Dome light won’t go out? Chime won’t stop?
The most notorious cause for this/these problems is the switch in the door jam. The reason for the things to stay on is usually a short in the switch or wiring. The switch is on the ground side of the loads, so if the wire chaffs, it gets grounded and the things go off. The reason the things don’t come on is probably the switch has frozen in the circuit open position. A little electrolyte contact cleaner usually does the trick though.
Diagnosis:
- Dome light and chime stay on – Drivers Side Switch
- Dome light only stays on – Passenger Side Switch
Removal & Reinstallation:
Remove the door panel:
(My 1995 required the removal of the window crank and four Phillip head screws, other years may be different);
Remove the torx screw on the window crank and remove the crank, Remove the two Phillip head screws on the door pull and remove it from the panel, (be careful not to break the plastic tabs holding it to the door panel), Remove the third screw, which is under the door pull, holding the panel onto the door, The forth screw is located on the bottom rear of the carpeted area on the panel. Pull the door panel up, and slip the holding tabs on the back of the panel out of the door slots,
1. Carefully peel back the vapor barrier, starting at the back of the door, until you are able to reach into the door latch,
2. Follow the wire to the pin switch on the located on the bottom of the door latch.
3. Remove the standard tabbed connector from the pin switch,
4. Rotate the bottom of the pin switch 1/4 turn towards the exterior of the door,
5. Lower and remove the pin switch from the door latch,
6. Installation are the reverse of removal,
I used 3M spray adhesive to enhance/renew the adhesive on the vapor barrier, Don’t forget to line up the door lock pull with the hole in the door panel before slipping the plastic tabs back into the door slots. The Gem Module has nothing to do with the dome light/door chime problem.
The pin switch is usually just gummed up and sticking. A good cleaning with electrical contact cleaner or rubbing alcohol (and patience working the pin in and out) will usually free the pin. DO NOT USE WD-40 it will eventually dry and become gummy; causing the pin to stick, again.
Contact (pin switch) FORD part number is:
- SW-5528
- XF1Z-14018-AA
- S1 SWITCH
1994 and earlier below:
1. Open the door of suspected faulty door switch.
2. Get a 9/16″ socket and unscrew the switch in a counter clockwise direction.
3. Pull switch out until wires prevent.
4. Unplug the connector. Note: This connector can be a PIA.
5. Service or replace as needed and re-install.
6. Don’t forget to plug the wires back up. Also, when you unplug the wires, tape them aside with duct tape or something, because if they are in the right mood, they will spring back into the body.