Interior lights stay on all the time

Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 82,000 MILES
My interior lights stay on all the time and the "door ajar" light is on all the time. There is a relay switch under the dash for the interior lights - should I check this? Thanks for your help!

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Friday, January 14th, 2011 AT 11:23 PM

17 Replies

Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
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Hello,

9 times out of 10 it will be the drivers side door ajar switch which is located on the door latch which may need replacement. Here are the instructions in the diagrams below so you can check it out. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what you find.
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Friday, January 14th, 2011 AT 11:24 PM
Tiny
RLSTYLES
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 52,000 MILES
Opening and closing the passenger side power window often causes interior lights to come. I have to roll the window up and down until I reach the combination of window up and lights out. Last night -driving with window down, rolled it up a couple minutes before home, at which time the lights came on and stayed on. I had to pull fuses 1 & 2 to get them off.

What could the passenger power window have to do with the interior lights. (FYI, the power lock on the passenger door doesn't work AND my door ajar light is always on in case they are all related)
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
Try using a thin lubricant like wd-40. Spray the latches on the doors and open and sloce them several times or so.

Fords had a problem with the switches in the latches and this usually takes care of it.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GOTHEDISTANCE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 FORD WINDSTAR
  • V8
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 201,000 MILES
Headlights will not work. If you pull lever towards you to switch to highbeams, the lights will come on but you must hold the lever while driving. If you let it go, there are no headlights.

Interior lights sometimes stay on for 45 minutes after you stopped the car. Sometimes, they're off but you can go out in the middle of the night and they're on. You can go out later and they're off again.

Locks used to automatically lock as soon as you put the car in gear. Now you can drive a few miles and then you'll hear the doors lock.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,383 POSTS
Check or replace the multifunction switch for the headlight fault ! The lock's are controlled by the GEM (generic elictric module) and should be displaying a fault code !
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CORRIGJL
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1998 FORD WINDSTAR
  • V8
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
When I turn my wheel a brushing sound is coming from the front right. Just wondering what it may be. Also the door ajar stays on and that causes interior lights to stay on too. We have tried wd 40 and it works for a day or so
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SCOTT32
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  • 8 POSTS
Most likely a bad wheel bearing or rusted brake system, does the noise go away when you turn the other way? Your door has a worn out latch system, either keep spraying or have replaced.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CORRIGJL
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Either way I turn it makes the noise. How long can it be driven before a repair?
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
TOM CRUISE
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1998 FORD WINDSTAR
My 1998 Windstar has several electrical problems at once. The Door Ajar light stays on. Interior lights stay on and drain the battery dead. Door locks cycle through the lock and unlock over and over. Cruise control not working. Heater operates only in defrost mode (no matter what setting I apply). Rear wiper inoperative.
I can't help but think these are all related somehow.
Dealers seem to give me uncomfortable and uncertain replies. I reallt don't want to spend money on guesses. I'm hoping someone has had these problems and knows the answer(s).
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RRICHARDD
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I have had similar problems but like you have shied away from going to the dealers for similar reasons.
To avoid draining the battery I have located the circuit breaker for the interior lights from the driver's manual. If lights stay on then I pull the breaker.
I know this isn't much help but it may be comforting to know you're not alone.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
CHEVY350GUY
  • MECHANIC
  • 109 POSTS
Possible GEM (generic electronic module)
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
GUNS321
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I had similar prblems with mt 99 expedtion. I sprayed lubrication oil ie wd40 down all the door locks in the vechile. It got rid of the ajar problem, lights on and off and locks on and off. I got the tip from another forum like this and it worked. Can't help you on the other three.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
PAUL042508
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 FORD WINDSTAR
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 152,000 MILES
My door ajar light stays on but there are no doors open. We've opened and closed them several times. The interior lights stay on as well. Is it something to do with one of the doors electrical connection?
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SLYDOG39
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I have had the same issue with my 1998 Windstar. The simple fix is to spray the door switch with wd-40. This removes the moisture that can make the switch malfunction. It worked for me.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SCHRIMPIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 166 POSTS
I'd check the contacts to the sliding door. I think there are four of them. Disconnect the battery, get some steel wool and lightly scrub the contacts, both in the pillar and the sliding door itself. Make sure the contacts are shiny. If you don't disconnect the battery, you'll end up with some burned out fuses and perhaps some sparks.

Next, make sure the door sensors are functioning. The door closure sensors are in the door latch. Remove the interior door skins, disconnect the sensors one by one and see if this makes a difference for the dome light.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:56 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JLOGUE1076
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My 99 windstar has the door ajar light on all the time as well, but the interior lights don't come on at all unless I do it manually. I'm going to try the steel wool to the sensers and see if that helps.
P.S. I did the steel wool/wire brush, and it got my lights working, however, now they are on all the time. I'll try the sensors tomorrow and let you know how it worked. Thanks for the advice! I tried giving you points, but it wouldn't let me, sorry
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:57 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SCHRIMPIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 166 POSTS
The door sensors are located inside the door where the door catches to the strike pin. (Not the hinge side).


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/288111_doorjambswitch_1.jpg



When the plunger is depressed in, the contacts do not have continuity. When the plunger is out all the way, the contacts have continuity. Generally what happens with these switches is that the inside gets contaminated and the plunger won't come back out.
Result: Faulty switch.

Your dome light(s) probibly do not come on automatically because the Windstar has a time-out relay which turns off all interior lights after 30 minutes to keep your battery from discharging if one of the doors was left open accidently for extended period of time ...such as overnight. One of your door switches is constantly reporting "Door Open" and will not allow the vehicle body control (interior lights) system to return to normal operation. The time-out relay has not reset due to the constant false "Door-Open" condition. The car thinks a door is constantly open, hence, the time-out relay will not reset.

With ALL doors CLOSED, and considering your sliding door contacts function properly with the steel wool scrubbing already done, insert the ignition key and listen for the chime. If the chime is ringing, turn the ignition key "on" without starting engine to see if "Door Ajar" light is illuminated in the dash.

Open and close the driver side door to get any hint of difference in the chime sound. Reason: The driver side door works on a modified electrical circuit compared to the other doors. Explanation is beyond the scope of this text, so I'll leave out the details.
If you hear a difference in the chime sound, the driver side door is functioning correctly. The problem rests with either the passenger door, or the lift gate.
If there is no difference in the chime sound, the problem is likely with the driver side door.

Remove the door skin. Find the two wires which attach to the door switch (see picture), remove the connector, and jump the two terminals together with a jumper wire. The purpose in doing this is to bypass the switch. When the electrical circuit is complete, the vehicle body module thinks all doors are closed, and the DoorAjar light will go off.

If this does not remedy the problem, test the switch to make sure you have continuity when the plunger is out all the way, and reconnect the switch. (Or just keep the jumper wire connected). Then move to the next door, or lift gate. You may need to experiment with all doors to finally find the culprit.

They are common to fail on many Ford models. They are installed inside the door latch mechanism and twist in / twist out. Sometimes they are very hard to get to and you'll need to detach the latch mechanism to pull it out of the door so you can see what you're doing, and get enough leverage vs trying to work within the tight confines of the door.
These switches are very problematic.... I suggest if you feel the slightest resistance to the plunger movement, replace the switch anyway. It'll be worth it since you have it outside already.
Good Luck.
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Saturday, May 2nd, 2020 AT 10:57 AM (Merged)

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