1999 - 2005 Models:
Set dome light position to "Auto". It's that simple.
Most often this is due to an interior light being left on. Often it is the roller switch that controls the dashlight brightness and interior lighting being set to 'interior lights on'.
On the interior lights for the back seats, there is a switch. When you turn the switch to "Door" mode it will make the lights turn on when the door is opened.
My 1996 Pontiac Transport has a "Dome Light Over-ride Switch" in the dash near the ash tray. It refers to lights coming on with the Doors are Open and allows you to switch it to "Off". Mine quit working so I went to a wrecking yard and picked one out of a wreck for $5 and everthing started working again. Hope this is helpful.
If your map lights come on when the door is opened then the problem lies with only the dome light. check the bulb and test the wires for voltage and ground. there may just be a short in the ground. that's the most common problem with interior lighting. In my opinion. hope this can help.
I believe if you rotate the gauge panel dimmer wheel switch ( beside your headlight switch ) all the way down , it will keep your interior lights from coming on when you open a door
You don't say what year of Ford Explorer but on some years you can rotate the guage panel dimmer switch until none of the interior lights will come on if any doors or the liftgate is opened
fuse or broken ground in wires
pull out the fuse ----------------------------------- rotate your gauge lighting dimmer wheel all the way down ( to the right of your headlight switch ) that shuts off the interior lights so they won't come on when a door is opened
The first interior window.
I am not a mechanic, however as an electrician it sounds like the running board lights are wired to the same relay as the interior lights. To check this, simply crank the truck, leave all the exterior lights off, turn on the interior light, then walk around the truck and look at the running board lights. If they are on then turn the interior light off and the parking lights on, check to see if the running board lights come back on. Depending on the make and model of the truck, I could be way off in left field and this info may not apply. uuummmm.....programing?
There should be a switch that has three positions, one position to have the courtesy lights come on only when doors are opened, another position to turn courtesy lights off completely and another position to have courtesy lights stay on continually.
Rotate the Black handle Clockwise, it will make a noise. And then Gently pull. Turning it CCW will lock the door, and then it must be unlocked, by the Key or Automatic-Locks before it can be opened. If you look close these instructions are on the black handle.