13 BRZ Door ajar light will no go out with car off

[alfakarl]

This topic has been covered a few places, but I have not been able to find a solution. 2013 Subaru, BRZ, door ajar, light – illuminates with car off and all doors closed and locked. When the vehicle is running, the light is out, if all doors and trunk is closed and will illuminate if any door or the trunk is open. Dome light wind switch to the always on position barely illuminates, so I’m assuming possible bad ground somewhere? If anyone has a solution to this, I’d love to hear it. All bulbs are incandescent non-LED.

[Ultramaroon]

That's a good one for sure. Grrr...

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

That's a good one for sure. Grrr...

You're a big fucking help -



Hey, @alfakarl , Bubba says just to put a piece of black, plastic, electrical tape over the door ajar light and don't worry bout it. To fix the dome light, take out the bulb and lick on it - replace and see if it works better. If not, replace it.

[Sapphireho]

I would start by making sure the doors and trunk switches are working properly.

[blsfrs]

Did you try removing cabin and trunk light bulbs?

I'm just trying to be a little more helpful that Ultra.

[Ultramaroon]

You guys missed all the context clues. Door switches are fine. Nothing wrong with the bulbs. It really is a tough one.


OP, do you have a multimeter? Are you willing to humor me and take some readings?

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You guys missed all the context clues. Door switches are fine. Nothing wrong with the bulbs. It really is a tough one.


OP, do you have a multimeter? Are you willing to humor me and take some readings?

........OR - this is what Bubba uses -

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

You guys missed all the context clues. Door switches are fine. Nothing wrong with the bulbs. It really is a tough one.


OP, do you have a multimeter? Are you willing to humor me and take some readings?

What he said:

This topic has been covered a few places, but I have not been able to find a solution. 2013 Subaru, BRZ, door ajar, light – illuminates with car off and all doors closed and locked. When the vehicle is running, the light is out, if all doors and trunk is closed and will illuminate if any door or the trunk is open. Dome light wind switch to the always on position barely illuminates, so I’m assuming possible bad ground somewhere? If anyone has a solution to this, I’d love to hear it. All bulbs are incandescent non-LED.

Hey there old man, you might want to reread what he said about the bulbs. He just said that they were incandescent - NOT that they were all OK -

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

What he said:

This topic has been covered a few places, but I have not been able to find a solution. 2013 Subaru, BRZ, door ajar, light – illuminates with car off and all doors closed and locked. When the vehicle is running, the light is out, if all doors and trunk is closed and will illuminate if any door or the trunk is open. Dome light wind switch to the always on position barely illuminates, so I’m assuming possible bad ground somewhere? If anyone has a solution to this, I’d love to hear it. All bulbs are incandescent non-LED.

Hey there old man, you might want to reread what he said about the bulbs. He just said that they were incandescent - NOT that they were all OK -

What we do know is that they're not shorted or dumping a shit-ton of noise back into the BCU. The fact that they are the original bulbs is one of the context clues.

The weird behavior of the door-ajar warning light and the dim dome light may be related but I don't have prior experience to support that leap. OP may be onto something regarding an open or resistive ground. Multimeter is good for testing that.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

What we do know is that they're not shorted or dumping a shit-ton of noise back into the BCU. The fact that they are the original bulbs is one of the context clues.

The weird behavior of the door-ajar warning light and the dim dome light may be related but I don't have prior experience to support that leap. OP may be onto something regarding an open or resistive ground. Multimeter is good for testing that.

OK, big guy, I'll give you this one, have a great rest of the weekend -

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

OK, big guy, I'll give you this one, have a great rest of the weekend -

You as well, my friend.

[blsfrs]

I read where mice chewing some wires have caused odd issues. Has the car ever been flooded?

In my earlier comment, I suggested removing the bulbs to break the circuit. If the light goes off, replace one bulb at a time.

[thomasmryan]

my 16 has a time delay after exit for the interior light.

it might be worth looking into that function


edit. the instrument panel wiring pdf shows i79 as the 'illumination control module'

[Trap63]

@alfakarl

As you well know, SOME sections of the system are not fused and the mass (G) is instead managed by IC.
In this case, the Map Light, Door Courtesy lamp and Sun Shade Light section, electrochromic mirror (who has it) has the mass managed by the Integrated Unit which has a different code for each Model Year (starting from the final 88281CA500 up to the 551 of the Model H for EU LHD Models). I'm talking about Subaru codes, but the unit with different code is the same for GT86.
When you short out, for example, the door lights (door courtesy lamp) or the ceiling light (Map Light), it is unlikely that the fuse blows, but rather the IC on the motherboard of the body computer.
In particular, the IC you see in the photo (one for each side of the car , driver and passenger) which is called A1764 (213 is THE MANUFACTURER) is skipped. This IC is also present in the ESD system and in the ABS control units and manages the actuator solenoids.
Generally, when one of the two is burnt out, the map light timer and the light on approach functions with the keyless are lost. Sometimes if it is not completely burned it causes the door courtesy light not to turn off.
Without spending hyperbolic sums for INTEG UNIT replacement, among other things there are many on Ebay, just a few cents are enough to desolder the old burned IC and solder the new one.
Everything will come back again.
Last note: if you don't want or don't know how to replace the IC and find the component used, two precautions should be taken:
a) It must have the same code, the fuse box is common to all;
b) If you find it as a Toyota and you have a Subaru it will be customized as a Subaru via SSMIII for Subaru BRZ up to 2016 and with SSM4 for after 2016.