Remove the cover by pulling it off gently with your hands. November 28, 2017 in Ford Focus Club, can any one help with working out why if i have my courtesy light in the central position the lights NEVER goes off even when the car is double locked and 10 mins later. What a dumb feature but you helped me quickly! If this is not the case, it is a sign that one or more components of your cars electric connection are faulty. Therefore, if the light fails to turn off, it suggests that the lights are turned on via one or more of the switches. Now won't start. Alarm goes off. If the car interior light simply won't turn off, then check the switch. If the bulb of the interior light is blown out, it will not turn on. Started 17 hours ago, By Attempted checking both doors and trunk and all are secured. You can turn them off by pressing the buttons attached to them. In this guide, we look at the most probable causes of an interior light fault. The multifunction switch controls all the lights in your vehicle, including the dome light, headlight, and front/rear marker lights. The door-activated switch isnt always the same as the multifunction switch; sometimes, they are separate pieces altogetherif you try turning on one but nothing happens, check to see whether theres another version of this component in your car. Check for continuity from each bulb socket to the ground and from each BCM connector to the ground with an ohmmeter or multimeter set to test resistance (ohms). The dimmer is the button for our case, and when you rotate it in different positions, you will find a way to turn off the light. If you dont have a test light, it may still be possible for you to test whether the bulb is burned out. There could also be an electrical malfunction with a switch. If your ajar door switch is functioning correctly, it should not allow the interior lights to turn on when a door is opened. Ensure all wires are intact and none have been severed or cut. I'm sure happy I shared this even though I was embarrassed with the simple If you replace a blown interior light fuse and it blows again, that means youre dealing with a short circuit. dimmer switch had a notch above the top level. car. Your solution solved my dilemma too Ty Jim, you saved me $50 today. If you want to fix this problem yourself, then all you have to do is find out which part of your wiring system needs fixing and repair it accordingly with some minor electrical work skills that anyone could learn given enough time and patience. Both However, theres also a manual setting. I love the Each one should end at the wiring harness found behind the dashboard. If the switch is in the "door" or "off" position and your interior light still stays on, then you should consult a mechanic. The lights will dim and go off if you turn the ignition to II with all doors shut - does it do this? Way to go Jimmy! I woke up to go to work this morning and there was a strong electrical burnt but still pretty fun to drive. Your cars interior lights are linked in connection to the door of your vehicle, and in some cases, to the trunk. got me an ELM327 and modded it so i can look at the GEM module to see status of things. Here is a more detailed list of the reasons why your car interior lights wont turn off: The interior lights of the car are all connected to the doors. See this post about Ford door switches. If it looks like something has broken or torn off from around or near where you would generally slide your key into, then this may be why your doors wont go completely shut. Started January 11, 2022, By If you have trouble figuring out the wiring yourself or you dont have a service manual you feel comfortable with, you should seek out help from a professional mechanic instead. Checked interior light switch and still wont go off. If you can't find a working one, then you can use an online fit guide to find the correct part number. Yes, leaving the cars interior lights for a long time will make the battery get drained. Multiple switches control the interior lights in your car, and the control system is designed to work automatically, especially with modern cars with sophisticated interior lighting. the way up or all the way down Btw-thx to all of you for the tips on the wacky interior lighting. Jim. CursedBones Thanks for your suggestions; generally the simple answer is If you experience this situation, it is likely caused by any of the following. Door ajar light not lit -> not need to get me a haynes not thought about it for this car yet as not had an issue lol. All you have to do is clamp one end to bare metal somewhere on your car and then touch the probe end to each side of a fuse. Repair any broken or damaged wires as necessary before proceeding with further troubleshooting steps. Now you are making me think that Ford misinterpreted the DRL requirements in the 2012 model which they corrected in 2013+. Glad to When all of your car interior lights stop working at the same time, but other things like the radio still work, thats a good hint that the root cause is something that all of the lights share in common. If the car's interior lights don't go off after you close the vehicle doors, then they can be caused by: The front hood is not properly latched; Adjusting the dimmer switch to the furthest position; Failing to close the doors fully; Faulty door ajar switch on the car's doors; When the button for turning off the interior is damaged or missing. For this reason, the most common reason that the lights are on has to do with an open door or trunk. Are you skeptical about whether the situation may endanger your car or any of its components? The following are methods of fixing the problem if your cars interior lights wont turn off. set th light to the door setting, it often just wont go off at all, just stays on no matter what I had recently cleaned my If the reading doesnt change, then the switch is bad. All Rights Reserved. Find your perfect car with Edmunds expert reviews, car comparisons, and pricing tools. If the test light illuminates, that means the bulb is bad. Check the bulbs: If all of the bulbs in your car are burned . solution. not. Only have car key Open the rear hatch and close again making sure Typically, theres a setting on the left side of the wheel that allows you to manually turn on the interior lights. Do car interior lights turn off automatically? 'feature'. The lights turn ON when you open the doors or the trunk, and they turn OFF when you close them. Rxmechanic.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Open the hatch, the part on the lift gate that hooks even decided to just pull the fuse when I got home. Remember: A failing alternator can harm your battery, so acting quickly can prevent one repair job from becoming two. This is the most common reason for inside car lights not turning off and can be caused by different problems like a short circuit, faulty wires, or even a broken switch. Depending on how much wiring needs to be replaced, this fix can get a little expensive. I remember this These switches are often covered by a rubber boot that you can pry off with a flat blade screwdriver. EVs have been around a long time but are quickly gaining speed in the automotive industry. electronic timing circuit. If all the other interior lights are working fine and only one of them doesn't turn on, check for a burned-out bulb. NQbbe If your car has map lights in the sun visors or lights located in the doors, then its usually a safe bet that youll find the short in one of those circuits. Your cars dome light is operated via multiple switches. If all your doors are closed and you still have a few lights on, they were probably turned on manually. i have messed around and once it started working. Dimmer light that I probably accidentally switch with my knee. The interior lights of the most recent vehicles are automatic. Some day I'm going to check out a new car and 2009 Ford Focus Coupe interior lights won't go off. If it is like my daughters 2014 a dimmer switch per se, but 2 buttons beside the headlamp knob. 2023 CarGurus, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Depending on how your interior lights are wired, and the types of switches you have, you may need to push a different combination of buttons to get your interior lights to come on. I am a specialist and certified automotive mechanic (Both Heavy Commercial and Private Cars). Don't Panic! Thanks to all and Merry Christmas too! Any ideas?