Door Ajar / Interior Lights

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Mar 28, 2005 | 01:48 PM

Scout

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Door Ajar / Interior Lights

I must have a bad door switch. '98 Expedition. Sometimes the interior courtesy lights go off when doors are closed, usually they stay on and the "door ajar" light stays on. Can't seem to isolate it to one particular door. Wiring diagram in Haynes manual is no help - shows all power to these lights coming from a GEM, does not show where switches are. Where the heck are the door switches/sensors anyway? No more good old grounding button in the door frame, must be integrated into the limiter or latch? I can see from the wiring diagram that the power is controlled, not the ground like older vehicles.

Battery saver relay works (eventually the lights go out after parking the truck), and lights will go out when I hit 15 mph. I assume this is a common problem with this platform, I had a '97 F-150 that did the same thing. Dealer once said something about having to replace all the switches because there was no way to isolate one from another. I can't beleive this is the case.

Mar 28, 2005 | 02:29 PM

Monsta

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Joined: Oct 2001

Posts: 18,308

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From: Washington State

Spray down the door locking mechanisms with WD-40 or a smiliar product.

Do one door at a time, opening and closing it several times afterwards.

This should cure your light problems.

Be sure to to the hatch also.

Mar 28, 2005 | 03:25 PM

PaulC

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Monsta: If ever an issue needed to be posted as a "sticky" at the top of the forum, the lights/door ajar is it. I bet about 200 posts a year are in regard to that issue.

Mar 28, 2005 | 05:47 PM

TEEZLE

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Joined: Jan 2005

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You darn sons of (you know what). I had the exact same problem earlier today at work and now it's fixed!!!!

I had to disconnect the darn battery before I went into work so the battery wouldn't die. What I did was use canned air I had and turned it upside down while i was spraying to make the "frozen liquid" douse the whole lock assembly. Worked like a champ after that without using WD-40!!

Thanks a lot you all!!

Mar 28, 2005 | 08:12 PM

Scout

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Coooool! I figured I would be spending a small fortune replacing GEM's or door lock parts. I've seen plenty of F-150/Expedition's sitting with the cargo/dome lights on and figured this was a common problem.

Thanks!

Mar 29, 2005 | 01:56 PM

TEEZLE

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Well, I had trouble today. Had the same trouble earlier this morning. Going to use some WD-40 now this evening.

Apr 5, 2005 | 05:58 PM

ZUGtastic!!!

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Joined: Feb 2005

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From: St. Joseph, MO

so what exactly will the wd-40 do? The doors are staying shut just the damn lights

I'm having the same problem but ususally the lights will go off after a few minutes. I've been home about an hour now and they're still on. Dont really need a drained battery right now.