Ok, so new-to-me 2008 XLT Escape (no sliding roof) will not light either overhead fixture when the doors (any of them) are open.

Switches are both set to "Door."
Lamps light when switched to On; extinguish when Off.
Cluster rheostat not all the way up, nor in either detent.
Door Ajar will light for any of the doors open.

Noticed this morning that pressing up (vertical direction) will illuminate the front dome fixture if a door is open (and not if all closed).

By inference, I'll guess that means that Fuse 9 is good, the door latched switches are good, and that burned out lamps are not the issue.

I've just realized I've not checked the rheostat to see if I can roll that into Dome Lights = On mode, that will want checking over lunch.

One other odd thing is that the radio stays on after turning the key to Off (and removing the key), right up until the door is unlatched, then it goes off. This latter makes me wonder if some jackleg had added underbody or cabin illumination, then removed that before trade-in.

Anyone know if the cargo light is in sequence with the dome light? If it's a switch problem with the dome light, I can just replace the thing. But, I'd rather not throw $60 at this and not get a result.

All help will be appreciated (including wise-donkey guesses/suggestions).

 

Ok, checked at lunch--rheostat will not turn on domes lights. Odd.

 

I would bet that the SJB - Smart Junction Box - which does the 'keep the windows & radio powered on after the key is OFF' function, along with the 'fade to black' of the courtesy lights - is not working correctly.
Check your owners manual to see if there is some 'programming' that can be done. I know it can re-program the automatic door lock after setting in motion feature, maybe the power dealy and courtesy lights are also programmable.
tom

 

SJB starting to seem a likely suspect.

Was cleaning up after the dealership's detailer and discovered that the labeled DOOR position on the cargo area dome is, in fact, the OFF; and the OFF is actually DOOR.

Since this is a base-level XLT, the "programming" instructions leave a bit to be desired in the manual. Very much a case of "Turn key to ON position, and adjust the control. Turn key to OFF." Huh?

Oh well, onward.