Help with interior lights

[Bravo]

We recently bought a 2001 Expedition. Love it! But I cannot figure out how to turn off all interior lights so that the tail gate can stay open for an entire day without killing the battery. Does anyone know how to do this, if it is even possible? Thanks!

 

[GAINMOB]

should roll the light switch down...

 

[Canadian Expy]

Yeah sucks but if you drive with it open a little it shuts them off

 

[Thermo]

Bravo, the easiest way to do this is to simply take a screw driver or other similar tool and after opening the glass to roll the latch back to the shut position. This will cause the switch to be reset and make the truck think the rear hatch is shut. The downside to this is that if you try to slam the glass shut, you can possibly break the glass since the latch will not be able to close, allowing the glass to flex. You would have to slam it pretty good, but that is the risk. Otherwise, you are looking at having to add a switch in line with the glass open latch switch to deactivate the overhead lights.

Other members have simply pulled the fuse for the interior lights to make them go off too.

Your call.

 

[Bravo]

Thermo--I would like to be able to leave the whole tailgate up for up to 12 hours or more. (I will be at a dog show, and the dogs will be in crates in the car, and I like as much air circulation as possible) Would rolling back the latch work on the tailgate too, or only on the glass?? Thanks for your help!

 

[BakerEdition]

mine usually will turn themselves off if the gate or doors are left open...after a period of time...this is a feature that is incorporated in the GEM module...mine is a 2000...might just leave it open at home for a bit and see if yours will shut off....my 2 cents...

 

[bundy34]

I have a '97 and I pulled the plastic up from the bottom of the tailgate to get at the latch.

There is a wire attached to the latch on the right side that you can unplug to not allow the interior lights to come on when the lift gate is open.

I did not unplug the one for the lift glass so the lights still come on if that is open.

But it does appear that flipping the latch to the closed position when the lift gate is open works too.

 

[Thermo]

Bravo, yes it will.

 

[sgtowing]

mine usually will turn themselves off if the gate or doors are left open...after a period of time...this is a feature that is incorporated in the GEM module...mine is a 2000...might just leave it open at home for a bit and see if yours will shut off....my 2 cents...

Geeze this is going to hurt but I have to agree with Baker Mine will also shut off after like 15-20 minutes.

 

[tonydiv]

Mine will shut off after a while, I've never timed it though.

I also replaced all the interior lights with leds. That way you could run them all day without running down the battery. Bonus... also looks cool.

 

[rburch]

Mine also turn off after some time!

 

[GAINMOB]

i think i can set mine for 30 or 60 secs

 

[Bravo]

Thank you all for your replies! I am going to go out and open it up, and see if they go off after a time. If not, then onto plan B!

 

[Bravo]

Thank you! Figured it out!

I tried leaving the lights on, and after some time, they went out on their own. So, no worries! Thanks for all your ideas!

 

[JTKustoms]

I always just pull the dome light fuse when I go to car shows, quick easy solution if you don't wanna wait for it to go off on its own. Not positive the exact fuse number but it's a blue one (15A I believe)