Noob here with a question about interior lights.

[shipwreck17]

Hey guys,

I just picked up a 2003 v8 Explorer yesterday and cant quite figure out how the interior lights are designed to work. The first time i turned on my headlamps my dash lights were very dim, too dim to see them at night. When i rotate the dimmer wheel up it clicks once then lets you adjust how bright the dash lights are. Then if i leave it in my chosen position my dome and puddle lamps stay on when i turn off the car. To make them go off I have to move the switch all the way down then and then readjust it the next time I drive. Surely they are not designed like that.

What am I missing??

 

[Curtis]

Sounds fishy to me...

The dimmer switch does rotate up and down.
All the way down will dim your dash lights all the way off
If you bring it up to just before it clicks, they should be at max brightness.

If you go further and click, the dome lights will come on.

Rotate back and stop just after the click. Leave it there.

 

[imp]

Leaving 'em on......

Shipwreck, check this out, too:

Leave a door ajar, so that the interior lights are on, then pretend you forgot, and walked away for the night. The lights will be turned off automatically, after a preset time, which is something like 5 or 10 minutes, in order to prevent a dead battery. Their normal operation will return when the door is closed.

I believe this is explained in the Owners Manual. imp

 

[shipwreck17]

Hmm so I realized that they stay on 10 min after the door is locked. Do they think that a door is still open? I dont get a door ajar message on the message center.

 

[RickM]

I hate leaving the interior lights on when I go into the house. I've been burned before when the Door Ajar issue would rear it's head.

Out of habit I now press the two bottom buttons (together) twice. It locks the car and dims the interior lights to off.

 

[BigRondo]

Shipwreck, did you ever get this rectified? Here is what I think it may be: broken/damaged wire(s) in the boot between the body and the driver's door. A lot of weird electrical problems can be attributed to broken/damaged wire(s) in the boot.

Here is the symptoms I was having:

Interior lights staying on until the battery saver feature turned them off

Driver's side puddle light not working

Door ajar light on dash flashing and "boing" sound when driving at highway speeds (I guess wind was blowing in the door jamb and moving the broken wire)

Alarm would sound upon touching one of the buttons on the exterior keypad

Lights would not flash when setting alarm

When alarm was set the horn would beep twice (indicating a problem)

The thin black wire in the boot was broken. I repaired the wire and everything listed above is operating normal now.

Here is a great thread on removing the door panel, thanks to borland: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249253

Here is a great thread on how to look for & repair broken/damaged wires, thanks to synyster: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=270081

Hope this helps!

 

[shipwreck17]

Thanks for the help. I'll look into that and check the wires.