How to: Interior lights on - Door Ajar

If you have handle controlled interior lights and they are always staying on and you have the door ajar light on, you are going to love this fix.. It's an easy and a cheap fix, and is the way to perform your maintenance of this switch...

Put your fuse and bulbs back in, roll your windows up and get a can of wd40 with the straw...start with your drivers door...from the outside pull the handle up and where the handle goes thru the door, squirt a little wd40 in both those slits...open the door and just work the outside handle a few times...go to the passenger door and do the same....thats all there is to it...good luck...

Update

...If you have an X, You may also need to wd40 your rear hatch latches and If this does not fix your problem and this is a normal fix, you may have some other issues so please read post #8,#12, and 13 of this thread...

...Maybe a broken wire could also be your problem??
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223988

 

[Tbars4]

here you go, good luck...

 

[awdrocks]

hehe... Doing that tomorrow. I have that problem. I tried adjusting my doors and nada.

 

[Tbars4]

....:scratch: so did it work???

 

[Eric McCooeye]

"Door ajar"

THANKS tbars4!
That fixed the "Door ajar" problem.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for posting this information. It should save many people a lot of time.

 

[Eric McCooeye]

Hi Brooklyn,
I am glad to have the "Door ajar" light off and my interior lights working properly but I still have the no shifting into low 4x4.

I can get a second hand GEM for about $100. If it comes from an Ranger that has keyless entry will I have to reprogram the GEM?

Much thanks,
Eric

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check this link: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134477

 

[Tbars4]

...aw shucks, i'm just passing it along as i too had this problem and got help from several people and it works like a charm...as a matter of fact, it's been a good six months and my truck is my daily driver and haven't had a problem since...but it was driving me nuts, lol...

 

[DMacLennan14]

kinda funny, i used to have a 1998 taurus and had the same problem. i read about that same fix on a forum about taurus's.

 

[chrisbeach82]

didnt work on my 02 xlt

 

[Tbars4]

...it sounds like you have a more complicated problem than the standard fix would resolve...i would look into tracing your wiring, look for plugs not plugged in, wire taps, cut wires and loose grounds... also, be sure to see if your gem module is good...good luck...

 

[Tbars4]

..here is a link if this does not fix your problem...thanks rrgone for the heads up on finding this link...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157065&highlight=door+ajar+gem

 

[chrisbeach82]

well i messed with it some more and its fixed! i think my trouble-some latch was the back cargo door.

 

[Tbars4]

...chrisbeach82...if you update your signature with yr/make/model it will be easier to help you...
...the rear cargo door drivers side latch is where the switch is for that door only...

 

[Charlie]

I pulled out my lightbulbs, but I am happier with them never coming on anyway. So, I am just going to leave them out. I think I might try this anyway though, just so it is fixed.

 

[G03SVT]

Thank you very much. I just picked up an 02 this weekend and not a day later I was having this problem and the WD40 worked like a charm.

 

[Tbars4]

...cool, this place is just loaded with helpful info...

 

[elmo4fun]

ive got my problem narrowed down to the passenger door, but nothing seems to work, is there a way i can bypass that switch?

 

[Tbars4]

...elmo4fun...have you tried this on all your latches???