97 dome light questions

[Sigpros]

So on my sons ranger the dome light doesn’t come on when you open the door or roll the switch up on the dash. But I can push the lever either way and the light comes on. Also it doesn’t chime when the door is open or you leave the keys in it. I’m not sure if it is supposed to or not? Any ideas where to start to get it working for him?

 

[RonD]

"lever"?
The switch on the dome light?

1997 will have two door switches on each door
One in the door jamb on body side and one inside the door, on the latch

1998 and up just have the one inside the door, on the latch, and it would often fail, get stuck from getting dirt inside because its at the bottom of the latch

What Year Ranger are we talking about, i.e. "son's Ranger"

When you turn Dimmer all the way up does the rear cargo light come on?

 

[Sigpros]

It is a 97 sorry I left that off. Ya the lever on the dome light. The lens is missing and there is a little black piece you can move either way and which ever way you push it the bulb closest will come on. But nothing when you open the door or turn The dimmer up it doesn’t come on. I will see if the cargo light comes on I didn’t check that

 

[scotts90ranger]

The dimmer switches are picky when they haven't been used much to turn on the dome light, once you get to full bright there's a rough detent to get past that feels like you're going to break the switch to get past... I don't like doing it on my Ranger or '98 Explorer, the '00 Explorer seems to be easier if memory serves (I usually use the map lights on those...) my rocker switch stopped turning on the light and the cargo light doesn't work, haven't looked into it...

My '97 Ranger just has the switch in the door latch, no button in the door jamb... to get to the switch in the latch it's probably easiest to get the latch out, it's just the 3 screws right there, the door lock deal and the two linkages in the door, it's been a few years but I don't remember it being too bad... the switch is just held in with a single screw, spray it with WD 40 or electric parts cleaner... I think I have my spare door latch for one of the explorers, Thursday I could take a pic...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Other notes, on that dome light there's 3 bulbs, I think it is supposed to turn on all 3 when the doors are open, the center one when you roll the dimmer switch and the indicator switch to go between the two sides...

 

[Josh B]

I would add some people disconnect them, that's what I do
I leave the switches working but to open a door I disconnect those, just never did like the light coming on when it wasn't wanted
The door I just pull the wire going from the dash to the door, usually just right there at the doorjamb if you're looking for places to check

 

[RonD]

In 1997 XLT you should have 3 bulbs in the dome light fixture

The 2 controlled by the switch/lever are not part of the door open/closed system, OR the Dimmer wheel switch

Only 1 of the 3 bulbs is controlled by door switch and dimmer wheel, and it reads like its burned out(or missing?)

 

[Sigpros]

Ok well it must be missing. This is how the light looks. We did not take the cover off we got the truck like this. We need to get a cover for it. When we turn the dimmer switch on the rear cargo light does come on so maybe we just need a bulb? Also I took some pics of the inside of the door. We will be taking the door panel off since the handle needs some attention
Sorry I was late getting the pics. Trying to get a clutch in his tractor before he leaves for some more training this weekend

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, those things were kinda a crappy design, the lens was originally held on by the reflector which was plastic welded to the white housing... pretty much every one I've seen has been broken, I drilled some holes in the reflector and zip tied it to the white base, I'll see about getting some pics up tonight since they're at home...

It looks like you are missing the contacts for the center bulb all together as it uses the bulbs that look kinda like a big glass fuse.

 

[4x4junkie]

In 1997 XLT you should have 3 bulbs in the dome light fixture

The 2 controlled by the switch/lever are not part of the door open/closed system, OR the Dimmer wheel switch

Only 1 of the 3 bulbs is controlled by door switch and dimmer wheel, and it reads like its burned out(or missing?)

Did that change? (the diagram isn't rendering very clear for me)
My buddy's '93 Supercab had all three bulbs come on when the door is opened or the dimmer turned to the detent, the switch on the lamp itself turned each side on individually.

We modified the switch lever to turn the light (all 3 bulbs) "On", "On w/door open", or "Off" since Ford failed to provide an Off option.

It looks like you are missing the contacts for the center bulb all together as it uses the bulbs that look kinda like a big glass fuse.

Looks like it's a Regular cab truck... Reg cabs did not get a center bulb (my '94 doesn't have one either).

 

[scotts90ranger]

Interesting, that would make sense though, those 3 bulbs are BRIGHT, I remember taking a bulb out for some reason if I remember right but I don't think I liked how uneven it was in my extended cab...

as for pictures of my fix for the lens (I found the lens and reflector on the floorboard of a Ranger in a junkyard, mine was missing when I got it), you can kinda see where I drilled some holes and zip tied to the base in areas that the zipties wouldn't melt:

 

[RonD]

The XL(or fleet) models just had the one bulb dome light, no switch on it

XLT got added "Map Lights" for each side, and a larger fixture with a switch

There is no reason it couldn't be wired for all 3 bulbs to come on with door open or Dimmer switch activated
But it could also be wired, as in the diagram, where just the center 1 bulb is activated

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Have you checked fuses?

I maybe wrong but i bet the dinger is on the same circuit as the lights that come on when you open the door.