Door light / odometer remains lit once car turned off

[johnmh]

My 2001 Carrera 2 Cabriolet has developed an odd issue. 

 

When I turn the engine off and get out of the car, the interior door lights stay on and the odometer remains lit. The headlight switch is off.

 

If I lock the car all the lights go off. If I disconnect the battery and reconnect it the lights / do remain off.

 

Once I open the door the lights come on and the odometer is illuminated and will not shut off unless I lock the car or disconnect the battery.

 

I replaced the rotor switch at the back of the ignition barrel recently but as all else works well it seems to be installed properly.  Will the operation of the top (or its lack of proper operation affect these lights?)

 

 

[wyovino]

Did the issue pop up after the ignition switch was changed?  If so, I would look at that first. I've read that there are basically two types - the $15 part and the $30 (Audi) part. Many have said that the cheaper one is no good.   An another item that can cause weird electrical issues is the headlight switch.

[DBJoe996]

Are you saying the odometer light and door lights never go off?  When I close the door and don't lock it the interior lights stay on for a period of time, then dim and go out.  Is it only the interior door lights and not the overhead map lights, or maybe you don't have those on a cab?

[johnmh]

No, they never go off.  No overhead map lights.  Weird.  Car is new to me, but has never done this before.

[johnmh]

1 hour ago, wyovino said:

Did the issue pop up after the ignition switch was changed?  If so, I would look at that first. I've read that there are basically two types - the $15 part and the $30 (Audi) part. Many have said that the cheaper one is no good.   An another item that can cause weird electrical issues is the headlight switch.

Not at first, after the ignition switch replacement it was initially fine. FWIW, I chose the more expensive switch. I may have to check it again.

[judgejon]

When you lock the doors the lights go off, right?

The lights will stay on a long time after the doors are closed.  Eventually they should go off.

The dash lights and footwells stay on when the driver door is closed.  I think only the footwell lights come on when the passenger door is closed. 

If the lights are not going off until the car is locked, do they go off when you drive over 3 mph and the doors auto lock?

There must be a rheostat or similar electronic timer  that controls the auto turning off of those lights.  I would have no idea where, but it might be worth checking that out.

Good luck.

[DBJoe996]

Hate to say it but it is probably one of the microswitches in the door handle and latch mechanisms.  PITA to check them and there are no separate P/N's for just the microswitches.

[johnmh]

13 hours ago, judgejon said:

When you lock the doors the lights go off, right?

The lights will stay on a long time after the doors are closed.  Eventually they should go off.

The dash lights and footwells stay on when the driver door is closed.  I think only the footwell lights come on when the passenger door is closed. 

If the lights are not going off until the car is locked, do they go off when you drive over 3 mph and the doors auto lock?

There must be a rheostat or similar electronic timer  that controls the auto turning off of those lights.  I would have no idea where, but it might be worth checking that out.

Good luck.

Yes, all lights and instruments go off when I lock the car with the key remote (I am outside of the car at that point).The door lights also go off when I start the car. 

How long should they stay on once I exit an unlocked car?  On mine 5 minutes later the lights inside the doors are on (and even getting hot). I am not sure about the passenger doors, will check.  

The doors on my 2001 car (which is U.S. spec) do not lock themselves when I drive off.  I always thought that the stupidest feature on any car.

 

Thanks for the idea of the timer (I will also consider the microswitches in the door). 

 

 

[judgejon]

5 min for the lights to stay on after closing the doors without locking is not unusual.  I think they actually stay on for a much longer time.  

I never really liked the auto lock door feature.  

But it could be handy when driving in traffic in a "not so friendly" city , area to prevent someone jerking your door open to do unfriendly things, like robbing you.

My car was pre-programmed with the auto lock, and I have never thought it worth the money to have a dealer do any reprogramming work.

I might just start a thread with a question about this.

Thanks for your unsolicited comment.  Good luck on getting your car properly fixed to your satisfaction.

[johnmh]

Thanks.  I always wondered why that feature existed (now I know).  I figured that all the auto lock might achieve would be to get me killed if I am ever incapacitated in a burning car (which might be more likely than a robbery).  

 

In any event I may put a timer on the light and see how long it lasts (or if it ever goes out).   One by one, the secrets of the 996 are slowly being revealed to me.

 

 

[judgejon]

yes, exactly.

just another entry on that vast list of "unknown and mysterious Porsche things."

another, and the one I really hate, is when the CDR 223 (Becker) radio mysteriously doesn't work and only displays Porsche on the screen.  Takes shutting off engine, pulling key, reinserting key and restarting engine for the radio/cd to work again.  Sometimes I can get it back by putting in and then taking out a cd.  Or the cd will play but all the sound settings for both cd and radio have defaulted to 0.

but the worst is probably the infamous and horrendous air-bag light trick, when the air bag comes on when starting the car for no reason.  Then it becomes pull-out the Durametric time.

MPS....mysterious Porsche s....

Cheers, j

[johnmh]

As an update the indoor lights now fade a few moments after shutting the door (good!).  But the odometer continues to display the mileage for a long time.  If it matters, the car is not locked and I had just turned on (and off) the headlights.

 

Is there a microswitch which would cause this fault?  Weird that it would 'half' fix itself.