Mitsubishi Repair: 03 Mitsubishi Galant, mitsubishi galant, door switch

Question
I have a 2003 Galant.  This morning the dome lights in the car would not go off.  I checked all the doors and the trunk to ensure that everything was closed.  Even after turning the car off the lights are staying on for at least 20 minutes.  Any idea what this could be and more importantly how expensive it is to fix?

Answer
Toni,
Those lights are controlled by a switch in a door sill.  And on your car, they may also be controlled when you first unlock the doors.  Sometimes if debris or water breaks the seal around the switch, it may short out the switch, causing it to stick and making the car think the door is still slightly open.  There are switches on all the doors.  You can try opening and closing a door other than the drivers door and see if the light turns off.  This may help determine if it is just the drivers door switch or possible something related to the locking system.  Also, when you start or lock the doors the lights should turn off.

The best would be to have a mechanic take a look at it.  Replacing or fixing those switches is pretty easy so if the switch is indeed the problem, it should be relatively inexpensive to fix.
Good luck!