Dome light Door ajar always on Ranger - Interior Tech - Tech Section

Not logged in - Login | Register

Posted: Sat Aug 18th, 2018 02:59 pm

Quote

1^st Post

JAMMAN

Owns A Torsen

Joined: Mon Sep 18th, 2017

Location: Grove City Ohio, USA

Posts: 5751

Name: Jim

Occupation: 5 axis cnc programmer

Interests: RBV's

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 9335

Member's Gallery

I want to slap ford for this one can someone explain the logic.

Symptom: Dome light always on, door ajar light on. You have checked both front door switches and they are working fine.

I have confirmed this in the wiring diagrams of 1998 through 2000 rangers, many more may be affected.

For some reason on the 4 door models (the extended cab where the little rear doors open backwards) Ford felt it would be a good idea to put door switches on the back doors also.

One wire is ground, one goes to the gem but not exactly. On both doors the non ground wire ties in with the right front door switch! You can unplug the wire from the front switch and do a continuity test between the colored wire (not the black wire) and ground and get a beep or a light.... one of the rear switches is bad.

The rear door switches are wired in parallel if either of them are smoked then you will get continuity. These switches are "normally open" design so they actually close when the door is open. The ground is just a signal to the GEM to do its thing and turn the dome light on or trigger the door ajar light and the battery saver thing that eventually turns it off if it seems you have forgotten to.

I haven't found out where the wire is spliced in yet to the right door wire but I will unless someone already knows. I'm not going to attempt to fix the rear switches I'll just clip the wires because... (here's the logic question)...

WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A DOOR OPEN SWITCH ON A DOOR THAT CAN ONLY OPEN IF THE MAIN DOOR IS OPEN?

Maybe it's just me?

____________________
Truth sounds like hate for those who hate truth.

00 XLT 4WD RCSB 3.GO! Jalapeño
01 XLT 2WD RC Steppie 3.0 auto Silver

Quote

Posted: Sat Aug 18th, 2018 03:08 pm

Quote

2^nd Post

Chris

Wrench spinner

Joined: Thu Oct 5th, 2017

Location: Leigh On Sea, United Kingdom

Posts: 1944

Name: Chris

Occupation: Retired

Interests: Science, technology, horses

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 2645

Member's Gallery

Because it's a DOOR and somewhere in the build & use regs there is probably something that says all doors must have a warning if they are open.

Ford should have redefined the rear opening parts as hatches then they probably wouldn't have needed the switches ....

____________________

MG power

Quote

Posted: Sat Aug 18th, 2018 03:12 pm

Quote

3^rd Post

Mike69

Mustang Nut

Joined: Sun Oct 22nd, 2017

Location: Horsepasture Virginia, USA

Posts: 1538

Name: Mike

Occupation: Merchandising

Interests: Vintage Mustangs, RBV's, car shows, & woodworking

Status:

Online

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 2763

Member's Gallery

Jim, on my last 2000 Ranger that was also a 4 door I had a problem of the dome light & door ajar light staying on. I found the lower door latch on one of the rear doors was rusted & stuck in the open position & not allowing the rear door to close fully at the bottom. I had to soak the latch with PB Blaster/WD-40 to free it up so it would latch & the light would go out. For a while until I figured out what the problem was I had pulled the dome light bulb out.

____________________
00 Ranger Extd Cab 4x4 4.0 OHV, Auto(My DD)
99 Explorer Sport 4x4 4.0 SOHC, Auto( Wife's DD)
69 Mustang Coupe 5.0, 5 spd(Project & my future toy)
14 Kawasaki Vulcan (Wife's Toy)

Quote

Posted: Sat Aug 18th, 2018 03:44 pm

Quote

4^th Post

JAMMAN

Owns A Torsen

Joined: Mon Sep 18th, 2017

Location: Grove City Ohio, USA

Posts: 5751

Name: Jim

Occupation: 5 axis cnc programmer

Interests: RBV's

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 9335

Member's Gallery

Well the PO got PO'ed and pulled the entire dome light out. I have none but I do have a volt meter :)

Just clipped the wires. You can pull the grommet loose from the truck and expose all 5 wires. Only need to clip one :)

Wrong one and the speakers stop working.

____________________
Truth sounds like hate for those who hate truth.

00 XLT 4WD RCSB 3.GO! Jalapeño
01 XLT 2WD RC Steppie 3.0 auto Silver

Quote

Posted: Sat Aug 18th, 2018 10:33 pm

Quote

5^th Post

Tsquare
Member

Joined: Fri Nov 10th, 2017

Location: Suwanee Georgia, USA

Posts: 1453

Name:

Occupation: Controlled Insanity

Interests:

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 2718

Member's Gallery

When I had this happen to me it ended up being the headlight switch assembly. The switch at the top of the dimmer rheostat had shorted causing the dome light to stay on. It was about $25 for a new switch. I went the cheap route and put a pushbutton on/off switch that I had on the lens.

____________________
Tony
NE ATL
'04 XLT regular cab 3.slo stepside
Came out of retirement to drive a school bus - I have lost my mind

Quote

Posted: Sun Aug 19th, 2018 01:56 am

Quote

6^th Post

black06xlt
salvage auto dismantler

Joined: Sat Nov 25th, 2017

Location: Flushing Ohio, USA

Posts: 1682

Name:

Occupation:

Interests: my wife my kids ford rangers

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 3662

Member's Gallery

When I had that 96 expo I had that problem. I spayed wd-40 in all the latches and it solved the problem. A door switch sticking will cause that especially on a 4 door with a frozen latch

____________________
2006 ranger xlt ext cab 4x4 4.0 auto
1992 ranger xlt reg cab 2wd 2.3 5 spd (SOLD)
1996 explorer Eddie Bauer 5.0 AWD sold
1995 ranger splash reg cab 2wd 2.3 5 spd
2001 Explorer Sport Trac 4.0 4x4 auto
1998 Ranger XLT ext cab 4x4 4.0 auto
2000 Ranger XLT ext cab 4x4 4.0 5 speed

Quote

Posted: Sun Aug 19th, 2018 02:01 am

Quote

7^th Post

JAMMAN

Owns A Torsen

Joined: Mon Sep 18th, 2017

Location: Grove City Ohio, USA

Posts: 5751

Name: Jim

Occupation: 5 axis cnc programmer

Interests: RBV's

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 9335

Member's Gallery

It was the switch in the passenger side rear door. I cut the wire. Now the wires where the dome light used to be are working correctly. I just need a dome light.

____________________
Truth sounds like hate for those who hate truth.

00 XLT 4WD RCSB 3.GO! Jalapeño
01 XLT 2WD RC Steppie 3.0 auto Silver

Quote

Posted: Mon Aug 20th, 2018 01:16 am

Quote

8^th Post

CBB9M
23 year Ranger veteran

Joined: Sun Oct 22nd, 2017

Location: Out Mountainbiking In > Washington, USA

Posts: 371

Name: Bill

Occupation:

Interests:

Status:

Offline

Reputation:

Reputation Points: 601

Member's Gallery

JAMMAN wrote:
.....

WHY WOULD YOU HAVE A DOOR OPEN SWITCH ON A DOOR THAT CAN ONLY OPEN IF THE MAIN DOOR IS OPEN?

Maybe it's just me?

Simple. If both latches on the rear door aren't engaged, the integrity of the front door latch is compromised. Might not be a good thing in an accident.

____________________
-Bill

04 Ranger FX4 Level II, several mods

Quote

Current time is 04:16 pm	Top
Ford-Rangers.com Ranger Forum > Tech Section > Interior Tech > Dome light Door ajar always on Ranger
Users viewing this topic