Interior light problem

[TOMANDPAT]

I bought my daughter a 2000 Explorer XLT. After fixing the mechanical problems and getting it inspected, I'm trying to take care of the nuisance issues. Todays' problem is interior and puddle lights. They don't come on when opening the doors or using the remote to unlock the doors. They will come on with the switch on the dash. The fuse is good, so I'm thinking it's a relay. The problem is,I can't find the relay. The owners manual doesn't have it listed in the power distribution box under the hood, but I looked in the other power distribution box under the air filter box and found four relays, but I don't know what they're for. I've searched, to no avail. Does anyone know what these relays are, or where I could find the interior lamp relay. Any help would be appreciated.
Tom

 

[swetrid]

Does it happen with just 1 door or all doors?

 

[TOMANDPAT]

It's all the doors, and the remote, that's why I figured it was the relay

 

[D Hook]

Anyone know the solution to this?

I went through the car wash this morning (first time since I bought it last month) and tonight I noticed I have no puddle lights when I use the remote to unlock; no dome lights either. And the theft light on the instrument panel keeps flashing until I start the truck.

'02 XLT.

I'm doing a search right now but if anyone knows of the fix, please post it up.

Thanks!

 

[BigRondo]

D Hook, check your other post: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298909

 

[D Hook]

UPDATE:

1. Checked the operation of the dome and puddle lights by using the roll-up switch by the headlights to see if the dome and puddle lights would come on. They did. But still wouldn't light by opening the door, as they should.

2. Pulled the fuse to check it, even though it seemed that if the fuse was blown, I wouldn't have any dome or puddle lights. After pulling the fuse, I had no dome or puddle lights. Expected.

3. The fuse was good.

4. Reinserted the fuse. I could hear a relay clicking as I put it in.

5. Viola! They now work as they should. They come on when using the key fob to open the doors and go off when using the key fob to lock them. Close the door and they go off after the built in delay tells them to.


So not sure what got reset when I pulled and reinserted the fuse but they're back to normal. Hope this helps anyone else who has this problem.

Thanks to all who chimed in.

 

[TOMANDPAT]

Got mine fixed too!

So, my daughter finally found time for me to check this out, I laid on my back under the dash, looked up, and saw a vacant space where a relay was supposed to be. I pulled a neighboring relay, put it in that spot, and viola!, the dome lights came on. Closed the door, and they went off. Went to O'Reilly's and got a new relay, and everything works as it should. Apparently the PO snatched the relay to get something else to work

 

[D Hook]

Two down....couple million to go. Glad you got it going.

Not to comfy finding that panel, is it? Was the relay tough to access? I haven't checked that out yet but I might just get one. Do you have the O'reillys part number by chance?

 

[BigRondo]

Glad you got it fixed! :biggthump

 

[TOMANDPAT]

I just took the OE relay that I swappped out and they matched it up. The O'Reilly pt # is BWD R3146. The relay is up high under the dash,but not hard to acess. On my '98, it's got a cover on it, but on the 2000, it didn't. The enclosure is black, about 5 inches long, and 1 inch wide. Easy to find
Tom

 

[D Hook]

Found it on their website and will be picking one up.

Thanks!