97 f150 interior lights
Thread Starter
|
Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
97 f150 interior lights
The interior lights in my truck will stay on after all doors have been shut, repeated attempts at closing doors will not help. Sometimes the lights go right out as they should and sometime the lights will stay on for a long while and then go out. I checked the two relays in the fuse panel I can hear one of them click when the lights do work. I cannot find any type of switch on either door that operates the lights so I suspect some type of magnetic switch or sensor. I am looking for imput on this problem and where and what type of switch is used on the doors and where and how to get at them??
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 158
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
On my 98 there are microswitches inside the door latch on the door itself that control the interior lights. After I close my doors, the interior lights stay on for about a minute..........
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 918
Likes: 0
From: south western NYS Latitude: 42.34 N, Longitude: 78.46 W
Look all you have to do is open the doors lift door handles and spray WD40 inside the door handles for about 20 seconds on each door. Then allow WD to drain from the weep holes at the doors bottom. Close doors and work the handle a couple times and your problem will be solved forever................ lol... it works !!trust me been there done that..
Senior Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Wentzville, MO
Rich,
This is a old problem that has happened to many people including me. Right under the latch inside the door is a pin type switch and when you open the door, the pin is pushed in (which is actually down if you could actuall see the switch in it's correct location.) and the lights come on. When you shut the door the latch lets off the pin and the pin returns to it's extended state. The problem is that since the switch sits in a vertical position and the pin of the switch is on top, any dirt and water that runs over that switch gets caught in the base of the switch and won't let the pin of the switch fully extend when the door is closed.
Some poeple have sprayed WD-40 and other lubricants into the latch until it runs out the drain holes at the bottom of the door.
This is a bad Idea because the lubricants just gum up over time and also attract more dirt and makes it worse.
I ended up buying a replacement switch for about $10 bucks and replaced it myself. Fixed the problem like "THAT". Only had to do the drivers side. Includes taking off the door panel, latch and outside handle. It's easier to take out the latch, then tring to remove the old switch and install the new switch while it's still in the door.
Hope this helps.
Phil
And if you do try a spray, use something like brake cleaner which will clean but then evaporate. Most likely you will still need a new switch.
For other posts do a search on "dome light"
This is a old problem that has happened to many people including me. Right under the latch inside the door is a pin type switch and when you open the door, the pin is pushed in (which is actually down if you could actuall see the switch in it's correct location.) and the lights come on. When you shut the door the latch lets off the pin and the pin returns to it's extended state. The problem is that since the switch sits in a vertical position and the pin of the switch is on top, any dirt and water that runs over that switch gets caught in the base of the switch and won't let the pin of the switch fully extend when the door is closed.
Some poeple have sprayed WD-40 and other lubricants into the latch until it runs out the drain holes at the bottom of the door.
This is a bad Idea because the lubricants just gum up over time and also attract more dirt and makes it worse.
I ended up buying a replacement switch for about $10 bucks and replaced it myself. Fixed the problem like "THAT". Only had to do the drivers side. Includes taking off the door panel, latch and outside handle. It's easier to take out the latch, then tring to remove the old switch and install the new switch while it's still in the door.
Hope this helps.
Phil
And if you do try a spray, use something like brake cleaner which will clean but then evaporate. Most likely you will still need a new switch.
For other posts do a search on "dome light"
Last edited by phildacf150; Dec 19, 2001 at 09:45 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 918
Likes: 0
From: south western NYS Latitude: 42.34 N, Longitude: 78.46 W
I used the WD 40 method over 3 years ago and have not had a problem since. I also did about 4 other F-150's and they have not had a issue since.????. You do the math here.
