Interior lights do not shut off after the car is parked and other little issues

235

Asked by Loree Oct 18, 2013 at 05:31 PM about the Ford Explorer

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

take the key out and the cargo and ceiling light stay on also when I put the key in
it starts alarming and doesn't stop unless I Fonz the steering column and even
then it starts back alarming me also I failed smog because my Check engine
light isn't coming on when I turn the car on what else simple I can check could
cause these problems I think they are all symptoms of a larger issue

23 Answers

199,735

Check door ajar switches on each of the doors. Sounds like you got one not working properly. Unplug door switches one at a time till lights go out.

53 people found this helpful.
235

thank you I willtry that right now I'm taking the fuse for the lights and radio out and I didn't want to forget and have no battery power

16 people found this helpful.
73,310

I couldn't see where you listed what year explorer you have. But, for what is is worth, my daughter's '99 had the same problem. The switch which seems to be going bad is inside the door. It use to be the little button down by your foot on older model vehicles which would be depressed when the door is closed. The switch is down (inside the door) by the lock mechanism. Sometimes it sticks and results in the interior lights not being turned off when you close the door. It's probably the drivers side door. Sometimes, and it worked with my daughter's vehicle, it can be fixed with a good dose of WF40 flooded onto the switch mechanism.

30 people found this helpful.
150

Don't know the logic, however sit inside the car and lock the car from inside using the remote. It worked for me twice.

15 people found this helpful.
320

I have a similar problem..when I crank my 04'Explorer th interior lights want go off and dior ajar is showing on my dashboard...SOMETIMES I can slam th drivers door several times and it will go off other times it may not....wat should I do???please help dont wanna go to my truck and find a dead battery...thanks in advance

32 people found this helpful.
73,310

Dark: Open the door to your vehicle and look at the striker on the pillar. The striker is the metal piece screwed into the pillar which actually holds the door closed when shut. There should be a plastic spacer (usually gray) around the post. If it is missing that is the cause of your problem. Check the other door strikers and compare them. On earlier model explorers the plastic insert can only be purchased for the tailgate, the entire striker needs to be replaced on the doors.

18 people found this helpful.
120

My door ajar light stayed on and the interior light would come and go. It wouldn't come out of park one day. Changed the brake light switch and it seems to of fixed it.

12 people found this helpful.
200

I had the same issue on my expedition the door ajar light and all inside lights and running board lights would not go off however all doors and back hatch and back window were also closed. I am still waiting for my local ford company to return my call since they were busy helping customers there so I went to youtube and did a search. I saw this was a common issue among expeditions and the first video I saw suggested WD-40 in the door latches and open and close each door several times. I did this and the 3rd door I tried it on was the issue after spraying the latch and open/closing door twice it did the trick and all inside lights went off. I started my expedition and the door ajar light had also went off.

20 people found this helpful.
80

The first time it happened with my 1999 Explorer, I was staying with people and when I arrived in the afternoon, I didn't notice in the daylight that the interior lights were on. So after dark when it was discovered, I couldn't keep going out to check it, so I pulled every fuse that had to do with lights until the interior lights turned off, so at least I wouldn't have a dead battery. The next day I put all the fuses back and when I started the truck, I saw the door ajar light which I hadn't noticed the night before. What I discovered was that stuff I had in the cargo area would shift (slide back) and cause the sensor to think the door was ajar when it wasn't. So to this day, if I have a door ajar light, I check my cargo first if I have any and push it forward slightly. That usually solves my problem. If that isn't the case, then I open and close every door and the rear hatch (almost slamming them), and last, when I turn the key in the hatch lock and lock the hatch, the running board and interior lights will turn off either at that point or when I activate the door locks with the remote.

8 people found this helpful.
530

Just had this issue on my 2013 Expedition but after trying many of the above I couldn't believe it was just that the dimming switch which dims the lights in the interior, dashboard etc. was set to the fullest level (the kids had been playing around in the car before I got back in) so this was keeping all the lights inside on even after doors were all shut & the car was locked! Just turn the dimmer switch down slightly from the fullest setting and all the lights will go off again.. so easy after an hour of checking everything else!!

53 people found this helpful.
50

WD40 fix worked. (Spray it in the latch) Sometimes while driving the door ajar light goes off, sometimes not.

5 people found this helpful.
80

unplugging the switches wont help who ever said that is a know nothing! these switchws short the 2 wires together when the door is closed therefore you need to jumper the connector to see if the light goes out on each door

8 people found this helpful.
380

Wire harness on driver side of door often has broken grnd wire

3 people found this helpful.
40

My dome lights are staying on and saying I had a door open after I got home I found a plastic sleeve that had fell off the rear striker of the rear hatch. Hope that helps someone they had the same problem

4 people found this helpful.
10

I have a 2002 Ford explorer. On the left rear door,when I open the door the lights goes off and when I closed the door light goes on .I'm going to check door switch LR door. I will let u know the result.

1 people found this helpful.
160

I have 2004 Ford Explorer with similar issues. I have to turn down the dashboard dimmer control all the way off in order to turn off both the interior lights and the passenger-side mirror light (the light below the mirror). Otherwise, the lights stay on indefinitely. I also have a problem with the door ajar indicator remaining lit, but I've simply learned to live with it.

16 people found this helpful.
50

07 mercury mountaineer cabin lights won't go off and drains my battery even when the key is out

5 people found this helpful.
60

Happened to me as well. I was able to turn them off only on the Dash Light (brightness) wheel. Checked all door switches with no luck. Then I got into the vehicle, - sitting on the seat and locked the door from the inside, immediately I noticed on my dash information display "rear hatch glass not latched". Felt kinda foolish, but also relieved that it was not serious. Do not know how that glass hatch became unlatched. Problem fixed.

6 people found this helpful.
140

On my 2006 explorer i buyed the ignition starter switch and problen solved.

13 people found this helpful.
20

Took the WD40/all door latches advice/ 1998 Ford Expedition -it worked. Thanks !!!

2 people found this helpful.
40

I have a 2004 Ford explorer I'm having the same issues but if I turn the dimmer switch for the interior lights all the way off it corrects the problem

4 people found this helpful.
50

Thank You cery much, I sprayed the drivers door latch and opened and closed all the doors including the hatch. It worked !

5 people found this helpful.

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