lights stuck on, 2000 mazda b3000 (ranger 3liter v6)

recently arrived home. the skies were graying, so i easily noticed white backup lights were stuck on (these lights are a pair, located in the "3rd eye" assembly, at rear of the cab roof, above back window).

first i tried some easier jiggering: tap the light; open, shut doors; startup engine, momentarily put transmission into rear, then shutoff as normal; temporarily pulled the only fuse labeled "backup lights", which is #6 (hmm, maybe i should have tried temporarily running the lights in emergency flasher mode)

those 3rd eye lights stayed on, so i pulled the bulbs.

before describing the next event, i need to explain the ceiling light (aka "courtesy/dome light"): it's been semi-unpredictable since a long time ago. sometimes it works as intended (it turns on when either door is open). other times, the lens needs a tap, or a few taps, to turn on. closing both doors always shutsoff this ceiling light. (more precisely, the truck uses a time-delay before it shuts off this light)

back to the "story". then while neatening up (return owner manual into glove box, etc) i had to wiggle the ceiling light to get it turned on. this is "normal". But, after shutting doors

*this* light wouldn't turn off, so after various jiggering ( :-) ) i pulled all three bulbs from dome assembly.

after that, no other lights were stuck on.

other brake lights (including brake light in center of 3rd eye), running lights, turn signals, etc operate correctly. (though i checked these only after pulling the bulbs from "stuck" fixtures.)

so... maybe whatever causes ceiling light flakiness has only become slightly "worse"?

maybe this sounds familiar to someone here? i think the only thing left for me to try is to unscrew the base of dome lights, to look for wire trouble.

____________________________ other info: it had been raining a little, but i noted that no water had gone past the "foam" type gasket of the "third eye" assembly.

the rear license plate lights are set into the bumper and got knocked out (forward) long ago. (not much room for a shoe in the bumper recess, so i wonder how the lights get smacked.)

the pickup is an "extra cab" (whatever they call this) automatic trans, 2wd, regular gas, 3 liter v6. a/c. original am/fm/cd. replaced aged battery last year. so far, no electrical work ever done. about 80k mi

Reply to
nospam
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12 Dec 2007," snipped-for-privacy@nospam.invalid" in news:Xns9A04329C35BC1no6456@216.196.97.142: [snip myself]

uhhh, no. now i recall that last year both brake lights were out, and i worked out that the switch on the brake pedal was burnt (contact). annoyingly, just replacing the switch didn't cure the trouble. i took the pickup to a garage, who said the rear bulbs were both bad (though i had earlier checked their filaments *weren't* broken).

and the garage got the problem fixed.

Reply to
nospam

Well those lights are not on the back-up circuit, they are the bed work lights. My BIL has a Ranger that is a twin to your vehicle, and he had the same problem. It was a bad switch inside the door latch that triggered the interior lights to stay on. Replaced it and problem solved.

Reply to
Steve W.

precisely,

*this* light

bulbs from dome

to try is

its one of your switches in your door latches, i have a POS Ranger too, and mine does it. I just deal with it, and the light goes out in about

10-15 minutes...

some day when its warm, i'm going to pull the latch and just close the switch permanently... the dealer can tell you which door switch it is... mine is in the passenger door.

I have the identical truck... except 02, with 220k kms on it.. its ready for the bone yard anyway...

too bad the switches for that light aren't on the little button as they were years ago..

Reply to
Picasso

precisely,

*this* light

bulbs from dome

I "think" those lights in the 3rd brake lamp are cargo lamps, not backup lamps. They come on with the interior lamps. You probably have a sticky door switch, seeing as how the interior lights won't turn off either. Hose both of the door latches (rear of the doors) with WD-40 with the little tube attached, go into any opening that you can and aim slightly upward. Thw switch is in the latch. Open and close the doors about 10 times to free up the switches. Follow up with some white lube or similar lubricant. The WD-40 is a good penetrant but not a long lasting lube. Do the same to the right rear door if it has one. there are 2 latches in the rear door.

Reply to
Tom Adkins

nice response, thanks to all three.

12 Dec 2007,Tom Adkins in news: snipped-for-privacy@s19g2000prg.googlegroups.co m:

Ok. two votes for that. :-)

3 votes for that. :-) and if that flaky ceiling light action from long ago is independent of this new problem, I don't mind too much if I'll still need to sometimes tap at the ceiling light.

yeah, seems to dry up in a few months (or i've only noticed months later). i've got a few things around that'll begin rusting due to seasonal humidity. to prevent that, i use blasts of penetrating oil as a way to "spread" heavier sae 140

ok, i'll certainly be targeting the switch in whichever door latch. (just two doors on this "extended" cab)

more in reply to Picasso... i drove a mid 80's nissan pickup into the 90's. it had that old pin type switch, (near the hinges?) in one of the doors. somehow the pin got bent, but I easily pushed the switch into the door cavity (IOW, "fixed" :-) )

thanks again.

Reply to
nospam

Sounds light the bed light is stuck on......not a reverse light.......And the dome light thing makes me think maybe it thinks a door is open. Does it have a "door ajar" light or chime coming on for no reason? Ford seems to like to use door switches in the latches. If they are there or if your not sure where they are try spraying a bunch of WD40 UP into the latch on the end of the door. Then open and close about ten times. See if that will unstick the switch.

Reply to
ScottM

precisely,

*this* light

bulbs from dome

Those lights are -bed- lights. On a Ford the switch is coupled with the dome light. Check your owner's manual for how to use the -bed- light.

enat

Reply to
pixburghenat

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