door ajar light stays on?

2002 FORD TAURUS
49,000 MILES
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BANJOMANIAC
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OK, I just got this car 2 weeks ago and it seems to run fine and rides great, looks new. After a few days I got in started the car and saw the check engine light and door ajar light on. I tried opening and shutting all the doors and trunk but still had the light. I drove it home, 20 miles, and still had the lights. I used my scanner and it has no codes so I thought I'll look at it tomorrow. I got in to go to work and the lights were not on and noticed that the door ajar light doesn't seem to work when my doors are open so I'm at a loss. They have since came back on and been on for 2 days straight, both lights. Any ideas cause I think something screwy with a module or electrical.

Thanks
Mar 19, 2012 at 12:29 PM
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KHLOW2008
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Check all the door switches for proper operations and possible shorting. Try manually pushing each door switch individually to see if there are any changes. If the light flickers with door switch operations, you could have a fault with the Body Control Module.


Mar 19, 2012 at 12:45 PM
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BANJOMANIAC
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I should add that the dome light isn't on when the light is on and thought it was strange that the check engine light and door ajar light come on and go off together, that doesn't sound right. What does the door ajar light have to do with check engine? When the light was out the other day I even left the drivers door open and drove some and no light, walked around the car and opened every door and no light BUT it chimes when I open the door? Sounds like this is going to be tough to figure out.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Mar 19, 2012 at 12:55 PM
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KHLOW2008
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This could only mean a fault with the Generic Electric Module (GEM). GEt a scan done to check if any trouble codes are present.
Mar 19, 2012 at 5:05 PM
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BANJOMANIAC
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Well now I see that when I turn on my headlights, the check engine and door ajar lights go out and I can dimm the headlights and they come back on so maybe it's in the instrument cluster?

Thanks, banjomaniac
Apr 5, 2012 at 11:49 AM
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KHLOW2008
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It could be or the GEM. It could also be due to a poor ground circuit connection.
Apr 5, 2012 at 3:43 PM
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BANJOMANIAC
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OK, I got up with a ford expert who does wiring and all that and he told me that there is a connector on the cluster that those 2 lamps share so his best guess is pull the cluster and check the connecter at both ends of the harness and the cluster itself could be cracked and just flexing it might caus it to come and go so I think that is where I'll start.
Apr 6, 2012 at 1:48 PM
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KHLOW2008
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Wiring problems are always hard to pinpoint and when you have a starting point, cross your fingers and hope that is the right spot to get started with.

Good luck.
Apr 6, 2012 at 2:08 PM
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BANJOMANIAC
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I don't see how only 2 of the warning lights can be lit if there was a ground or wire problem. I have the check engine and door ajar light on all the time. Found out last night that with the car off and key out, I turn on the headlight switch and the check engine and door ajar lights both come on. I pulled the headlight switch but couldn't find a problem there, also found out that when I turn on headlight switch the temp guage goes up, even if the car is cold? It goes up to the first line or just past it, so it is getting power when I turn on the headlight switch?

banjomaniac
Apr 10, 2012 at 5:13 PM
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KHLOW2008
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You definitely have a bad grounding circuit or a fault with the GEM. when using the headlights, there is insufficent ground for the circuit and it is using the door ajar and other indicator lights to ground the crcuit.
Apr 11, 2012 at 12:31 PM
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BANJOMANIAC
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FIXED! I pulled the cluster and the copper leads that run under the 16 wire connecter were slid over together and the illumination, check engine and door ajar were all touching. I pulled them up and straightened them and all is good.
Apr 11, 2012 at 7:55 PM
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KHLOW2008
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Cheers.

Have a nice day.
Apr 12, 2012 at 1:52 PM
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VERNJW
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I have the same problem (2001 Taurus). I pulled the connector blocks from the fuse panel under the dash, and could not see any obvious isses (no bare wires, no way for connectors to touch. Symptoms:
Check engine light on. Goes out if headlights are turned on.
Occasionally the "Door Ajar" light comes on, and then the door locks luck/unlock rapidly. This is intermittant and clears (for while) when a door is opened and closed.
Is it possible ther is a bad ground. And if so where would I look look?
I have cleaned the negative battery post as well.
Jun 1, 2014 at 4:02 PM