How to disable "Courtesy Lights?"

[smithie]

Sorry all. I thought I had got the ignition process to work, but I didn't notice my wife had left the rear door slightly ajar. I did not actually get the ignition process to turn off the welcome lights function.

[wanderers]

I went the low tech route. I put a lamp cord switch in line with the door switch and stuck it to the inside of the door with double stick tape and a magnet. You can turn it off to disable the courtesy lights and turn it back on to enable them and also re-enable the alarm system if you have one.

If you do it this way, don't stick the magnet to the outer wall of the door. It's amazing how much iron dust is in the air. You'll have fuzzy looking spots on the van, although they wipe off easily.

Anyway, that's what worked for me.

[parisdakar]

Does the enable 'dark car' setting also keep the exterior running lights from going on when the doors open?

[jim2901]

Unfortunately, no, at least for my 2010 E150. Enabling Dark car only extinguished the interior lights coming on when the doors are opened. Apparently one needs the firmware version that supports disabling Welcome illumination to turn off those annoying exterior lights.

[snomad]

see post #41 picture: the illustrated menu's last line - Welcome Illumination. disabling it turned off those exterior lights went opening doors on my 2011.

[parisdakar]

Originally Posted by snomad

see post #41 picture: the illustrated menu's last line - Welcome Illumination. disabling it turned off those exterior lights went opening doors on my 2011.

Excellent. We ended up wiring the interior dome to think its on when its really not, which was just a work-around. But the dash and exteriors were problematic. This looks like the way to go. I assume the Forscan will work on a 2010.

[keytothestone]

So I was camping next to another ford E series van owner just last night Schofield Pass , Co. we were van geeking and this topic came up. His solution was simply too super glue the tab sensors then shut the doors to let the glue dry in the closed position. It totally works and very simple. I thought he was a genius. He did it about a year ago and still holding up. I plan on doing this at least to the barn doors. What could be the harm? Not the most ideal fix but it seems to work.

[wanderers]

Fixing it so that it is permanently off is easy but we had an alarm installed after a break-in in San Antonio and wanted to be able to put the switch back in operation when we were away from the van, that's why I went with the switch in the door. I access the switch through the storage area in the door. It also disables the exterior lights. It only works on our barn doors though, any other door still turns them on.

[jim2901]

It will be interesting to see what parisdakar finds when he hooks Forscan up to his 2010 van. On my 2010 E150 Forscan did NOT show the “Welcome illumination” option at all. I wrote to Ford about this issue but so far have received no reply. I probably need a firmware update for the Smart Junction Box. The stats on the SJB in my van are: Part number: AG1T-14B476-BC, Strategy: AG1T-14C184-AD, Software version: v6.

[regis101]

Interesting thread.
To add to my/our knowledge, do the exterior "Parking" lights come on when the door(s) are opened if the sun is shining also? Just thought there may be a daylight sensor or something.