Interior and puddle lights stay on and remote start won't work

[myersc]

Hi - I just bought a 2002 Ford Explorer XLT, one owner vehicle with 136km's on it. Here's my problem: according to my manual, to use the remote start press the lock button on the fob and then press the button on the bottom right of the fob and the vehicle should start. It doesn't start and instead all it does is the parking lights flash once and that's it. I think the horn makes a quick sound too.

As well, when I lock the doors, my interior light stays on and the passenger side puddle (courtesy light) under the mirror stays on. The driver puddle light is not on (burnt out bulb maybe?) Anyways, the only way to turn these lights off is to turn the instrument panel light dimmer switch to the off position. (Note: the instrument panel lights do not stay on when I lock the door.)

My door ajar light is not on when the doors are closed, yet I know it works as all dash dummy lights work when I first put the key in the ignition to start it.

Please help with the light issue and the remote start. I have yet to re-program the remote lock number buttons on the outside of the vehicle. I have two key fobs and two keys. Thanks everyone!

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've deleted your other thread since it's the same as this one.

 

[jp450]

deponding on which remote start that was installed... I would suggest that you may have a bad door ajar switch. When a door is open it prevents the remote start from starting the car.

 

[myersc]

Any suggestion on how I test for a bad door ajar switch? My door ajar light isn't on. I've read about spraying WD-40 in the door latch mechanism...does this work???

 

[jp450]

I have the message center so I do not have a door ajar light per se... Maybe some one else may be able to tell if the tail gate is open does this activate the door ajar light? The message center tells me that the tailgate is open. If it does not activate the door ajar light then I would start with the tail gate latches, window and door.

Do you know if you have the "Ford" remote start or another brand?

 

[myersc]

I have the "Ford" remote start system, installed at the dealer I presume. Horn beeps twice when I try start it but the vehicle doesn't start. The more I read, the more I think it is a broken wire in the driver side wiring harness. I've re-programmed the door lock system (buttons on the outside) and I'm able to unlock the doors from the outside but when I hold down the "7/8" and "9/0" buttons the doors don't lock.

 

[Carguy3J]

Any suggestion on how I test for a bad door ajar switch? My door ajar light isn't on. I've read about spraying WD-40 in the door latch mechanism...does this work???

If you've read about this problem on here, have you also seen the posts/discussion about frayed/broken wires in the harness going from the dash into the door(s)? That's another possibility, and WD-40 won't fix that.

deponding on which remote start that was installed... I would suggest that you may have a bad door ajar switch. When a door is open it prevents the remote start from starting the car.

I agree, that's a likely suspect, or the broken wire.

EDIT: "Myersc": you're last post above wasn't there when I started typing this. Based on the refusal to lock to with the door keypad, I'm also suspicous of the door handle spring; also a common issue. Try holding the outside handle all the way "down" while you push the 7/8 + 9/0. If it works now, than you know that the "return" springs on the door handle aren't working any more.

 

[jp450]

Another thought is that the starter may be in "service" mode. Deponding on which starter you have it is easy to inadvertantly (sp) put the starter into this mode which prevents the remote starter from working.

My wife did this once and it took us a while to figure it out... She has the starter fob with the numbers on it along with lock, unlock, start and panic. By presing a number button while the car is running, I think the "1" button, it puts the starter into service mode. To return the starter to normal, while the engine is running press the "1" button again. The "1" button and the blue start button are too close together and when you press the "Start" button to keep the car running, say when you are running into the store, you accidently press the "1" button, putting the system into "Service" mode.

Now that I have typed all this you probably have the other one without the numbers. If this is the case there should be a button, under the drivers side dash for example, that does the same thing. Installers like to put them in diffrent places. Check the manual that came with the starter if you have it. If not I beleave it is online. Maybe the light issue is another problem all together.

The above is just a random thought that poped into my head while playing with my daughter.