We have installed after market lighted running boards on a 2003 Explorer. We cannot find any place to wire the running board lights so that they come on when the dome light comes on. There are no lights underneath the dash to tap into. Is there a specific place to hook up this wire?

 

Can you get the kick panel off to get to the doorjamb switch? If so, look at the color of the wires going to the switch. I don't have any diagrams that new, but through the years they seem to be keeping the same colors:

lightgreen/yellow=power from a 15 amp fuse

black/lightblue=feeds the dome light

Get a test light or a meter and if the colors are the same, see if you get a switched voltage on the black/lightblue wire when you push on the switch.

 

There is no door switch that I can find. It must be inside the door itself, and not in the door well. Is there any type of relay that operates the dome light? Since they have a timer of sorts on it, it would seem that there would be a device that controls it, and the remote keyless entry.

 

You're probably right, and I don't know anyway of guessing without a diagram. And factory manuals are getting expensive. But if you plan on keeping the vehicle very long, it may be a good investment.

This place www.helminc.com is the original supplier for Ford manuals. I just looked, and a wiriing diagram is $55.00 for your explorer.

 

I have tapped into Relay R1 in my fuse panel for a connection to my door switch for an aftermarket alarm.
Look in the owners manual for the fuse & Relay layout. On my truck (99 F250 SD Diesel), the above mentioned relay operates the "door ajar" light on the dash and the interior lights (in conjunction with fuse #14) when the door is opened. I pulled the relay, and on the side of it is the schematic of the 5 pins. On mine, pins 1 & 2 provide power & ground. Pin 3 feeds pin 4 with the door closed & when the door opens, Pin 3 feeds pin 5 (pin 4 opens).
There are two ways to hook to the proper pin. You can trace the wire to the back of the fuse panel, which is extremely tough. or what I did was to strip the wire back about 3/8", that needs to be hooked up to the "door open" side of the relay, then flatten the wire (vice twisting), slide it into the appropriate relay socket hole and replug in the relay. The wire will need to be small enough(18 to 22 gage) to ensure that the relay can be fully replugged in. The wire will also need to come out from under the fuse panel cover so try to route it so the cover can be reinstalled...I used a blank relay slot to route the wire. I do reccomend that you install an in-line fuse for the new lights (since they are near water that will be kicked up from your front wheels).
(This beats taking off the door panel).
Make sure you verify the proper relay from your owners manual & if for some reason there is no schematic on the side of the relay, you'll need the wiring diagram. Also, my fuse #14 is a 10 amp fuse, if your new lights will require more than 10 amps (including the interior lights) you may want to install & wire a relay in an empty slot in your fuse panel.....definitely will need the wiring diagram for that.

good luck
Deano