There are several red dome lights on the '01 Cougar. The most common one to be on at this time of the year is the ice warning light. This light will be red when it is at or below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), and between 1 and 4.5 Celsius, the light will turn orange.
The second most common red light on the dome is the service interval light. This goes off every 4k miles and must be turned off from the dash computer as described in the instruction manual. There are probably other red lights, but these are the only two I have run into.
You can view the 2001 Mercury Cougar owners manual online at : www . motorcraft service . com ( no spaces ) Click on Owner Guides
it is located on the light a switch that says 12sec on and off
You don't. The switch is all one , you will have to replace the entire switch.
Be sure the dome light switch is not turned on manually.
The most common cause of a dome light staying on in a Mercury Sable is electrical issues. If a fuse becomes disconnected or is loose this can cause the light to remain on. Check the dimmer switch and the plunger switches in the door jambs.
on the side of the dash
Bad bulb, check fuse if other courtesy lights out or if the only one
We figured it out . The switch that controls the dash brightness was turned all of the way up! After adjusting it and restarting the car , the dome light went out.
Just gingerly pry it off.
There is no separate switch for it. Pushing the light switch will defeat the dome and courtesy lamps.
It lists part hum 578 a 12.8V 10watt bulb.
The switch located on the door frame may be broken is a dome light stays on in a Mercury Sable. The switch may need to be repaired. If that is not the issue, a mechanic can diagnose the issue. Another way to help find a solution is to look in the owner manual or repair book for the car.