Most cars, like Ford cars, come equipped with ambient lighting inside the vehicle. Generally, this ambient lighting helps passengers see inside their car when it is dark.
If your lights stop functioning, you may be curious as to why your Ford ambient lighting stopped working. We did the research, and here is what we found!
Ford Ambient Lighting Not Working
1. Burnt-Out Bulbs
Most ambient lighting in Ford cars will be from bulbs, and like household bulbs, the ambient lighting bulbs will eventually burn out.
How long it would take for the ambient light bulbs to burn out will depend on how often you use the ambient lighting.
Generally, you would need to replace these bulbs to solve this problem since a burnt-out bulb will not resolve itself.
2. Blown Fuses
A blown fuse is one of the most common reasons why ambient lighting in a Ford does not work.
However, a blown fuse in the car’s ambient lighting may signal there is an underlying problem in your vehicle.
For instance, a blown fuse in ambient lighting often means something shorted within the system.
If you fix the blown fuse, but the ambient lighting does not work again, there is likely a short circuit issue.
3. Failed Switch
If your ambient door lighting does not turn on when you open your doors, your Ford may have a failed switch.
For example, there is a dome light in your car that usually has a switch near it, which would say “Door,” “On,” and “Off.”
So, if the switch is on “Door,” but the ambient lighting does not go off whenever a door opens, the switch has likely failed.
4. Switch Is In The Wrong Position
As stated earlier, some ambient lighting in your car will be activated with a switch with various options.
Occasionally, the switch may not have failed but is instead in the wrong position.
Most of the time, you will just have to make sure the switch is properly installed and in the right setting.
5. Weak Battery
Depending on the car you have, the ambient lights may be powered by your car’s battery.
With that, if you notice that your ambient lighting does not work or is very dim, there is a good chance that your car battery is weak.
When the car battery is low on power, your car’s ambient lights may flicker or not turn on at all.
Usually, your battery would get weaker over time, but your battery can get weak quickly if you frequently use your ambient lights.
As such, a quick battery replacement will be the easiest way to fix your Ford’s ambient lighting.
6. Misplaced Wiring
If the problem with your Ford ambient lighting is that it will not turn off even when you move the switch, the wiring in your switch has probably been moved.
That said, this can occur if someone tried to repair your switch or if your car was recently in a collision, causing the wires in the switch to shift.
Therefore, you need to put the wires back in the right place to turn your ambient lights off.
7. Faulty Voltage Regulator
If your Ford’s ambient lighting flickers or only partially flickers when you try to turn on the lighting, the problem will likely be your voltage regulator.
With that, your car’s voltage regulator ensures enough electricity consistently flowing to specific parts of your car.
If something is wrong with your voltage regulator, the electrical parts of your car may barely work or not work, such as your ambient lights.
Typically, the main way to fix this problem is by replacing your voltage regulator to keep all electrical parts of your car safe.
8. Faulty Ground Wires
Usually, loose ground wires are the cause of your Ford’s ambient lights flickering or not working.
Further, your car’s ground wire is a heavy black wire that connects the car’s chassis to the negative terminal of the car battery, making it the foundation of your car’s electrical system.
Occasionally, the ground wire can become loose, which will mean that the ground wire gives little to no electricity throughout the car.
Alternately, the ground wire can become worn out or damaged, disrupting the flow of electricity throughout your car.
If the ground wire is loose, you just have to tighten it or reattach it to fix your problem. However, it would be best to replace the ground wire if you notice that it shows signs of wear.
9. Doors Will Not Close
If your Ford’s ambient lighting refuses to turn off, there is a good chance that your car doors are not closing properly.
Depending on the settings of your ambient lighting, your ambient lighting will turn on whenever it senses that your car doors are open.
Therefore, if your car doors are not shutting properly, there will be no signal to your ambient lighting for the lights to turn off.
As such, you would have to manually turn off your ambient lights and fix your car doors to make your ambient lighting work properly.
To know more, you can also read our posts on why car dealers want you to finance through them, why car batteries corrode, and why electric cars can’t charge themselves.
Conclusion
Normally, ambient lighting in a Ford will not work because the bulbs have been burnt-out from age or the fuses have been blown.
Additionally, a weak car battery, loose ground wire, or a faulty switch can make your Ford’s ambient lighting act erratically.