interior lights wont come on

[flyanbrian]

06 EB 4.0. got in it this morning and my interior lights don't come on and my dimmer switch wont adjust brightness of dash lights. If I mess with dimmer switch I hear a click and the interior lights come on and stay on. wondering if this is a relay issue? anyone had this before?

 

[bobditts]

Have you checked the fuses already?

 

[flyanbrian]

Yes, so far I've determined it's in the rheostat switch, but tonight I checked and the lights now work, weird but going to put a new switch in it anyhow. Earlier today when I rolled the wheel the lights would come on and go off so thinking it's in the switch

 

[flyanbrian]

so i thought it was the dimmer switch(rheostat) but i replaced that yesterday and now I still can't brighten or dim my instrument lights and I have to turn it all the way to right for my interior lights to come on. wondering if I could have got a bad switch or its a relay somewhere?

 

[Butch-Explorer]

Mine does that but its a timer for the lights so not to run down the battery if left on. To reset close all doors and cycle ignition switch should work afterwards.

 

[flyanbrian]

you mean like turning it off and back on again? I have drove it a few times since fixing that switch and its still the same. I have also looked at the fuse to make sure that wasn't it.

 

[Butch-Explorer]

Its

you mean like turning it off and back on again? I have drove it a few times since fixing that switch and its still the same. I have also looked at the fuse to make sure that wasn't it.

some kinda

you mean like turning it off and back on again? I have drove it a few times since fixing that switch and its still the same. I have also looked at the fuse to make sure that wasn't it.

Its some kinda of timer because if I leave a rear door open too long I can't turn my interior lights back on until I open and closes doors and cycle my switch my vehicle is fully stock 2006 Limited.

 

[tripplec]

Thats normal for lots of vehicles timing out after a long period. close and open the door is the only way to get them to stay other that rotating the dash dimmer to full brightness to where it clicks, then it should stay on.

 

[flyanbrian]

yes for me I have to turn it all the way to full for my lights to come on, other wise when I open the door they do not come on and I can not adjust my panel brightness

 

[tripplec]

Rusty door switched will cause that problem (is it all th doors doing the same). Pull the switch out and see if its the contact rusted. They typically get swtich to ground. Easy to verify once you pull out a door switch.

 

[flyanbrian]

yes all doors and the hatch when open will not trigger the lights. I can turn 3rd row light on with switch and as I said turn dimmer nob all the way to right and they all come on.

 

[tripplec]

you say you can't adjust your panel brightness.
So you have no dash backlight at night? If so you have a dead circuit somewhere or its tied to the headlight switch which typically feed those lights.

I don't have a schematic of these vehicles. Time to start and list what don't work as well with headlight or parking light on the dash lights come on and also adjustable via the reostat knob.

 

[flyanbrian]

no the dash lights work, but are pretty dim, i can see my speed and all that I just can't adjust the brightness of them, and then courtesy lights don't come on when any of the doors are open. my puddle lights work(in my visors) and I can turn the dimmer switch all the way to right to cut lights on

 

[azpima67]

Not sure this helps but: I have a 10 EB. In two incidents over a long peiod of time, the dimmer wheel had not effect on dimming. Best I could identify as a causing condition is that it occurred after a rain. Last time it occurred as 3-4 months ago. Maybe living is So. AZ where rain is infrequent is keeps this from occurring more frequently!

 

[flyanbrian]

just a quick update, not sure how much it matters but apparently the part I got is for an 07 expedition and not an 06 explorer so trying to track down the correct part at the moment....

 

[flyanbrian]

got the correct part yesterday and it all seems to be working now, thanks all who chimed in.

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

got the correct part yesterday and it all seems to be working now, thanks all who chimed in.

I know the last post prior is well over two years old at this point, but does anyone have the part number for the cluster dimmer switch?

 

[Cannella498]

no the dash lights work, but are pretty dim, i can see my speed and all that I just can't adjust the brightness of them, and then courtesy lights don't come on when any of the doors are open. my puddle lights work(in my visors) and I can turn the dimmer switch all the way to right to cut lights on

Hi FlyinBrian...I have the exact same problem in my 2007 Explorer. What switch did you purchase.?

 

[azpima67]

Correction to my previous post. I finally figured out that if a door is left ajar for some period of time the lighting system goes into default mode. The dimmer doesn't work & the dash goes to a somewhat dim level. Also the dome & puddle lights don't come on and then shut off a few minutes after opening and closing the door. My wife many times didn't close her door fully and this triggered the default mode. I found that I had to start and stop the engine down a couple of times with the doors fully closed to reset the system to normal operation.

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

Yeah I put a new switch in mine (once I got the correct part, I too received and Expedition switch and had to exchange it LOL)

For me, once the new part was in, it didnt make a change. I had to disco the battery a couple days later for somethin' or other, and when I hooked it back up the switch and interior lights all functioned as intended. Might try that too if the issue persists after a new dimmer switch install..