Map lights coming on.

[D.Reed]

My map lights in my 08 Sport trac started coming on by themselves for some reason. I've got a portable siriusxw that I plug in to the console cig. lighter which has caused the cig. lighter to actually come out when I pull out the Sxm power plug. That may have something to do w/ it. ANY THOUGHTS ?

 

[Tech By Trade]

More likely your ignition switch is on its way out.

 

[k1w1t1m]

It could also be bad seals around the third brake light. I had water entering the third brake light and it caused the interior lights to come on. A new light and seal seem to have stopped the problem.

 

[MRundel]

my 07 does this at times. If I open and re-shut the door "aggressively", the light goes out.

 

[bugsiegel]

Lights

Previous poster is most likely correct about the ignition switch.
to check this start the car at night.
once the interior lights fade off wiggle your ignition key around and see if you can get them to illuminate.
Don't hesitate to fix it. Took me a while to figure it out but it one night it was so bad that everything went off including the engine. I was coasting on the highway with no power anything.

 

[D.Reed]

Previous poster is most likely correct about the ignition switch.
to check this start the car at night.
once the interior lights fade off wiggle your ignition key around and see if you can get them to illuminate.
Don't hesitate to fix it. Took me a while to figure it out but it one night it was so bad that everything went off including the engine. I was coasting on the highway with no power anything.

Thanks to all replies. I'll try that "wiggling the ignition" . I looked at my middle brake light and it doesn't seem to have any moisture or leaking but i'll keep an eye on it too.