on the drivers side, I located the 2 broken wires about 18" from the fuse panel (drivers side dash) Didn't think to snap a pic until I had the 2 wires stripped and ready for bullet connectors (as i'm fresh out of butt connectors) as seen here. look towards the middle bottom for the 4 wires. Good thing about taking the interior apart was the ability to conceal the wires going to the future amp/sub installation in the back. Thanks again to everyone who helped me along the right path.

PS. now the interior lights work when the door is opened and closed....while driving should i be able to turn on a map light without the dome over-ride being activated? the map lights only work when the dimmer switch is turned all the way up to "on"position

 

[Steve Wendling]

Well I need help. Changing a puddle lamp bulb and I guess it was defective in its wiring. Saw a little spark and now no puddle lamps, no interior lamps. None at all. Everything else works like it should. Tried swapping out relays in back near area where jack is and also under dash. Checked all fuses. I have to be missing something. Just dont know what

 

[koda2000]

As you saw a spark and now none of the puddle/interior lights work it's extremely likely you blew a fuse. That's what fuses are supposed to do when something shorts out. Check them again.

Refer to you owner's manual to help narrow down which fuse(s) to look at.

 

[Steve Wendling]

OK I will. For the 3rd time!!!

 

[Steve Wendling]

Had to order an owners manual but also checked and found windows don't operate now. I have a Haynes I'll look through.

 

[Steve Wendling]

I pulled every fuse and re-installed. Now everything is working. Must have been a bad connection. No fuses were blown.

 

[Turdle]

Had to order an owners manual but also checked and found windows don't operate now. I have a Haynes I'll look through.

Solved - Fuse and relay locations--2nd generation power distribution box Layout-

 

[nmpeter]

Been searching these forums to no avail. Seems this problem hasn't happened to anyone else? Or maybe i'm just using incorrect search terms. In any case, '98 Explorer XLT 5.0L Awd. My problem is that when I open the door, my interior lights don't come on. I know they work because if I turn the dimmer switch up, they come on. Checked all fuses, none blown, all good. Was thinking it may be the switch activated by the door, but none of the doors turn the light on, and it still chimes with the door open if the key is left in the ignition. Also read that pushing any given button on the keypad should turn them on as well, but it doesn't either. (and yes, the keypad is functional, use it to open and lock the truck due to the alarm and no key fob as of yet.) As previously stated, I tried searching for a couple days, so if it is already posted here somewhere, could someone direct me to it, if not, please help!

Ok, I had the IDENTICAL problem, it started a wild goose chase as my particular fault actually triggered the check engine light! so a few hours and a half a dozen searches later, here I am with the valued info about the location of the super duper secret hidden relay box.

so here's the fun part, then the fix. Mu autel maxi das ( that can program pats keys btw) reported a dead short in the interior light control circuit. there is much bad info around as somebody said the relay was in the pcm, so I was ready to swap that out with an ebay part, but I'm still digging.

when I went to extract myself from under the dash my hand brushed the dimmer switch. LIGHTS CAME ON and operated normally after that. three hours digging around for an oddball problem. Findin g the fuse box was key as it turns out as when I dicked with the dimmer switch I could hear the relay clicking under the dash. Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! I'll get around to clearing the code tomorrow but I expect this affair is now closed. Thanks!

 

[nmpeter]

Been searching these forums to no avail. Seems this problem hasn't happened to anyone else? Or maybe i'm just using incorrect search terms. In any case, '98 Explorer XLT 5.0L Awd. My problem is that when I open the door, my interior lights don't come on. I know they work because if I turn the dimmer switch up, they come on. Checked all fuses, none blown, all good. Was thinking it may be the switch activated by the door, but none of the doors turn the light on, and it still chimes with the door open if the key is left in the ignition. Also read that pushing any given button on the keypad should turn them on as well, but it doesn't either. (and yes, the keypad is functional, use it to open and lock the truck due to the alarm and no key fob as of yet.) As previously stated, I tried searching for a couple days, so if it is already posted here somewhere, could someone direct me to it, if not, please help!

Old and gold....Ok, I had the IDENTICAL problem, it started a wild goose chase as my particular fault actually triggered the check engine light! so a few hours and a half a dozen searches later, here I am with the valued info about the location of the super duper secret hidden relay box.

so here's the fun part, then the fix. Mu autel maxi das ( that can program pats keys btw) reported a dead short in the interior light control circuit. there is much bad info around as somebody said the relay was in the pcm, so I was ready to swap that out with an ebay part, but I'm still digging.

when I went to extract myself from under the dash my hand brushed the dimmer switch. LIGHTS CAME ON and operated normally after that. three hours digging around for an oddball problem. Finding the relay box was key as it turns out as when I dicked with the dimmer switch I could hear the relay clicking under the dash ( I had pulled the box cover) . Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! I'll get around to clearing the cel tomorrow but I expect this affair is now closed. Thanks for the tips everybody. I checked the door to body wiring but as it was all the door, I didn't think it was the case. sniffed around for the relay location, but its difficult to find an accurate help outside the actual factor manual. too many variants.