How to keep lights off on your truck?

[BKC]

I upgraded to a newer truck. I have been driving my older fords but now drive a newer truck that has lights that come on automatically. I hunt on the eastern plains and once i get off the main roads, I like to turn my headlights off and go in a little stealthy. Between the head lights that automatically come on automatically and the interior and exterior lights that come on when you open doors ( and stay on for a bit after the door closes), it drives me up a wall. What do you hunters do to combat all the new gadetry on new vehicles?

 

[JimP]

A hammer works real well until you need to drive in the dark again.

A number of vehicles now days have a lot of their electrical accessories controlled by a BCM (body control module) and with the proper programming on a computer you can go into it and change a number of perimeters. I have a 2016 Ford Explorer that has one and I got rid of a number of things such as the chime that goes off when you shut the door when you get out and leave the vehicle running with the key in your pocket, the panic alarm and a few other things.

But it isn't something that you do for a trip and then have them work again later, if you want to reactivate what you disabled you need to get your laptop out and go back into the BCM program and put the perimeters back in.

If your vehicle is a Ford you can use FORScan on laptop to do all of this. FORScan is a program that you can download from their site and the purchase a license for it. There are others out there but I am not familiar with them. You can also talk to the service writer at your dealership and see what he can do for you.

Here is a link to the FORScan forum page and a example of what can be changed in the BCM.

One thing about FORScan is that it was put together by Russian hackers.

FORScan forum - Index page

forscan.org

 

[Hilltop]

Or you can just use the switch to turn them from auto to off. There is also a button on your ceiling that allows you to turn off inside lights when you open the door.

 

[BKC]

even with the switch, when it is pitch black, my lights still come on with a lower power.

 

[BKC]

Jim P , I will have to contact a service writer and see what they can do for me.

 

[JimP]

Or you can just use the switch to turn them from auto to off. There is also a button on your ceiling that allows you to turn off inside lights when you open the door.

You still have daytime running lights along with interior lights that stay on for a while after shutting the door or even turning off the engine that you can't controll manually, at least on my newer vehicle

 

[Hilltop]

You still have daytime running lights along with interior lights that stay on for a while after shutting the door or even turning off the engine that you can't controll manually, at least on my newer vehicle

Mine has a all lights off switch position. There should be a button on the ceiling that turns off interior lights, regardless if the doors are open or shut. Mine is a newer f150.

 

[JimP]

The only option that my 2016 Explorer has for the lights other than going into the BCM to change things is to set the light switch to manual but I still have daytime running lights whie the engine is on and out of park. There is no other option to shut down the interior lights or the delay with the lights on after shutting the engine off or opening the door.

 

[Hilltop]

Newer means something different to everyone. My 2019, and 2021 had additional options. Pretty sure my 17 did as well at least for interior lights.

 

[Hilltop]

The top options shuts all exterior off on mine.

 

[buckbull]

I use forscan on my 2023 ranger. Below is the OBD adapter I use to connect my laptop to the truck. Mostly used to silence alarms like backseat child warning.

Vgate vLinker FS OBD2 USB Adapter for FORScan HS/MS-CAN Auto Switch https://a.co/d/ffEilOZ

 

[BKC]

I will have to look into all of these ideas. Thanks for the input

 

[JimP]

One thing on the FORScan is that you need the paid version to change the perimeters in the BCM