Alright guys, old problem new twist...

The notorious door ajar lamp won't shut off. I've isolated it to the passenger side main door

(the overhead map lights will not come on unless you open the DRIVER side door before flipping the switch, but if you open the passenger door then try to flip the switch nothing happens. This indicates to me the passenger side is the one with the defective sensor/ switch)

However I have bathed anything that looks remotely like it could be the switch with at least 2 cans of WD-40 and followed the normal procedure in old forums.

So to cover my bases I wanted to make sure the switch is actually located in my rear supercab door where the main door latches (looks like a little black finger stickin out)

Secondly, if I replace the switch which I'm pretty sure is what's needed, the previous owner de-activated my dome lamp and courtesy lights. Any ideas how I can 're activate those'? I do not know which fuse should be in the panel for these, or if there is a common wire to snip or what...

Basically, how would yall trouble shoot this?

On the same topic, would one go about making their horn work again? The horns are there, there is wires going to them, and when you press the steering wheel you can hear the horn relay click... yet again, how would yall trouble shoot?

I'm electrically declined and have no idea where to start.

 

No the door ajar switch is in the door latch mechanism. The part that actually grabs and hangs onto the rear supercab door or cab post if you have a regular/supercab.

I just did a google image search and found this picture which shows where you need to spray. If the owner objects to me using his picture please let me know and I will remove it. I'm just too lazy to go out and take my own.



As for your actual light problem we need more info.

First do you actually mean the map lights, or do you mean the courtesy/dome lights. The map lights are the little lights next to the dome light that have their own switch right next to them. The courtesy/dome light is the one that has the roller switch down next to the headlight switch. The roller controls your dash light brightness, and then when you roll it all the way in one direction the dome light turns on.

The map lights are only controlled by the little switch next to them. They should work regardless of the doors being open or closed.

The dome light should come on whenever the roller switch is rolled all the way in one direction past the slight click (I think it's up but I'm not sure). It should not matter if the doors are opened or closed. If the light does not come on when you do this you have an electrical issue somewhere. If the light does come on when you do this, but it does not come on when you open certain doors then you have a door switch issue which can most likely be fixed by spraying WD40 in the latch as shown above.

 

Well thanks for the pic, i'll squirt more WD in there before I go so far as to buy a new door switch. Now i have to wonder what the thing in the supercab door is (i don't have a post).

As for the dome light thing, i meant the 'map light' was the ones with the switches on the dome lamp, regardless of what they're really called. The dimmer does nothing where it's supposed to turn on the interior lamps. As far as I know all the bulbs could be pulled out? I just learned today my doors may have actually had lights behind the little red things. It's just this truck has a questionable past, and then been altered by some flintoids (they cut out my remote starter) and now I don't know where to start.

I need a wiring diagram and my hanes manual just aint cuttin it, any resources on FTE that could help me?

 

The first thing I would do is check the bulbs and every fuse in the truck (not just the ones marked for the dome light). Use a fuse tester, don't trust your eyes to tell you if a fuse is blown. It might take a little while, but it can save some major time down the road.

Once you have all that checked you can start digging into the wiring. There are a couple members here that have access to wiring diagrams but I can't remember who. I would suggest doing a search for wiring diagram, you will probably come across a post where they offer to email or fax someone the pages.

 

Are you talking about that black piece of plastic that sticks out when the front door is open? My understanding is that is what locks out the inside door hand when the front door is closed, that way somebody can't open the inside door while the truck is moving and cause a big problem with the doors flying open.

 

It does have bulbs up top, but are there supposed to be any under the dash?

I looked at the fuse panel and it seems to only be half full. Now what I don't know is whether or not it is a generic fusepanel for the gassers and diesels, and certain slots are not supposed to be used depending on the truck configuration and options?

I'll get testing fuses and sprayin my WD

BTW thanks for letting me know what the black finger was for the door handle! With as much WD as i've pumped into that it should work flawlessly for the next 10 years!

 

There are no lights in the footwell under the dash. Just the dome light and two map lights up high. Then on the 99-03 and on some 04 trucks there are light sockets behind the lenses on the doors. You can pull the lens out and add lights to these and they should start working (no need to do any wiring). The Lariat models came with the lights instaled, but I believe all trucks were wired for them. Ford got rid of the wiring for these lights sometime in 04 to cut costs.

 

I have the '04 lariat but there is no lights or wiring in the doors, but there is a hole for the lightbulb to mount... I need to figure out what was done with this truck. The further into it I get the more confused I get, maybe I should've left it alone.

 

Like I said Ford got rid of the wiring for the lights in the doors sometime in 04. Evidently yours was built after they quit adding the wiring. Not that big of a deal.

If you want to add the lights do a search in this forum, as I know there is a thread with instructions on what wires to tap into, what lights to buy, etc.

Don't get so worked up, eventually you will start to learn your way around the truck a bit better, and everything will work out. Next time you get frustrated just remember, at least it ain't a Chevy

 

So I dumped a can of WD-40 into the front doors and open and closed them a grand total of a kajillion times. Light is still on

Are there door ajar sensors in the tailgate and rear quadcab doors?

And yeah, the only reason I get frustrated with my Ford is I don't know what I'm doing or I can't understand why my buddies up at ford did certain things... but when I owned a chevy, I was frustrated because it didn't go anywhere!

Life goes on I suppose...

 

Ok, so WD40 isn't going to fix this. My next suggestion would be for you to pull the kick panels and start tracing the wiring from the doors up toward the fuse panel/GEM. I am guessing that one of the wires may be worn through or cut.

If you still can't find the problem then you can move on to replacing the switches. I wouldn't be suprised if that doesn't fix the problem though.