puddle lamps can not be turned off

[whburling]

Hi,

I need help helping another person. We are both in Canada as guests. The guy who needs help has a 2004 Ford Explorer whose puddle lamps remain on with closed doors, thus draining the vehicle battery.

My goal is to diagnose this problem so that I maximize the chances he can get home.

As a stop gap measure, I removed both bulbs, and hooked up a battery charger (which does not have any meter). I was astonished that the bulbs were not of the same size and that the socket of the larger bulb looked slightly burned. Perhaps that might be a hint of why the problem occured. (maybe the bulb]
drew too much current and hence burned relay contacts out.

I did find on some internet group a circuit diagram that was supposedly of a 2004 explorer. The terminology was "left exterior rear view mirror" and "right exterior rear view mirror" (as opposed to "puddle" yet the diagram did show a "puddle lamp relay". If i could find that relay I could determine if it had failed in a closed mode.\

can anyone help me with ideas how I might help this individual. Maybe point me to a circuit diagram that I can download and print. maybe literature that might show me exactly where the possible failed components might be (ie: puddle lamp relay and dimmer module ).

Thank you in advance.
bil (a prius owner)

 

[koda2000]

Free wiring diagrams here in the Auto Repair Reference Section

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User ID = s8921298
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[CDW6212R]

The puddle lights are part of the interior lights circuit. If the interior lights stay on with the doors shut, then the door sensors(in the latches themselves)(one or more) are not sensing the door(s) being shut fully.

The puddle lights should be on or off just like the interior lights, check that first. Check the door strikers on each door jamb, the bushings wear out and fall off over 20 years. The wrong sized bushings(what parts stores sell) will be too large, and they keep the door latch open partially(sensor does not recognize the door as being shut). The only way to buy the door striker bushings is to get the whole striker($6-10 each). Other people have made bushings themselves, the best seems to be the PEX tubing for plumbing, cut down slightly to size.