ford taurus problem

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cyber-bill

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this is a 1992 taurus that is presently killing the battery when the car sits still for some time. After charging the battery I found that the interior dome and door lights do not turn off . I checked the switches at each door and they seem to function ok. The dome light has 2 rocker switches and will not turn the dome light off when switched. I have temperally removed the battery cable untill I can figure out the problem, but so far no luck.
Any one have a idea what can cause this problem of lights not turning off?
Bill
 
Boomyal

Boomyal

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12,072
Re: ford taurus problem

This is a wild guess cause I am not an auto electrician but it might be a bad alternator diode causing juice to go up the ground side of the light wiring.
 
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Trent

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Re: ford taurus problem

Been a long time since I worked on that system. My mind seems to tell me there is a little black box under the hood. I think its located about the middle of the front of the car. Just behind the hood latch. Remove the flat plastic cover and the box is under it. Unplug it and see if the problem goes away. This is the timer for the light delay circuit. I seem to remember the lights will work when unplugged but no more delay. Let me know if im right??
 
jimr

jimr

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Re: ford taurus problem

your dimmer switch didn't happen to get turned all the way on to turn on the interior lights did it?
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Thanks for your help. One of the first things I tried was running the dimmer switch up and down to the extremes but that had no effect on the lights the door and the ceiling lights remain on. I checked the owners manual and found the fuse for these lights and also the dash lights , I removed the fuse and the short went away. It seems that what ever is in common with all these lights is what my problem is, but I have not been able to figure that one out yet. I don't think the dimmer switch has an effect on the dome lights only on the dash lights, correct me if I am wrong. I am going out now to investagate the delay switch if I can find it.
Bill
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Hi Trent,
Just went outside to the car and removed the plastic cover behind the latch and found a metal black box with a round white plastic connector to the left of it. I removed the connector and found three pins inside of it . I put the fuse back in place and with the delay connector apart the lights were back on again and did not go off. I still have the same problem, lights that will not go off with all the doors closed and the switches on the dome light moved to all positions. Is there any thing else I could try that you could think of? The parking lights come on when the remote switch is pushed and go off after maybe 3 minutes.
Bill
 
Reel Poor

Reel Poor

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Re: ford taurus problem

It could be any one of the door light switches has failed. Most likely a bad Entry Illumination Module. It's locaded on the under the rear package tray (the flat panel below the rear window), accessable thru the trunk. You can identify it by the electrical connector. It will have a single row, eight terminal connector, with only five of the eight connectors being used. Wire color from one end to the other will be, black, white/light blue tracer, black/light blue tracer, purple/orange tracer, light green/yellow tracer.
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Hi reel poor,
Boy it sounds like you really know your fords!!!!!!!!!!
I will definatly be crawling into the trunk today to look for the illumination module. I will put the fuse back in and remove the module to see if the lights are still on. Moma went to bingo last night with the fuse out so she had no dash lights coming home in the dark. If I need a new module where can I buy one?
Thanks so much for your help,
Bill
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Hi once again reel poor,
I looked in the trunk under the package shelf for the entry illumination module but there was none to be found. this is a 1992 taurus is there some other location I could check for the module? I have the Haynes repair manual but can not find the module mentioned .
Thanks, Bill
 
Reel Poor

Reel Poor

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Re: ford taurus problem

What model Taurus is it, GL, LS, ect? Also can you post the 8th and the 10th vin character? Does it have the 3.8 or the 3.0 liter engine?
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Hi, once again Reel Poor,
The id # is 01facp52uina179937 the model is a gl The engine is a 3.0
Thanks again ,
Bill
 
dolluper

dolluper

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Re: ford taurus problem

Check your rocker switch ,me thinks it's shot or bad ground on it
 
Reel Poor

Reel Poor

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Re: ford taurus problem

cyber-bill said:
Hi, once again Reel Poor,
The id # is 01facp52uina179937 the model is a gl The engine is a 3.0
Thanks again ,
Bill
Click to expand...

The " i " in your vin# is probably a 1, i-o-q are characters that are not used in VIN codes. That would make the Taurus a 1991 model. Also the fact that it has a 3.0 liter engine says 1991, 1992 Taurus GL was only avaliable with a 3.8 liter.

Doesn't really change much about the way the system is arranged with the exception of the location of the Entry Illumination Module. It's still accessable from the trunk but is located at the center of the seatback, may be mounted behind a protective cover that would have to be removed to see it.
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Hi again Reel Poor,
I cralled into the trunk and pulled a black cardboard cover away from the back seat and found on the left side a white connector pluged into a black plastic box that is held into place by 2 screws. I pulled the white connector off and removed the black box. The box has an id # as follows
e3ab-13c718-aa and motorcraft. also stamped on the same side is 2a09.
I then put the fuse back in and all the interior lights came back on and would not shut off. Where is the best place to get a new black box? should I go to the ford dealer, the local auto parts store or the junk yard?
Bill
 
Reel Poor

Reel Poor

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Re: ford taurus problem

If the lights still come on with the module removed, the problem is not the module. The problem is going to be the instrument panel dimming rheostat switch (at one extreme it is supposed to turn on the courtesy lights) or one or more of the door switches has failed and is stuck in the closed position (meaning the switch is closed allowing voltage through it).
 
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cyber-bill

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Re: ford taurus problem

Good morning Reel Poor,
You sure have been a lot of help and I really appreciate it very much.
I found the problem due to your help , it was the door switch pass side in the rear. I removed the switch and pulled it from the connector. I then put the fuse back in and low and behold the lights worked as designed. when the door was open the lights came on and when shut they went off.
Once again, thanks so much for your help in tracking this problem down. Sue can go to bingo this friday and have dash lights to go home with.
Hope things are getting better for you back home.
Good luck and best regards, Bill
 
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