If you want to turn off the jeep interior lights, you have come to the right place. Many jeep owners want to turn off the cabin lights of their cars. However, you might be tearing off your hair, trying to find out why the lights don’t respond to your commands. Don’t worry. In this article, we will discuss a few methods to switch off your cabin lights.
If you know about the operation of the dome lights, you can respond better to any problems in them. In most cases, you can solve the dilemma yourself at little to no cost.
Table of Contents
Purpose of the Jeep’s Dome Lights
When mentioning interior lights, we mean any lights inside the cabin space of the car. Like most other vehicles, Jeep cars have dome lights or courtesy lights that help read maps in the car or find misplaced items. The lights are also programmed to illuminate when passengers board or dismount from the vehicle. They will stay on until the automobile starts to help people fasten seatbelts without fumbling.
The following video demonstrates the basic operations of the interior lights. Keep an alert eye on the dimmer setting. The topmost point on it turns on all the lights inside the car irrespective of other controls.
Check the obvious first. Have you turned the light off? If you want the dome light to stay off, you merely have to turn the selector to the farthest OFF position.
How To Turn Off The Jeep Interior Lights?
Before you start checking the bulbs and fuses of the lighting system, you should check the dimmer setting. Jeep cars come equipped with brightness control for internal lights. It has the potential to be a type of master control for all the cabin lights.
If the brightness is at the highest point, the cabin lights will never turn off. You have to keep that brightness setting at the second-highest level. That perhaps solves your irritating problem. The video demonstrates in necessary detail the procedure of operating the dimmer.
This feature is present in almost all Jeep vehicles. It takes only a single step to fix this problem, as you saw. If operating the dimmer knob does not change the brightness of the dashboard display, you have a defective control switch.
However, if this is not the issue with your cabin lights, read on for other ideas to investigate it.
Diagnose & Fix Internal Lights
The first step to solving any fault is to find out why it is happening. The lights are always on, and you have determined that the brightness setting is not responsible. There is bound to be something wrong elsewhere. We will give you some tips to turn off the jeep interior lights on the way.
If the problem looks like it will take some time to solve, remove the bulb to avoid draining the battery. You can also remove the fuse for interior lights if you are sure it doesn’t control other cabin space systems. Needless to say that you should safely store any parts you remove.
1. Incompletely Closed Door
In some Jeep cars, the manufacturer programmes the cabin lights to turn on if one of the doors opens. It is known as the door ajar function. Thus, if you have not shut a door completely, the dome light will stay on.
The car computer monitors the door status through a sensor switch under the door latch. If the sensor sets stuck, the door ajar warning light appears even with the door closed. There is a straightforward way to dislodge the stuck switch, as the video below explains. You will need some white lithium grease or WD 40 to lubricate the latch.
2. Front Hood Sensor
An open front hood will also trigger the dome light. If the controls don’t turn off the lights, go out front and check the hood. Make sure it is pressed down and locked tight.
Here, too, the sensor could be broken. If you know that the hood is firmly closed and, yet, the light stays on, check the sensor.
3. Jeep Interior Light Switch
In case of an internal short in the control switch, the dome light could get stuck in the lit condition. Depending on the switch wiring, the fault could keep the light ON even with the key out. Consequently, it will keep drawing power from the car battery. It will also not let you turn off the jeep interior lights.
Will interior lights drain the battery?
The dome light draws enough power from the battery that the former will drain the latter in one or two days. If left overnight, the car probably won’t start in the morning.
To replace the switch, you will want something hard and flat to pry open the light cover. After that, you can dismount the light holder using a flathead screwdriver.
4. Bulbs
Usually, a damaged bulb causes an ‘always off’ phenomenon. However, if you have checked everything out and nothing has worked, replacing the bulb could help. Something flat can pry open the casing.
Once that is done, you can replace the bulb by hand. Just hold it, and pull it out. Be careful since it is likely hot if it has functioned for some time. A replacement bulb costs less than $10.
You can utilize this opportunity and replace your interior lights with brighter LED strips if you want.
5. Interior Light Fuse
The fuse may have become stuck in an improper position, which is causing a temporary short circuit. You can locate the fuse box for the interior lights, radio and other internal electronics behind the dash. You can access it by removing the side panel near the door hinge on the driver’s side. Locate the desired fuse using your owner’s manual.
Removing and correctly reinstalling the fuse will solve the issue you are facing. If the fuse looks damaged, replace it.
Note: Fuses don’t blow on their own. There may still be some problems with the internal circuit.
6. Wiring
If everything checks out okay, then there must be a fault in the wiring of the dome light system. Unfortunately, the wiring harness in any car, including a Jeep, is complex. You cannot inspect the wiring at home and hope to understand it. You should take the vehicle to a trustworthy garage and get the mechanic there to check it out.
Is It Safe To Drive With Interior Lights ON?
Leaving the dome lights on is not going to affect the operation of your car. However, the light can prove a distraction while on the road. It also reduces your eyes’ capability to discern other automobiles in the dark.
The interior lights and their switch do not play a crucial role in the safety and performance of your car. Nonetheless, they are helpful to the passengers and, consequently, cause an inconvenience when they fail.
Is it illegal to drive with interior lights ON? No, it is legal, alright. That said, laws against distracted driving and driving without a clear view do exist. So, it is best to solve the problem at the earliest opportunity.
Other Phenomena With Dome Lights
Other than turning off the lights, you may face some issues with your car’s cabin lights. We can sort out some of the common obstacles.
Dim Interior Lights
Dim lights in your car could arise from a fault in the car’s charging system. It may be a failing alternator or a diminishing battery. To determine whether it is so, you can use a multimeter or a voltmeter to test the battery voltage. Usually, one performs this test with the engine running.
We have a fantastic article on diagnosing and fixing failures in your charging system. Check it out if you wish.
Flickering Lights
Flickering of the interior lights could indicate many different things. Corrosion on the battery terminals, electrical outages, a switch malfunction and a wiring issue are some culprits. The battery and cables should undergo a thorough inspection to determine their operational status.
Conclusion
With that, we conclude our discussion on how to turn off the jeep interior lights. The procedures we have mentioned are more or less uncomplicated. Just be careful not to apply a lot of force on any internal fixtures. You could end up causing further damage in your frustration. Once you identify the faulty part, you can procure replacements from any automobile shop.
If you feel it necessary, you can, of course, consult a professional mechanic. You could also contact any friend of yours who has automobile knowledge.