Odd problem with interior lights.

[KG4RRX]

This is on a 2000 Explorer.

It started earlier this week. My dimmer switch would not work on my interior lights. They would light up, they just would not go dim and I wouldn't have any instrument panel lights, either. Now, when I turn my headlights on, my interior lights go off but the instrument panel lights up. I also lose power to my radio. I can hear a clicking from under the dash somewhere, I assume it is a relay that might be going bad? Any ideas on where this relay is or if that is even the problem?

 

[budwich]

It appears that you are having problems with the park lamp relay. The dimmer actions are related to your headlight switch in a "round about way" as your interior lights dim based on "overall brightness of the environrment". If you are in daylight, your interiors should be bright to "counteract" the brightness well at night ... when you would normally turn on your headlights..., your interior lights would dim because its dark.