Interior light stay on, Key and light chime stay on?

[BIG BOB]

I got in my truck today and turned on the lights for safty. A while later I noticed the interior lights on. The only way I could get them off was by turning the dimmer switch off. When I got to my distination I turned the lights off, (also felt dimmer switch, it was hot but I could hold my finger on it) and switched the ignition to the off possition, the key and light chime started sounding, the door was closed. The chime finally quit when I took the key out of the ignition. The interior lights will stay on all the time unless I turn the dimmer switch off.

So now have to drive at night with the dimmer switch off or will have the interior lights on.

I have 2 thoughts of what it might be, 1) the switch in the door jamb is defective or 2) the headlight switch is going out.

Has anyone had this type of problem? What do you guys think it is?

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[This message has been edited by BIG BOB (edited 12-29-2000). ]

 

[illflem]

Bob,I think it's the door switch though it's hard to imagine it going out. The switches are very simple but a little hard to get at. They are a ground path circuit so a wire somewhere in the circuit could be bare of insulation and shorting to the body. Best way to find it may be to pull on the wire to the door switch and see if it stops then you will at least know what direction to look.

 

[paccool]

Bob, this may or may not be your problem but just wanted to let you know. I looked at the pictures and noticed you have a camper shell. I have a friend that has a 2K powerstroke with a shell that had the same sort of problem. He couldn't find the problem so took it to a dealer. 3 or 4 hours later they found that when the camper was installed, the third brake light/cargo light was removed but the wires were not capped. one was shorting out and causing the problem. Bill was around $300. He was not a "happy Camper"!!

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Stan
93 2WD extended cab, Banks Power Pack, K&N Air Filter, PW Injectors,Auto w/4. 10 rear with limited slip, US Gear Exhaust Brake, 31/2" Exhaust, 5K air bags, Boost/Pyro/Tach Gauges, Green/Silver, new 40-20-40 bucket seats, 149K

 

[Evan A. Beck]

Could be the Central Timer Module (CTM) or the Integrated Electronic Module (IEM). The CTM controls the interior lighting fucntions, and could be the problem. I think with OBD II, its fucntion can be checked.

 

[BIG BOB]

Evan,

I'm sorry, I'm not familar with OBD II. What is it and where can I get it check at? Is this a procedure I can do myself?

Do you think any of the switches I mentioned in my post could cause this problem?

Thanks, Big Bob

 

[Cliffman]

BIGBOB,

I had a problem with my interior lights and my third brake light staying on at the same time. I finally figured out that it was a pinched wire where the third break light mounted to the body. Easy fix, just pulled the plate off (2 screws) and I could see the pinched wire, wrapped some electrical tape around the bare wire and re-attached the light. Problem solved. #ad


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2001 Driftwood 3500 Quad Cab 4x4, Long Bed, 5. 9L HO Cummins Diesel (ETH), 6-Speed HD Manual (DEE) Loven the shift thing (Arrrrrh), 3:54, SLT+, 3. 54 Anti-Spin Axle, Camper Special Group, Trailer Tow Group, 18,000 LB 5th Wheel Hitch, Leather, Sliding Rear Window, BDs E-Brake, Rhino Liner (gray), Velvet ride shackles, cup smoothy, Power Edge box / EZ Box w/elbo, DD Stage III injectors, McLeod Dual Disk Clutch, K&N, SPA Gauges, Jardine Exhaust, 16cm turbo housing. Love the smell of diesel in the morning. Hope your watchen DC cuz every thing you see here is a big lie, Hehe.

 

[Evan A. Beck]

Bob,

Check the door switch first, as it will be the easiest and cheapest fix. Make sure the wiring is in good shape, and also check the connectors on the IEM and CTM.

OBD II stands for On Board Diagnostics, and is checked with a DRB tool. Unfortunately, only the dealers have the DRB tool. It just plugs in under the dash in the data port. These things are not cheap, I have heard they are like 8 grand... Not sure though.

 

[jmeehan]

Do a search on scan tools or OBDII. There are a couple out there that I think will work on our trucks for less then $200.

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ex Ford tech, now driving '01. 5 2500 4X4 QC LB ETH/DEE SLT 3. 54, Patriot Blue

 

[BIG BOB]

It's been too cold to track down the problem with the lights, I just turned them off.

However yesterday, I figured I would just try them again, guess what. They worked fine, just like they should, and have work fine since. I guess I must have a short somewhere, I'll have to track it down this spring.

Thanks everyone for your help.
Big Bob

 

[weber1048]

Big Bob

I have a 98 Intrepid (Dodge). About a year ago my wife driving from Idaho to Utah had the interior light flashing on and off, when she opened the window it would close by it's self. Got to Utah and my son in law tried starting/stopping/ flipping switches to no avail, came back out about an hour latter and everything was fine.

About six months age came back from Portland and the interior lights would not go off, again tried all of the usual stuff, took it to the dealer could find nothing.

Thanksgiving, car in garage horn beep randomly, I get home go to check it out, think maybe battery going dead, hook up charge and amp meter bounces 0 to 4 amps, unhook. Car starts right up but dashlights come on, head light are off, full tank but indicats empty, dash lights won't turn off nor will interior lights, horn still beeping at about 20 min intervals.

Take it to dealer while we use other vehicle. Dealer finds bad interior computer. Which was replaced and Intrepid runs smoother and quiter than before.

It took about a good year for the thing to finally fail completly, so keep this in mind.

Doug

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2001 2500HD QC SLT Auto Long Bed 4x4 3. 54 Patriot Blue/Driftwood, Trailer/Camper Package
Van Aaken, DTT VB, Drawtite Front Receiver, Line X, S/S Rail Covers, ISSPRO Gauges, Bright Box

 

[BIG BOB]

Thanks for the insight Doug, I will definately keep that in mind. How much did the interior computer cost you?

 

[weber1048]

Bob
Car was still under warranty, so no cost to me. I had also checked on TSB's for the Intrepid and had them take care of the couple that applied, new catalytic converter.
Check alldata.com lists all vehicles by year and model for TSB's up to 2000.

Doug

[This message has been edited by weber1048 (edited 01-04-2001). ]

 

[PHaller]

I had a similar problem and after many hours of searching I found a bad remote keyless entry module. It's way up under the dash but you can get it down or remove the 2 plugs that go into it. See if that solves your problems. If it does the module is bad.
-Paul R. Haller-