Hi all.

I've got a 2017 Ford Fiesta and the interior lights don't come on automatically when stopping the engine or opening the car door. The switch in the front is a three way switch like in this photo:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/omoAAOSwJytdRBnS/s-l500.jpg

The lights turn on as expected when I push the switch to the on position, or when I push on the lights themselves, but I can't get them to come on automatically. I'm not sure what the middle switch position is meant to do - I assumed this would turn them on when the doors are open - but it doesn't seem to do anything. The switch also doesn't match up the what's shown in the manual for the car, which is helpful.

The car warns if the doors are opened (on the dash and with the sound), so it can clearly detect the door position, but it just doesn't seem to be linked to the lights.

 

Am I missing something really obvious, or is something broken?

 

Any help would be really appreciated.

--Dan

Hi Dan

I've got exactly the same problem in my 2013 model as well.

Is it your footwell lights that wont come on as well? And the back dome light?

I've been asking everywhere but i haven't come across anything yet. Even took it to ford but they didn't have a clue (like most things)!

do the lights come on if you open the door with the engine running?

Nick -  don't have footwell lights, but the back light is the same as the front - I can manually turn it on and off, but it does nothing on its own. The boot light does work as it should though.

Cjay1 - Doesn't seem to make any difference if the engine is off or on - still doesn't come on when I open the door.

I'm taking it in to the dealer in a few weeks and they're going to look into it. Fingers crossed.

That my theory out then thought it could be battery saver set to zero but if they don't work with engine running door open it can't be that.

Mine occasionally come on when i start the engine and come on when i open the door. Its so random though! I then close door and they dim down like they should. Once car is locked, i unlock it - no lights come on and nothing happens when the door opens.
I took mine to a ford dealer and they said i would have to leave it with them as the guy at the time didn't have a clue. 
I've had a 'friend mechanic' look at it - he says it cant be the door sensors as its both sides. It cant be the fuse as the lights work manually. He also checked the inside of the lights for any breakages - none. 
He then went onto saying it may be something to do with the BCM and if it is, its a lot of money to fix!

Hope you can get an answer off the dealer. I cant without throwing cash out of them (im way out of warranty).

Hope you'll share your findings

So I took it in to the dealer. They did some initial diagnostics (and updated the car software) and weren't sure what the problem was. They were going to replace the interior light unit, so ordered in a replacement. They then found that the multiplug wasn't  fitted properly to the interior light, so they fixed that and now it's working fine.

Ahh brilliant. Glad you got it sorted. I’m going to have to open mine up now and have a look. 
 

Did they definitely say multi plug? Can’t find anything on it anywhere. 

Edited November 28, 20196 yr by Nick Winnett

On 9/21/2019 at 10:29 AM, ddan said:

I just got one last week and finally figured out that by turning on the center switch the light will come on when the door is open. the lights on either side come on when you turn them on!   

Hi all.

I've got a 2017 Ford Fiesta and the interior lights don't come on automatically when stopping the engine or opening the car door. The switch in the front is a three way switch like in this photo:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/omoAAOSwJytdRBnS/s-l500.jpg

The lights turn on as expected when I push the switch to the on position, or when I push on the lights themselves, but I can't get them to come on automatically. I'm not sure what the middle switch position is meant to do - I assumed this would turn them on when the doors are open - but it doesn't seem to do anything. The switch also doesn't match up the what's shown in the manual for the car, which is helpful.

The car warns if the doors are opened (on the dash and with the sound), so it can clearly detect the door position, but it just doesn't seem to be linked to the lights.

 

Am I missing something really obvious, or is something broken?

 

Any help would be really appreciated.

--Dan