what happens if you just remove the cargo light lightbulbs?

charwest

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now that we have a topper on, the cargo light is definitively useless. plus we find it annoying to look at it for ten minutes after we park and have the doors open.

i was thinking about just removing the light bulbs. but will this trigger some sort of alarm or error in the car? if it will ill just leave it alone, as it will require removing the topper and dont really want to go through all that just to find out i need to put the bulbs back in to keep the car quiet.
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Why are doors open for 10min?
With the doors open, is the topper light not on also?
I vote leave bulbs in. If light an issue, close doors.
If light on and it is daylight, should not be a bother.
If light on and night, and in garage, then more light good.
 

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I wonder if there's a fuse for the cargo lights?
 

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now that we have a topper on, the cargo light is definitively useless. plus we find it annoying to look at it for ten minutes after we park and have the doors open.

i was thinking about just removing the light bulbs. but will this trigger some sort of alarm or error in the car? if it will ill just leave it alone, as it will require removing the topper and dont really want to go through all that just to find out i need to put the bulbs back in to keep the car quiet.
Hi Char,

I have reviewed the owner's manual for the possibility of a specific fuse for the Cargo Lights and could not find any thing specific, so I think you will have to figure out how to remove the bezel with the Topper in place or just accept that you will have 10 minutes of unwanted illumination. I doubt there would be a error code generated by bulb removal, but can not offer assurance that no error codes would be generated.

I looked up the bulb specs in the owner's manual and it indicated the cargo lamps are LED and not serviceable....it indicates that you need to see your dealer for any service of these bulbs...not sure why...sort of weird in my mind, but this is what the owners manual says on page 324.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

Sandman Ranger

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Other posters.
Is there a main plug for the bed wiring harness? I know underneath there are OE wiring looms. Likely there is a main plug to the bed.
 


Deleted member 1634

Hi Char,

I have reviewed the owner's manual for the possibility of a specific fuse for the Cargo Lights and could not find any thing specific, so I think you will have to figure out how to remove the bezel with the Topper in place or just accept that you will have 10 minutes of unwanted illumination. I doubt there would be a error code generated by bulb removal, but can not offer assurance that no error codes would be generated.

I looked up the bulb specs in the owner's manual and it indicated the cargo lamps are LED and not serviceable....it indicates that you need to see your dealer for any service of these bulbs...not sure why...sort of weird in my mind, but this is what the owners manual says on page 324.

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
The Lariat might have LED bed cargo lights, but my XLT definitely doesn't. I've had the third light bezel off before (to swap the third brake to LED) and they're definitely just standard bulbs in there.
 

Rick - Saber

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Been awhile since I used the bed lights but I thought when leaving the doors open for a bit one could hit the bed light button a time or two and those lights would turn off. Will test that out later.
 

Deleted member 1634

Been awhile since I used the bed lights but I thought when leaving the doors open for a bit one could hit the bed light button a time or two and those lights would turn off. Will test that out later.
I've tried that and haven't gotten it to work. If you do, I'd be interested in hearing the secret combination. haha
 

HoldMyBeer

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I replaced mine with a dim red bulb as I also got tired of it turning on every time I opened the door
 

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The Lariat might have LED bed cargo lights, but my XLT definitely doesn't. I've had the third light bezel off before (to swap the third brake to LED) and they're definitely just standard bulbs in there.
Hi Matt,

I am surprised there would be a different manual for Lariat...strange...

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

t4thfavor

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Enable the dark car and silent mode mode in Forscan if you're going to be camping around other people. It stops all lights and beeping that this truck loves to do. I have it enabled in the IPC so I can toggle it on and off when I'm camping.
 
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charwest

charwest

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interesting stuff. forscan is on my radar but a little lower in the pile of ranger to-dos. but good to know its an option that doesnt require getting the cover off.

i still wonder whether there is just a wire somewhere relatively accessible that i could put an interrupt switch in to make the cargo light turn off and stay off (but work normally if needed), but maybe thats not a thing.

sounds like there is a probably a real bulb in there on the XL- something to remove if this topper comes off in the future.

and for those wondering why it matters? we often leave our doors open while camping, and dont like the glare and bug-attraction of a ten minute cargo light. plus we dont like advertising our presence.

thanks for the tips, folks
 

Rviator

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You could just do the easy thing and darken the lens with paint or window tint or even black electrical tape.
 

Deleted member 1634

Im getting curious about this leaving the doors open while camping thing.
I have camped alot and cant wrap my head around this. Ive never seen anyone do it personally.
Bugs. Critters and thieves run rampant in campgrounds ive attended.
I don't think they leave the doors open while they sleep. Though that wouldn't be much different than sleeping out in the open under the stars. But while hanging out in the site cooking dinner or sitting around the fire having the doors open isn't that crazy to me. Especially at someplace far from others or in the wild overlanding.

Also campgrounds rampant with thieves doesn't sound like a place I would choose to stay regardless of if I left my doors open or not.
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