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Why does my 2003 Ford Taurus dome light stay on?
I’m a private investigator, and I’ve been trying to find a particularly high-value target for months, and I finally located him on Thursday night. I parked in an inconspicuous spot beside the inflatable tube man advertising the Sizzler’s Unlimited Craft Salad Bar. Anyway, I turned the car off, ready to snap the first clear photo of this guy, and my Taurus’ dome light wouldn’t turn off! I tried everything—turned the car on and off multiple times, banged on the light and the dashboard, and yelled a few obscenities—but nothing worked! I got some looks from curious onlookers, but I don’t think my target noticed. So, why does my 2003 Ford Taurus dome light stay on?
Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
From one professional to another, there are two likely explanations as to why the dome light on your 2003
Ford Taurus
is staying on. Either your GEM, or general electric module, has gone bad, or there is a problem with one of the car doors.In a Ford, the GEM is a computerized component that monitors, regulates, and controls electric components in a Ford automobile such as the Taurus. Often, the GEM controls components such as the power windows, power doors, air conditioning, power mirrors, immobilizer system, central locking, and yes, that pesky dome light. As a central node vital to the proper operation of the vehicle, if more electrical parts begin to fail, that’s a clue that you’re going to need to replace the GEM.
RepairPal, the cost of replacing a GEM ranges from $560 to $600.
Another potential cause for a dome light staying on is a problem with the door. If one of the Taurus’ doors is misaligned or has loose hinges, this can prevent the door from properly closing, meaning it can’t properly latch and interrupt the circuit, which turns the light off. So, the door might look like it’s closed, but the fact that the dome light remains on is a sign that there’s a problem.
The best thing to do is get your Taurus checked out by a professional.
Protect your Ford with a robust
car insurance
policy by using Jerry
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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