Is there a way to keep the interior lights off while the doors are open?

[TKnapp2025]

I just bought this 2016 Expedtion Platinum Edition and for the life of me, I cannot find, what they call the "interior light control," is at. I want to able to set the interior lights to off when you have any of the doors open (or hatch for that matter). Google says that its above near the rear view mirror. Wrong! Only the reading lamps and the switches for the sunroof are there. I do not see it in settings on the display screen or near the light controls for the outside near the door. Nothing is noted in the owner's manual either. Can someone help me on this? Thanks in advanced! -TKnapp

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

I just bought this 2016 Expedtion Platinum Edition and for the life of me, I cannot find, what they call the "interior light control," is at. I want to able to set the interior lights to off when you have any of the doors open (or hatch for that matter). Google says that its above near the rear view mirror. Wrong! Only the reading lamps and the switches for the sunroof are there. I do not see it in settings on the display screen or near the light controls for the outside near the door. Nothing is noted in the owner's manual either. Can someone help me on this? Thanks in advanced! -TKnapp

The interior light control switch is a rocker-style switch, to the left of the steering wheel (on the dash).

With the ignition on (engine running or not), you must push and hold the switch down to dim and eliminate the lights.

To increase the dash lights’ brightness, you must push and hold up the switch. If you continue to hold the switch up, it will turn-on the interior lamps.

It is a stupidly-designed switch that is not intuitive and works slowly.

Here is an illustration of the switch from the 2015 manual:

 

[TKnapp2025]

Appreciate the reply. Unfortunately, i tried that already but that did not stop the interior lights from being on while a door is open (ignition off). It just controls the brightness of the control panel/touch screen and turns the interior lights on/off while the ignition/engine is going. I want to be able to keep doors/hatch open (engine/ignition off) while camping without running the battery dead. This is frustrating lol.

 

[bloodhound]

Appreciate the reply. Unfortunately, i tried that already but that did not stop the interior lights from being on while a door is open (ignition off). It just controls the brightness of the control panel/touch screen and turns the interior lights on/off while the ignition/engine is going. I want to be able to keep doors/hatch open (engine/ignition off) while camping without running the battery dead. This is frustrating lol.

This can be done through Forscan by enabling "dark mode" or something to that effect. Do a search here for other threads here, it's definitely been thoroughly discussed.

 

[DieselMonk]

I think it should turn off after some time has passed anyway.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

Appreciate the reply. Unfortunately, i tried that already but that did not stop the interior lights from being on while a door is open (ignition off). It just controls the brightness of the control panel/touch screen and turns the interior lights on/off while the ignition/engine is going. I want to be able to keep doors/hatch open (engine/ignition off) while camping without running the battery dead. This is frustrating lol.

I understand.

I had a 1989 Dodge Grand Caravan LE that had a headlamp switch that could be rotated fully counter-clockwise, which shut off all interior lamps with the doors and hatch open. I used the switch when vacuuming and steam cleaning the carpets.

You could remove the negative battery terminal, but that would be somewhat of a hassle.

 

[TKnapp2025]

This can be done through Forscan by enabling "dark mode" or something to that effect. Do a search here for other threads here, it's definitely been thoroughly discussed.

Not into reprograming my SUV to do something that wasn't made to be done if that's the case. I appreciate the idea though.

I think it should turn off after some time has passed anyway.

I believe it does eventually 15...20 minutes. No setting for that either...

I understand.

I had a 1989 Dodge Grand Caravan LE that had a headlamp switch that could be rotated fully counter-clockwise, which shut off all interior lamps with the doors and hatch open. I used the switch when vacuuming and steam cleaning the carpets.

You could remove the negative battery terminal, but that would be somewhat of a hassle.

I had a 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan (my daughter has it now for college) and it had the same option. Turn of a dial and all your interior lights were off when doors were open. I believe this Expedition may have been the first vehicle that i've ever owned that didn't have the option.

 

[ediddily]

I have an 07 XLT and there is a rolling dimmer switch next to the headlight switch or if I recall correctly you can change the setting on the dash by scrolling through the options of mileage, mpg, etc and find the one that has more settings such as reset oil life, auto dim, auto lock, display language, etc.

 

[JayB66]

The dial/rocker switch people have been describing affects the brightness of the Instrument cluster. If you're asking about the dome lights as I used to call them that's a different thing. I'm trying to get my 09 XLT dome/courtesy lights to behave one way or the other. They seem to have a mind of their own.

 

[chuck s]

This question has been around to at least 2017 (and I've commented in some of the threads) and everyone says it can be disabled via Forscan. And likewise no one has ever posted how to do it!

(Someone please prove me wrong.)

-- Chuck

 

[ZigZagFred]

On our 2019 Limited, there is this button on the overhead console. Here is a picture of the console with the doors open after I pushed the button. The other pic is a close-up of the button in question.

 

[DeafBringer]

On our 2019 Limited, there is this button on the overhead console. Here is a picture of the console with the doors open after I pushed the button. The other pic is a close-up of the button in question.View attachment 85557View attachment 85558

Thank you. However, that is a 2019 and is 4th gen. This subforum focuses on 3rd gen only.