Now that I got my truck back...what is the reason for the 3rd brake light to ALWAYS be on?! I know the wiring under the dash was totally screwed up by the thieves. Don't know if the shop screwed something up when fixing things...my friend told me it has to do with door switches??

EDIT: THE WHITE LIGHTS ON THE SIDES of the 3rd brake light won't shut off...had to unplug the wiring harness for now til I can fix the issue.

 

So, to be clear, the 3rd brake light is NOT on? It's just the cargo lights? Is the inside light on? The cargo lights and the inside dome light are tied together.

You should always tell us what truck you are working on.

 

Cargo, cab, curtsey (door panel) lights all operate on door switches & twist of the headlight ****.

Sometimes the door switches fail & lights stay "on".

 

My '95 F150 5.8l Eddie Bauer 4x4. I'm thinking it might have something to do with the dome light. I lost a screw somewhere inside the cab and can't find it and it was only attached with 2 screws. I replaced my oem chrome one with a plastic tan one that has those elongated bulbs in the middle. The side lights on the dome light were working. But I don't know what kind of bulb fits in the center and so there isn't a bulb in there. I haven't seen one of those before.
The door panel lights work.

 

And if these lights are on all the time make sure your headlight switch is not turned to left to turn them on. Then check your door switches. ( The door switches could be causing your alarm issue)

 

Ok, so are we talking about the little door switches that look like a push button thing that the door hits when it shuts?

 

yes.
the dome light. does it have wires on each end like this?

that is a

Philips 561B2 Dome Light Bulb

 

This is what I removed from it...there are no numbers to indicate what type of bulb it is and it's also blown.

 

The bulb I listed should work.

 

TY very much. Now to find my electrical issue with the 3rd brake light white lights on the sides...how do I find out if the door switches are bad and how would I go about replacing them?? I'm not good with electrical work...

 

Close doors. Cargo light on? Y/N (as well as all other interior lights)

If yes, rotate headlight switch, one way, then other, feel click? Y/N

Test in both positions, cargo light goes off? Y/N

If light stays on, you'll have to pull the cover each side of footwell, to accesses the back side of door jam where switch lives. Choose a door.

Unplug 1 of 2 wires running into switch, light goes off? Y/N If no, do other door.

Replace that switch after testing. Cargo, cab & curtsey lights should go off. If it doesn't, you didn't turn **** to "off" or your switch is melted/bad.

Best I can do without teaching DVOM (digital volt/ohm meter) usage.

 

Thanks. That is easiest way.
I am bouncing between machines and trucks today and could not answer before.

 

TY. I will try all of these and get back to you. I do know that I have tried turning the headlight **** and not getting any clicking noise...and last night, when I was fiddling with the headlight ****, the door panel lights weren't on, YET this morning when I went to get into the truck, they were both on...so I don't have any idea. I unplugged the wiring harness to the 3rd brake light for now, until I can try all of this. I will have to do all of this later this week as work is crazy busy and then I have to get my son from school.

Does any of this have ANYTHING to do with the dome light? Curious because I do not have one installed right now...as I lost one of the screws in the cab somewhere and haven't found it yet. I didn't want to put the one I bought in without all of the screws.

 

Nope if the dome light is out the others should still work.
my bet is a bad door switch, bad dimmer in the headlight switch, or a combination of both.
If you unplug both door switches and the lights are still on, unplug the headlight switch. The lights should then go out. If they do, it is bad dimmer in the headlight switch.
If they go ot after unplugging the door switches, it is bad door switch and you will have to figure out which one is bad.

 

Ok, I wasn't sure.

The shop who fixed my truck told me they tried putting in a bulb into the old dome light and it popped a 15 amp fuse #8...which controls a bunch of stuff. They wanted like $175 to replace it and I told them no I would replace it. well, I had no idea that fuse controls the trans OD OFF...When I went to pick up my truck, the OD OFF light was blinking and wouldn't go over 60 in 3rd gear. It was apparently in limp mode and I had no clue what was going on until I looked up that fuse...a bunch of stuff didn't work either. Power mirror switches, unlock on the power door locks, the trans OD OFF...I replace that fuse and Bam....everything was working again. Shop did not tell me the fuse controlled all of this except for the speedometer and odometer weren't working, he did tell me that much. Anyway...reason why I asked if the dome light could be causing any of these new issues is due to the fact that the old dome light blew that 15 amp #8 fuse...

There is so much crappy wiring under the dash that I have no clue what goes to what...they did the best they could to fix my truck...but it is far from perfect.

Here is what under my dash looks like right now:








My radio was working before the truck was stolen. Now it isn't.