Interior Lights Never Come on

[PaulTexas]

I inherited my brothers 2016 Ford Edge, 43K miles.  Interior lights don't come on when door is opened.  I found the disable feature from reading the manual.  I changed that without success.  Pressing the individual control buttons near the rear view mirror do nothing.  I see there is a fuse #1 for "demand lighting."  If blown, that would probably explain everything.  Manual told me where the cabin fuse panel is located  -- i.e., to the left of the streering column under the dash.  I removed the small pull-out convenience tray for better visibility.  I can just barely see the fuse panel way back in there.  No way could I get my hand in there, not even close.  I don't see how anyone could reach it from that direction.  As far as I know, you need to remove the fuse to see if it is blown.

 

My questions:

1) Is there a better way for an adult hand to access the fuse panel?

2) Is there an easily accessible point "downstream" from the fuse where I could check for battery voltage?

 

Note:  I am new to my 2016 Edge and a first time user of this owners forum.  I hope I have posted my problem in the right place. 

 

Paul in Texas

[PaulTexas]

Here is a picture of the cabin fuse panel of my 2016 Ford Edge.  It is taken from the opening in the dash after removing the small pullout tray.  In the lower left of the picture is a multi-pin connector.  Does anyone know what this connector is for?  Maybe it is not in use because I don't have some optional electrical accessory.  Could it be the connector for the interior lighting that somehow got disconnected?  But from where?

 

Along the right side in the dark area is the barely visible row of fuses that are essentially out of reach.

 

Thanks.

Paul in Texas

 

 

[omar302]

Reach your arm from the bottom, under the instrument panel instead of through the access panel. 

 

Also, check for codes, use ForScan as it can read Ford specific codes and will help you better diagnose the issue. 

[dabangsta]

Did you try all doors to see if the light comes on from any of them other than the drivers? If the door is open does the dash say the [which door] door is open?

 

The switch is part of the latch and fails often, and is bypassed frequently so that it doesn't always say it is ajar or not allow it to be locked.

[PaulTexas]

No doors cause the interior lights to come on.

 

Trying to reach the cabin fuses from under the dash isn't going to work for me.  I am old and overweight and not able to reach under there at all.

 

The suggestion to use Forscan sounded promising.  I looked at a couple of Youtube videos and was completely amazed at the hundreds (thousands?) of software parameters that can be displayed and changed.  As suggested, it might give me some useful diagnostics.  I am completely new to this 2016 Edge so I am starting from scratch.  I guess I need an adapter, a laptop, and software. 

 

What low cost wired adapter would meet my needs?  I assume it would have a USB-A or USB-C on one end to connect to the laptop.  Where on the car is the "port" the adapter would plug into?  Obviously, I am a newbie.

 

I looked at the Forscan software site and there seem to be various licensing options from free to lifetime paid.  I just want to get some diagnostics to help solve my inter lack of lighting problem.  I've installed a variety of software on my Windows 10 (maybe it's 11 by now) machine so that shouldn't a problem.

 

Maybe there is a place on this Edge owners forum where it provides step by step instructions about picking and using the adapter, and downloading and installing the software, and then running the diagnostics, and then, of course, figuring out what the diagnostic mean.  If the answer is to replace the fuse I'll go to my local mechanic and see if he will do it.

 

Maybe I should just go to my mechanic and ask him to check the fuse.  It's a 3-4 man shop that services all makes and they are honest.  There are lots of Ford Edges out there so he may know what to do.  I am not thrilled about the prospect of visiting a Ford dealer.

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

..Paul in North Texas..