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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Trucks / February 2007

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Still need help with dome light on Expedition

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dumbneasy - 04 Jan 2007 03:19 GMT
My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
don't come on when I open the door-any door.

I'm wondering if the dome light has a relay and it's location.  Since the
problem is not with a single door I'm suspecting the problem is elsewhere.

Admittedly, it could be as simple as a switch not switched.

Who wants to be the first guy to get a "thank you" by telling me where the
problem is?  LOL!

And thank you!

Steve in Montana
David M - 04 Jan 2007 10:21 GMT
> My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
> don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Steve in Montana

The ceiling switches are the map lights, aren't they?  

Does the dome light work when you turn the dash light dimmer all the way
up?

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David M  (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14  has been up 25 days 6:22

dumbneasy - 09 Feb 2007 04:39 GMT
The answer is NO!  But I did put a new bulb in.  :)

>> My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
>> don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> Does the dome light work when you turn the dash light dimmer all the way
> up?
David M - 04 Jan 2007 10:40 GMT
> My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
> don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Steve in Montana

PS, you're more likely to get help if you put the following information in
your posts:

1. Year and model of your vehicle

2. Exact nature of the problem  
("dome light doesn't work but map lights do, works with dimmer switch but
not door switches", etc.)  

3. What you've already done to diagnose it
("bulb is OK since it works with dimmer switch", etc.)

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David M  (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14  has been up 25 days 6:37

dumbneasy - 07 Jan 2007 19:16 GMT
Thank you for the replies, Ford Tech and David M!

My Expedition IS a 2001 and the map lights do work manually, as does the
dimmer for the console and the door ajar lights.  The map lights (nor
courtesy lights) do not operate when you roll the dash lights rheostat to
the full on position.  However, the dash lights are controllable via that
rheostat.  I suspected a relay being the problem because all these other
apps are still working.

Now here is another quirk.  This Ford is a former USFS enforcement vehicle.
Hence, it was used for patrol and potentially against poachers.  The thought
occurs to me that the "when-you-open-the-door" lighting may have been
disabled on purpose so you could sneak up on the bad guys.

I guess the first thing I need to know is where the GEM box and the relays
are located.  I may find one missing.

Thank you again,
Steve in Montana

>> My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
>> don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
> 3. What you've already done to diagnose it
> ("bulb is OK since it works with dimmer switch", etc.)
Ford Tech - 08 Jan 2007 00:03 GMT
> Thank you for the replies, Ford Tech and David M!
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Thank you again,
> Steve in Montana

Ok so here is an updated fact for you. The GEM and CJB are in fact connected
to each other. And there is no real way of disconnecting certain lights
without either cutting the wires to the lights, unplugging them at the
lights, pulling the individual wires out of the connector at the CJB, or
disconnecting all six (6) door ajar switches.. However, all but the doing
the door ajar switches would produce the lights not working at all. So the
only thing they could have done was pull the door ajar switch wires, or
remove them from the connector on the gem. If you cant find the door ajar
switches disconnected or the wires removed from the connector. Then you are
looking at either a GEM replacement, or CJB replacement.  These modules are
plug and play and have very few if any programmable features to them.. So it
had to have been changed with a hardware change, there isnt an option for it
in the software (that I am aware of)

Ford Tech
David M - 08 Jan 2007 01:33 GMT
> Thank you for the replies, Ford Tech and David M!
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Thank you again,
> Steve in Montana

You *did* check to see that you had a bulb in the scoket, didn't you?
I would check the 'simple' things before you go off tearing into GEM
modules.

PS, map lights should only come on when you switch them.

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David M  (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14  has been up 28 days 21:31

dumbneasy - 09 Feb 2007 04:39 GMT
I know I have taken long to respond.  :::::There are so many crisises in my
life.  :)  The rheostat works the dash, the lightbulb in the ceiling is
brand new.  No, the overhead light does not come on when the rheostat is all
the way on.  The interior courtesy lights (including the one between the map
lights that have to be turned on manually) do not work either.  The door
ajar light only comes on the dash when a door is ajar and I haven't a clue
about the GEM or the CBT, or was that a CBJ?   I DO know that one of the
relays near the fuses is supposed to be for the interior lights.  Whether
that means courtesy lights or some other lights-I haven't a clue.  In the
meantime, I will go through my CD manual and see if there's a diagram.  30
years ago I was an electrician so maybe I'll stumble on to something until
one of you fine helpers comes up with a real starting point.   Either way,
at some point, I'll report back.

Thanks!

>> Thank you for the replies, Ford Tech and David M!
>>
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
>
> PS, map lights should only come on when you switch them.
Ford Tech - 10 Feb 2007 00:08 GMT
>I know I have taken long to respond.  :::::There are so many crisises in my
>life.  :)  The rheostat works the dash, the lightbulb in the ceiling is
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>door ajar light only comes on the dash when a door is ajar and I haven't a
>clue about the GEM or the CBT, or was that a CBJ?

Ok here we go. If the door ajar light is actuating with all the doors, the
GEM (Generic Electronic Module) is fine. It sees that the doors are open. I
think what has happened is that the interior lamp relay has been removed
from your fuse panel. If its there I would look for a wire pulled from
either the light switch or the fuse panel... I dont know what else to tell
you, there is a whole list of things they could have done to keep those
lights from coming on..

