Dome & cargo light on always

[ROBIN STEEL]

My new to me 1994 4x4 extended cab. THE DOME/CARGO LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON WHEN THE IGNITION IS OFF. I have to disconnect the battery or it will drain to 0 over night...I checked online for a fuse, but no listed location, I pulled the 10 amp labeled "1" in the diagrams and the lights go out, but that fuse is listed as "Headlight" switch, but the headlight switch still operates high and low beam & on off. So I tried the standard fix and tried to pull the bulbs, but that proves to require some sort of puller or a screwdriver pry that will bust the lens...any trick for that?
Battery still drains down, so I disconnect every time. I hear a "Hammering" sound when turning the key to "on"... I replaced the starting Solenoid, still won't start unless I use a Starting assist battery pack (small "WINPLUS") that worked for a few weeks...last time, after light rain, that wouldn't work. Called AAA, and he had a bigger booster, and the engine fired within one second, no solenoid noise...changed the battery to a big deep cycle that was "charged" overnight (GENIUS Smart charger went to green). Back to the Solenoid noise and no start, Any tricks or actual fixes?:annoying to say the least. I bought the truck in Utah, pulled a boat to California, never had a problem. Got to Marin, and it stopped being my favorite truck. does it just hate latte liberals?

 

[4x4junkie]

Welcome to TRS.

Try rotating the headlight knob clockwise out of it's detent. Your dome/cargo lights should go off.

If that doesn't do it, then you may have a shorted wire somewhere (or bad switch), which you'll need to get out a meter or test light and trace through your wiring to find it.

Your second issue with the hammering and it still working with jump packs is the classic symptom of having a battery that's past it's prime. You probably were just unfortunate enough to end up with two different weak batteries if neither one is brand new. The other possibility is a bad battery cable, but generally this causes a complete power cutout, not chattering of the starter relay.

 

[ROBIN STEEL]

Thanks for the reminder.

Thanks Junkie...It's been so long since I have had an "American" Ford, that I forgot to try twisting the light switch! I'll try that in the morning...
I took the batteries to Interstate and they checked out bad on the load test...so that's the easy answer. They tried to sell me a used battery for $65, so I might try to "recondition" the almost new marine deep cycle that was probably sitting too long while the jerk that stole it is in jail...I had to recover it and some of my gear but that doesn't seem to have worked out, The cops didn't care when I reported him, so he must have been caught ripping off something else...Haven't seen him again.
I am a Subaru type, and have been all over Baja, Utah and Nevada on some extreme "roads", and the only thing that stops me is 2' ledges or the occasional little mound that high centers the car...or water up to the middle of the doors (those last two only happened once, and that was out on the Sonoma coast)
We do a lot of river runs, so have to take two cars for the shuttle, and I can usually go where ever the totally built Toyota F-40 goes. I can't wait to see how this old Ranger does...but I will have to do some checking first, and just found out that it has about a million U-joints and a center bearing...I don't understand why every maker doesn't copy the symmetrical all wheel drive with compound low that Subaru had Pre Legacy...mine had 450K miles before it rusted away from too many salty trips to Snowbird, still ran just fine
synthetic fluids and a toilet roll paper filter really helped, and the Mexicans loved it when I showed up in places where no cars had been before...

 

[4x4junkie]

There should be three (3) u-joints on the rear driveshaft ('86-'97 Supercab).
See here if you want to eliminate one of them, but unless you have a suspension lift, the center bearing & u-joint isn't really a huge issue other than at 24 years old it probably is due for replacement.

If deep water crossings are your forte, you may want to relocate your engine air intake. Factory puts it right in front of & above the right-front tire, and it doesn't take a whole lot of water to flood it (especially with the tire pushing the water ahead).
'95-later trucks put the intake inside the fender, maybe convert yours to that style, or better might be adapting a snorkel to fit (I ran mine up into the center cowl plate right above the engine).

If that marine battery still shows at least 11.5-12V without any load being on it, it may be possible to revive it with a desulfator (pulse charger). No guarantees though.

Hope that helps. Good luck.