Turning Off Interior Lighting

[CdbShtr]

I have acquired a 98 XLT 4wd that I need to work out of. In my previous vehicle, I could turn off the interior lights with a dash switch. Is it possible to turn off the interior lights so working with the doors and rear open doesn't run down the battery? Thanks in advance for any support or suggestions you might have.

 

[tonydiv]

My answer to this was to install led lighting, you could leave them on for a month and they wouldn't drain the battery.

superbrightleds.com has the festoon and 194 bulbs to do all 5 interior lamps. I used the same 194 bulbs to do the running board lights too. They are at least as bright as the standard lamps. They are available in a bunch of different colors, but the natural white best mimics the color used in most new cars.

The festoon lamp # is 4410-x9 and the 194 lamp # is wled-xhp5 (for 97 - 02, not sure about 03- on)

I've used superbrightleds.com for lights for 2 different cars and at least 20 different lamps for the sailboat and there wasn't a dud in the bunch.

 

[CdbShtr]

Does this mean the inside lights can not be turned off?

Does anyone know if there is a single wire that can be switched then??

 

[tonydiv]

I suppose if you wanted to, you could make the switches at each light the only way to turn that light on. The cargo area light is easy, it already has a 3 position switch. For the others, there are 3 wires leading to each interior light: a constant 12v, a switched 12v (from the door switches) and a ground. If you cut the switched wire, then the lights wouldn't go on when you opened the doors, but you could still turn them on manually. The trade off is that you have to get in to a dark vehicle at night.



The lights will eventually time out and go off, but it seems to take forever.

 

[CdbShtr]

Thanks

Tonydiv, I appreciate both of your replys, thanks.

 

[z168]

I was hoping someone had a solution to this. I hate that the whole car lights up at night

 

[blue_ox]

I haven't tried this but i suggest looking for the fuse for interior lights and pull it out temporarily.

 

[Bart Man]

I installed a simple single pole switch in the left rear panel below the seatbelt, if you remove the panel you'll find the wiring for the lamp circut,I don't remember what wire it was but you can just remove the rear light behined the rear window and it will show you what wires go down to the left side panel and just cut into the wire, with the switch open position ALL of the inter. lights will turn off, with the switch off it don't affect the other door light operation.Then when you turn the switch on the lights will work as normale, I hope this will help,It worked out great for me! Let me know if you ne any other help with this.

 

[ShanePat]

Simlar prob. - time out for interior lights?

I'm going the LED route for similar problem.
I don't have a manual yet for the 98, EB, 4.6L we just bought.
Is there a time out for the interior lights to save the battery?

(We're going to have CNG added to the truck and use it for long trips and hauling extra kids.)

Thanks,
Shane

 

[tonydiv]

I've wanted to go the propane route for a while now, but it's hard to justify the cost. How much do you expect to spend on the conversion?

 

[ShanePat]

CNG conversion

My wife found a guy in Austin, TX, whose original quote is $6,000 to add compressed natural gas. The natural gas tank will be installed where the spare tire is. So, the inconvenience is to put the spare in back. It may never pay off. But buying the equivalent of $1.60/gal for fuel is good and the clean burning CNG reduces our pollution of having 3 vehicles.
The cost is something we planned for which is why we bought a 98 in the year 2010. The used lot would sell the Expy to us for $5,000 but then we also traded in a 2000 Toyota minivan.

We'd rather install a much smaller gas tank and then add the CNG in the extra space provided. But that apparently wouldn't be feasible.

When we get close to having it done, I'll start a thread with the details.

In the meantime, I'm learning how to be a very junior backyard mechanic for this rig. Never even changed spark plugs before.

 

[ShanePat]

WD-40 sprayed in locks, good for related problem.

I was hoping someone had a solution to this. I hate that the whole car lights up at night

I realize that the original concern here was turning out interior lights while door/hatch was open. But just in case anyone had my problem of the lights and door ajar light staying on when all the doors were closed... this worked like a charm!:

Originally Posted by jeff1998 View Post
I looked on other sites and asked a mechanic. He said to spray WD 40 in all the door locks. The sensor gets gummed up and does not work. I did it and they have all worked for 2 weeks now.

 

[jeff1998]

I hated the lights on with the rear hatch and glass up. I just took the rear hatch inner trim off and unplugged both of the latch sensors. Now I can leave the door up all day at the job and the lights never come on.

 

[rossao1]

I still want a real answer!

I find hard to believe that Ford would not have a simple way to dis-able the lights!

We went to a drive in theater (remember those?) backed in, open the hatch, and I fought the interior lights for over half an hour! I gave up, and then closed the hatch and listened to the two nearest chevy trucks play the sound track.

I am cheesed to say the least! Embarassed too! I have only owned this truck 5 months. I say this is a flaw, that needs a better rememdy.

I'll put a switch on the rear hatch if I have too, but please, there has to be a better way. BTW I own a 2002 xlt. with the light up running boards. It lights up like a feaking lighthouse.

 

[Eric]

Not sure about the 98 but on my 05 to turn out the dome and door lights I turn the dash dimmer adjustment all the way to the end and it turns out all the lights in the vehicle.

 

[trdragons44]

i pull fuse 24 i think dont have my manual here atm or relay 1(top left) on the inside panel under the steering column. mines a 97. and i go to drive-ins too much fun.

 

[panda24619]

Solution to rear window open & lights off.

here a solution to the rear hatch. my friends step dad has an 02 expedition and when u open the hatch theres a latch inside the hole that the loop on the window goes into. if u press that in all the way the lights go out. so u can go to the drive inns or let ur truck air out and not worry about the lights. and to unlock it press the unlock button. it pops back up so u can close ur window again. now if u have the doors open and want the lights out idk? i was wondering that too, but the hidden latch works best for me. hope that helps to everyone who has that problem.