>I DO know that one of the relays near the fuses is supposed to be for the
>interior lights.  Whether that means courtesy lights or some other lights-I
>haven't a clue.

That means its for the courtesy lamps.. The only interior lamps are the
courtesy lamps.

>In the meantime, I will go through my CD manual and see if there's a
>diagram.  30 years ago I was an electrician so maybe I'll stumble on to
>something until one of you fine helpers comes up with a real starting
>point.   Either way, at some point, I'll report back.
>
> Thanks!

Ford Tech
dumbneasy - 14 Feb 2007 02:04 GMT
Thank you Ford Tech.  When the snow stops and the sun comes out, I shall
endeavor to rectify the problem! :)

>>I know I have taken long to respond.  :::::There are so many crisises in
>>my life.  :)  The rheostat works the dash, the lightbulb in the ceiling is
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>
> Ford Tech
Ford Tech - 07 Jan 2007 09:40 GMT
> My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
> don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Steve in Montana

Steve here is the answer to your question and I can answer this without
looking at a schematic too.. Its your Gem or VSM module depending on the
year of your Expedition. The GEM module (Generic Electronic Module) and your
CJB (Central Junction Box/interior fuse panel) are connected to one another.
If you replace one, you should replace the other one as well. After looking
at a diagram of a 2000 Expeditions courtesy lamps, I see that the Battery
Saver Relay (BSR) supplies power to the GEM, but I am pretty sure that the
BSR isnt replacable. I think you have to replace the whole CJB to fix that
relay. Also the GEM is responsible for the grounds for the BSR, and the
interior lamp relay, thats how it controls them. SO if its a GEM problem,
that will only be about $200, but if its a CJB (water intrusion) problem,
then you are probably looking at a GEM/CJB combo replacement and you can
almost triple the cost due to the labor involved in a CJB replacement. (seen
a few of these in the F-150)..

   To make this a bit shorter, take it to either the dealer or a very good
repair shop. Trust me, you dont want to mess with this at home, unless you
are ASE certified?

Ford Tech
dumbneasy - 10 Jan 2007 19:24 GMT
I appreciate the help folks, but maybe I'm the one that is confused.  First,
all my doors, each and every one, lights the door ajar switch when that
particular door is ajar.
Second, I have two overhead lights.  I pesumed these to be dome lights, but
they are in fact, map lights -N'es Pas?

Third, every car I've ever owned had a light come on in the top of the
compartment when I opened either front door.  On some I could even afford a
car that had lights in the doors that came on as well.  These, I guess, are
known as courtesy lights.

No lights come on when I open a front door.  That's what I want to fix.

Gee, I hope I made myself clear...  And yes, it's still the 2001 Expedition.

Thank you and please re-read my screen name.  LOL!

>> My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
>> don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>
> Ford Tech
samstone@aol.com - 11 Jan 2007 01:07 GMT
Check to see if the dome light bulb is even there? The maps lights are
not dome light. Law enforcement people don't like the attention drawn
to them with the dome light coming on at night when a door is opened.
So ,  either the bulb was removed or one wire connected to the back
of each door switch was removed , the other wires to the switch are
still operating the door ajar warning light.
 
>I appreciate the help folks, but maybe I'm the one that is confused.  First,
>all my doors, each and every one, lights the door ajar switch when that
[quoted text clipped - 50 lines]
>>
>> Ford Tech
Ford Tech - 11 Jan 2007 02:35 GMT
>I appreciate the help folks, but maybe I'm the one that is confused.
>First, all my doors, each and every one, lights the door ajar switch when
>that particular door is ajar.

Ok, if that is the case, check to make sure there are bulbs in all the
lights, and look at the socket for all the bulbs and verify the wires arent
disconnected.

> Second, I have two overhead lights.  I pesumed these to be dome lights,
> but they are in fact, map lights -N'es Pas?

I believe you are correct. The maplights are usually in the ceiling, but on
some vehicles they were actually added to the bottom of the rearview mirror.
Also some map lights double as dome lights and have a switch on them that
allows them to be turned on manually, automatically (with doors), or they
can be set not to turn on period. Do your lights in the overhead console
have a switch on them with 3 positions?

> Third, every car I've ever owned had a light come on in the top of the
> compartment when I opened either front door.  On some I could even afford
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Thank you and please re-read my screen name.  LOL!

Last but not least, you seem to be having real problems with this. I will
make it short and sweet. If the door ajar light and sound is operating
normally with the doors, then the switches themselves are in tact, as well
as the wring for those switches. SO there are two possiblities for your
concern.
1. They have removed the bulbs from all the COURTESY lamps
2. They have disconnected the ground wires from all of the Courtesy lamps.

If you cant locate the courtesy lamps yourself, then you NEED to take this
to a dealer. It sounds to me like you are in over your head. Take the truck
to a technician to fix it, you ARE NOT qualified to do the repair.

Ford Tech
samstone@aol.com - 07 Jan 2007 19:24 GMT
>My dome light(s) no workie.  They work fine with the ceiling switches but
>don't come on when I open the door-any door.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
>Steve in Montana

have you looked at the connections behind door switch (s) i dissabled
the dome light on the drivers side of my truck by removing one wire
out of the three or four there , if i wanted the dome light the
headlight twist knob was right there.
 
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