QuestionQUESTION: my 97 caravan has a problem with the parking lights and dash lights staying on when its cold outside the only way to keep them off is to have the key in the ignition in the off position not lock position which is okay when i am home but i do not like locking a key in the van like that is just asking someone come steal me
ANSWER: Hi Chris,
It could either be the ignition switch, headlamp switch or the body computer. I don't see a reason for the parking lamps to stay on as related to the position of the ignition key, nor the cluster lights as they both can be illuminated with the key in the off or lock position normally. Are the parking lights on when you are driving the van in the daytime with no lights requested?, and similarly the dash lights? If so, then there is a problem with the body module requesting those lights, but why you can kill them in the off position but not the lock is another puzzle to me.
The lock position shows no switch wires to be energized, while the off position allows many components to be powered. So it appears to be the reverse of what one would expect.
So see if the parking lights are 'on' even though the headlamp switch is in the off position. I wonder if you might have a leak in the windshield at the lower driver corner which is allowing water to short out some pins in the body computer that is located under the dash nearby to that corner. Has this started only in the rainy season instead of the cold season? Or is it related to a car wash experience?
Roland
PS Please 'rate' my answer. Thanks
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: the parking lights are not on when driving the van unless turned on but i did notice a delay in the lights turning off when you turn off switch about 3-5 seconds
ANSWER: Is that the same for the dash lights, are they delayed in going off?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: no th dash lights seem to go right off
AnswerThat suggests at least that the relay for the parking lamps is sticking shut so try switching them around in the power box and see if that changes the problem and if it does then replace that relay to begin with.
Follow-up:
When you say that the parking lights are not on when you are running the vehicle and lights are not requested by the headlamp switch, then on the otherhand you say they are 'on' when in the lock position, does that mean that when you turn the vehicle off there are no lights 'on' but then if you move the key the lock position they suddenly come on? If that is the case then there is probably something not as it should be with regard to the ignition switch. You can get to it by removing the three screws that hold the panel (which includes the hood release) that is under the dash to the dash, then if you like you can disconnect the wire from the release handle, then remove the three screws from the panel that is under the steering column proper and remove the lower and upper column covers. The ignition switch wirh its plugs will then be accessible.
There is a black 2-wire plug which if you pull will give you access to the section of the switch that might be involved in the problem. You should find continuity between the two pins in the off-run-start position of the key, but not in the lock or accessory positions.
Then remove the 8-wire plug and verify that pin 3 is not connected to anyother pin except pin 4 when the key is in run; pin 7 is connected to only to pins 9 and 10 in the start position, only to pins 8 and 9 in the run position, and only to pin 8 in the acc position. In the lock position no pins should show connection to any other pins.
Roland
