Interior Lights Staying On

[dsturch1]

Alright guys, well I have this issue with my interior lights staying on in my truck. I checked all of the fuses, and nothing is blown. The door open light is not on, however all of the lights stay on until they time out after about 45 minutes or so. When I lock the truck with the keyless entry the lights do not go off either. I checked all of the doors and made sure they were all closed, as well as made sure there was nothing blocking the door from closing at all. Is this a common problem with Explorers? Thanks in advance!

 

[janolsson]

Check the dimmer wheel for the dash lights. It clicks all the way in one direction to turn the interior lights on and clicks all the way in the other direction to disable them.

 

[ahodges]

If all is closed and the dimmer switch is in the right place (not in the full on position) then one of the internal door adjar sensors is probably broke. Mine was doing this when I first got it and it was the sensor in the drivers door. I just super glued it back together and it was been fine for 6 years now..

 

[dsturch1]

Alright I will have to take a look at the door sensors - obviously my dimmer switch isnt all the way up so my lights stay on, well I guess to some that may not be so obvious lol - but anywho, the lights are not clicked on by the dimmer switch. Where are those sensors located at? Is it possible that could be broken even though the door ajar light isnt lit?

 

[ahodges]

Yeah my door ajar light wasn't on. Maybe the switch/sensor that I'm talking about isn't for the door ajar. The one I'm talking about is in the door, at the bottom and towards the back of the truck.. thats the best I can explain it.. It's plastic and is part of the mechanism connected to the door handle.

 

[dsturch1]

Yeah my door ajar light wasn't on. Maybe the switch/sensor that I'm talking about isn't for the door ajar. The one I'm talking about is in the door, at the bottom and towards the back of the truck.. thats the best I can explain it.. It's plastic and is part of the mechanism connected to the door handle.

Yeah I will have to check it out then - I am not sure which one would possibly be broken or messed up, but its got to be one of the sensors. I can not imagine what else it would be. The lights go off as soon as I drive for about 10 yards and then they time out if I park the truck and lock it after about an hour. I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks again...

 

[dsturch1]

Yeah my door ajar light wasn't on. Maybe the switch/sensor that I'm talking about isn't for the door ajar. The one I'm talking about is in the door, at the bottom and towards the back of the truck.. thats the best I can explain it.. It's plastic and is part of the mechanism connected to the door handle.

Since you have been so much help thus far, I haven't gotten to fixing this yet but before I do maybe you can confirm or deny my thoughts. I was thinking about it - would it be reasonable to assume that since this started my rear wiper is not going on either and thus to assume that the door sensor in the back door would most likely be what the issue would be?

 

[ragajungle]

DSTurch,
Same problem here. All lights stay on - had to remove all the bulbs. AND rear wiper is a no go too. hhhhmmmmmm.

 

[ahodges]

Since you have been so much help thus far, I haven't gotten to fixing this yet but before I do maybe you can confirm or deny my thoughts. I was thinking about it - would it be reasonable to assume that since this started my rear wiper is not going on either and thus to assume that the door sensor in the back door would most likely be what the issue would be?

yeah if your rear wiper isnt working then it is most definately the switch on the glass. If it senses that the glass isn't shut, or it doesn't think the glass is shut it will not let the wiper turn on. I'm not positive on how to get at that switch. There is a little access cover right on top of the latch that you can try to spray some WD-40 in for the glass switch. But if you have a broken wire the only way to fix that as far as i know is to take the plastic door cover off the inside to get at the switch...
There are a couple of write ups on here about this problem, I've seen them before..

EDIT:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190221&highlight=interior+lights

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=273165&highlight=interior+lights+stay

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=248495&highlight=interior+lights+stay