Interior lights turning on
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Interior lights turning on
All of the interior lights on my '94 Bronco mysteriously turn on when parked. Doesn't happen all the time. Only way to turn them off is starting the Bronco up and then shutting it down. Have disconnected the battery over-night and the problem when away for a couple of weeks. Drove in the rain today and same problem all over again. Need some help as to where to get started finding the problem 
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From: Washington
There was a thread awhile back concerning this on 94' F250's. It said sometimes one of the mounting screws on the dome light is in to far and it grounds out on the roof. #2, Bad interior light switch on one or both door posts. Is it possible that your doors are not closed completely or needs adjusting?
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
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"Pony Power"
Appreciate the post. I forgot to mention that I have had a Viper alarm system for quite a few years. Never had any problems with it. Is there any possibility that any of the wiring for the alarm system would impact this problem? Are there any shared wires or connections? I have sprayed the door switches (small button like switches on the door jam that depress when door is closed) but problem still persists. Dome light screws look fine and are not grounding out. Any other suggestions???
Appreciate the post. I forgot to mention that I have had a Viper alarm system for quite a few years. Never had any problems with it. Is there any possibility that any of the wiring for the alarm system would impact this problem? Are there any shared wires or connections? I have sprayed the door switches (small button like switches on the door jam that depress when door is closed) but problem still persists. Dome light screws look fine and are not grounding out. Any other suggestions???
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From: Black Hills South Dakota
Spraying contact cleaner on the outside of a switch usually won't get past dust seals to the contacts where the problem is. For best results, you have to find an opening into the switch from the rear, spray and then work the switch.
-Smoky
-Smoky
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From: Virginia
I went here
http://www.directed.com/guides/ogs.asp
and read some of the guides to the alarm systems. I don't know which model you have, but I read the 300+ model and it has an automatic arming feature. It will arm itself in 30 seconds if the key is off and it "sees you" open the door. This is a clue that it is probably hooked into the dome light switch or circuit, since this is probably how it knows you have opened the door.
http://www.directed.com/guides/ogs.asp
and read some of the guides to the alarm systems. I don't know which model you have, but I read the 300+ model and it has an automatic arming feature. It will arm itself in 30 seconds if the key is off and it "sees you" open the door. This is a clue that it is probably hooked into the dome light switch or circuit, since this is probably how it knows you have opened the door.
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"Franklin 2" Had disconnected the auto alarming feature some years ago. It was driving me crazy when I stopped for gas or anything in which you turn the Bronco off. Is this a particular fuse for just the dome light, map light, lights at base of doors and exterior cargo lamp. I pulled the fuse box cover and pulled #8, but it didn't turn any of the interior lights off. Any other fuse that would impact these interior lights. Thought i could pull a fuse and not having to keep disconnecting the battery until I can get it fixed. Appreciate your post also "SmokyOlFord". Am wondering if it is the headlamp switch that has gone bad, keeping the interior lights turned on.
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Franklin2: In my fuse panel, '94 Bronco, the #7 fuse is designated for turn lamps;rear window defroster. My #8 is for the circuit that impacts the courtesy/dome/cargo lamps; electric outside mirror, radio/clock memory, speedometer memory. You would think when #8 is removed, the lights would go off, however, they still remain on. I know there are fuses in the power distribution box under the hood, but did not think any of those fuses who have anything to do with the dome/courtesy lights. Any more thoughts??
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Do the dome lights ever act normal? If so, does fuse #8 kill them when they act normal(open the door), but does not kill them when they are messing up? This would be a big clue that they are getting power from somewhere else.
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Franklin2: I never had reason to remove fuse #8 when interior lights were operating normal so I am unable to determine if its absense would kill the dome light. I think you are accurate the power is coming from somewhere also. Yesterday, we got caught in an usually heavy rain in Tampa and pulled into a parking lot to ride it out. When parked, my alarm system made a couple of chirps, like it wanted to come on. Never had that happen before. Later yesterday evening, upon arriving home and putting the Bronco in the garage, I had to go out to the garage and noticed the interior lights had come on. Could the alarm system be the source of the unknown power source. Never have had this happen in the 11 years that I have owned the Bronco. Wondering if the wet conditions have found a bare wire somewhere and created a short. The thing is that the truck has dried out in the sun today and still the problem exists. Presently sitting in the garage with the negative cable removed from the battery. Greatly appreciate your continuing to post in helping me narrow this problem down.
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Even though you disabled the automatic arming system, I bet it's still hooked up to the dome lights. The problem is I am not too familar with alarm installations, so I don't know where they would commonly hook into the door switch wiring. I don't know if you could kill the power to the alarm box to fix the problem, or if this would cause more problems.
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Franklin2: Re-attached the negative battery cable this morning and the interior lights are back to normal. As I had mentioned, got caught in a heck of a rain on Sunday. Took until this morning I guess to dry out . Have been watching it all day, and the interior lights are working normally. I guess I now know the problem is caused by moisture. Now I have to determine what is getting wet, causing the lights to stay on. You have been a great help. Any ideas where I should look first. Sprayed inside the door latches with silicone, keyways, etc. Any other suggestions are always appreciated. Thanks Again.
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