1999 Ford Expedition Dome, Courtesy and Running Board Lights Stay On

This 1999 Ford Expedition came in with the complaint that the interior and running board light stay on. I checked data in the gem module with my scan tool and found that even with the door closed. I tried spraying the latch with a cleaner/lubricant but it did not fix it in this case. Cleaning the old ones worked quite well but it seems like the newer vehicles do not repsond well to cleaning with spray lubricant.

The data shows that the driver’s door is ajar.

The passenger front, LR and RR doors are closed.

Time to start inspecting. First I lifted the switch bezel using a small screwdriver.

After releasing the spring clips, I depressed the connector tabs and removed the wiring from the switches.

With the switches out of the way I could remove the hidden phillips headed screw.

I then reached my hand down behind the door handle bezel to release the clips.

Using an 8mm socket I removed the interior door handle.

I only remove the bolt enough to remove the handle so that the bolt will stay in place and be properly positioned for assembly.

Next I removed the front triangle shaped trim panel. I first pulled the upper edge loose.

Then I rocked the panel up to release the spring clips. Now I can remove the hidden phillips headed screw.

I next removed the courtesy light cover and removed the last hidden screw.

I lifted the door panel up and released it from the door. With the panel off I reached under the door panel and pushed the release clip for the connector to the power mirror switch.

Because of the tight conditions and the size of my hands I just pull the latch assembly out of the door. First I removed the three torx bolts that hold the latch to the door.

I then started unhooking the linkage paying close attention to positioning for reassembly. I started with the e clip on the lock cylinder. Then I unhooked the linkage from the interior door handle.

 

I removed the rubber from the window track and then removed the bolt that holds the rear window track in place.

I next removed the rear window track from the door. The track has to be pulled down and then out to release the clip at the top of the track piece.

With all of that loose I had to start removing the latch from the door. To do this I had to roll it off of the power door lock actuator rod.

Then I could fully remove the latch assembly.

When I unplugged the door ajar switch the lights went out. The switch can be seen in the picture below.

The alignment / lock tab can be seen in the pictures below. To remove the switch I lifted the black plastic just to the right of the tab and rotated it clockwise.

I installed the new switch and turned it counterclockwise to lock it into place.

Now the lights are off with the door closed and the data also states that the door is now closed.

This is becoming a pretty common problem on Ford trucks. I did a post on a 2003 Explorer in October of 2008.