<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< DefinitelyCaligula 8 yr. ago was the rear window latch that was not closed. Based on the car model and electric configuration, you will have to try different button combinations to solve your issue. (door) position all three lights are on and stay on but shouldn't if I disconnected my dimmer looks like my door sensors are okay but the main thing i found is theres a control for courtesy light which is off yet the lights are on. interior lights on. The last point of failure that can affect all of your interior lights at the same time is a bad door switch. window got out with car still running then reached in and turned off also had a look iv got no footwell bulb holders :( next thing to sort after this courtesy light is solved. If you need help figuring out how to fix your inside car lights, you can call professional help. Solved my son's problem too! This will be ground when the GEM switches the bulb on but when it switches it off it will either be open-circuit, in which case you'll read 12V via the bulb, or it might go to 12V if there's a pull-up in the GEM. If you dont feel the click after this action, the light doesnt go off, and the switch on the door is likely faulty. . thanks mjt great help gives me something to work on. Lol, 4 years later and we are all guilty of the same act. However, if your battery is difficult to access, or youre concerned about safety, have your local NAPA AutoCare install it for you. cluster of 3 lights. An increasingly dim interior light could mean a couple of things: battery or alternator problems. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Jim. The guy below might have hit it on the head, the dimmer switch for your cluster lights also can turn on the dome lights in certain vehicles if you adjust it past the detent at the brightest setting. I felt I had a little 'egg on my face' and was reluctant to do so. Therefore, it is expected that the battery would power the lights for about 50 to 200 hours. Posted September 18, 2018. Therefore, if you find out that the setting is at its highest level, change it to fix this challenge. For more information on car interior light problems, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA Auto Parts store. Sometimes, the wiring system in an automobile can get damaged by other factors such as weather conditions or wear-and-tear over time which may cause problems with electrical circuits further down along those same lines. jimmy could you send me a copy of the publication? seems okay it also happens on both rear and front courtesy lights. Interior lights wont shut off when doors are closed. The three Quote Enlightx Budding Enthusiast 10 Name: Luke Ford Model: Focus Mk2 Zetec S Ford Year: 2010 It had me going for a little Anything else I If you have all of your interior lights, but they wont turn off, then it is possible that the BCM (Body Control Module) needs replacement. If you cant find a solution, consider getting an expert opinion from a mechanic specializing in Ford vehicles. One contributor, Guy Outland, sent me a copy of a The Control Module is located under the dash on the drivers side and is a small black box with a green light. people you would help. Some i have seen this issue before ?? i was thinking that 12v was the for the always on position, the other 12 V was for the variable position (middle), and ground for ground. Started February 20, By Now I can sleep. Had to pull bulbs out. I had off then open the door and on then off i powered on and off car and wasn't working again. This means it'll be controlled by a semiconductor, probably pulse-width modulated, in the GEM. If you see any signs of damage, you should replace the dimmer switch using new parts from an auto part store near you. Started Wednesday at 06:15 PM, By If you have issues with your interior lights not turning off, try the above steps to troubleshoot the problem. of the other positions and see if the lights go out #1. If this happens, then these problems will show up first as an issue with turning off/on before anything else does. Zopres said: I think you are mixing up between tail lights "coming on" and "always on". This is the most straightforward issue to identify as well as fix. Mine For instance, a dome light may have a manual switch at the light, even though it can also be switched on and off, or dimmed, by a switch on the dash. Every model contains some sort of dome light switch. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies. It depends on the kind of vehicle, make and model. Ensure that both ends have continuitythat means no resistancebefore reattaching them together for both ends of this circuit loop, between two separate points on opposite sides of where current enters/exits its path within such paths as those located inside vehicles electrical systems. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. gate open!!!). 2010 ford focus About a week ago my radio / clock quit. Some vehicles have a switch on the dashboard and another on the light itself. position switch. However, if your cars interior lights stay on while driving, it could be that you manually turned it ON with the switch next to it. overhead cabin light since the 70's. It is not an issue for you to bother yourself about. Adjust the light switch Firstly, it is easy to turn ON the lights using the switch close to the light on the roof of your car or the dashboard and forget to turn it OFF. I was going by the diagram in the Haynes manual so maybe one has to treat that with a bit of circumspection. If you can test both 12V supplies whilst you do this it may help. I have always hated the Focus interior lighting (2012 hatchback with ~75K miles). I'm glad I posted the 5. Jim Christensen, Jimmy you the man. Started February 9, By But if the lights wont turn off, it presents security issues to the car and drains your battery. But if there is continuity between two points in your electrical system, then it means that something else has been wired incorrectly or incorrectly connected by accident. I have the hole, but no harness. Your first step is to look at the dome light switch. iPhone v. Android: Which Is Best For You. Thank you!! An open door will cause the light to remain on when it shouldnt. Alternatively, you can open the doors and check their switches. If that doesn't work you'll have to replace the switch. With the dimmer in different positions or the dash-mounted interior light button in different positions, you can try operating your dome light, map light, or other interior lights with their individual switches.